Description
A hearty, one-pot comfort food dish featuring ground beef, egg noodles, and a rich paprika tomato sauce. This easy weeknight meal is kid-approved, budget-friendly, and perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large can (28 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium)
- 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients by dicing the onion, mincing the garlic, and measuring out spices.
- Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink (8-10 minutes). Drain most of the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the beef and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add paprika and dried thyme to the pot. Stir constantly for 30-60 seconds to bloom the spices and release their oils.
- Pour in tomato sauce and beef broth. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and toss with butter to prevent sticking.
- Add cooked noodles to the sauce pot. Stir gently to coat every noodle in the sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, topped with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Do not drain all the fat from the beef; leaving a tablespoon adds richness. Bloom the paprika in the fat to enhance flavor. Cook noodles separately to avoid mushiness. For a vegetarian version, substitute beef with lentils or plant-based meat and use vegetable broth. To freeze, store the sauce without noodles for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Hungarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
Keywords: ground beef goulash, comfort food, one pot meal, easy dinner, paprika sauce, egg noodles, weeknight dinner, kid-friendly meals, budget meals