American Chop Suey | Goulash | Macaroni & Meat Sauce Recipe

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is lower in fat, while ground pork is often less expensive.

elbow macaroni

🥗Healthier: whole wheat elbow macaroni

💰Cheaper: any pasta shape

Whole wheat pasta offers more fiber, while other pasta shapes can be more budget-friendly.

Preheat large hexclad frying pan on medium heat.

Add 1 pound of ground chuck to the pan, break it up, and fry until browned.

Drain excess fat using paper towels.

Set the browned meat aside.

In an 8 quart stock pot, preheat on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Add 2 finely chopped yellow onions and 2 finely chopped green bell peppers to the pot.

Sweat the onions and green peppers, adding about a quarter cup of water as needed to prevent burning.

Add the browned ground chuck to the pot and stir.

Chop and add the drained tomatoes to the pot, mixing well.

Add 1 tablespoon of garlic salt, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, adjusting as needed.

Let the sauce boil down for 30 minutes on medium heat.

In a separate large sauce pot, bring filtered water to a boil and add a lot of salt.

Add 1 pound of elbow macaroni to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Drain the macaroni and return it to the pan.

Add two-thirds of the macaroni to the sauce and stir to combine, reserving some macaroni to avoid it absorbing all the sauce.

Serve in a casserole dish, topping with Parmigiano-Reggiano and cilantro.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens