Tex-Mex Beefy Noodle Stew
You can eliminate the spice in the dish by using regular stewed tomatoes. Use less water to create a goulash type consistency or use more liquid to make a stew. Use whatever vegetables and pasta your family likes. This recipe is just a guide to create your own special dish. Enjoy and please share any new ideas for this one!
You can eliminate the spice in the dish by using regular stewed tomatoes. Use less water to create a goulash type consistency or use more liquid to make a stew. Use whatever vegetables and pasta your family likes. This recipe is just a guide to create your own special dish. Enjoy and please share any new ideas for this one!
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cans (14.5 oz) mexican stewed tomatoes do not drain
- 1 or 2 8 ounce tomato sauce use 2 if you want a stew
- 1 large potato cubed *see notes
- water as needed - start with one tomato sauce can full of water
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked pasta i use elbow macaroni, but anything is fine
- 1 can green beans drained - optional
- 1 can corn drained - optional
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (305g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown ground meat and onion and drain excess fat.
- Season meat with salt and pepper and add the stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and water, stirring to mix well and bring to a low boil.
- Add the diced potato if you're using a raw potato, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the noodles, bring to a simmer again, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is almost done.
- Add drained vegetables, cover and continue simmering until the pasta is done.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Serve with cornbread or garlic toast.
Managing the Budget Through Strategic Substitutions
Operating under tight financial constraints requires using pantry staples efficiently while retaining structure and flavor. Ground beef provides an economical protein base, but ground turkey or pork work equally well at lower price points depending on current market costs. Swapping the elbow macaroni for any small dried shape like ditalini or rotini maintains the ratio of starch to liquid without altering the cooking timeline. Adjusting the tomato sauce quantity from one to two eight-ounce cans directly controls the viscosity, transforming a thick goulash into a loose broth.
Controlling Starch and Moisture Levels
Raw potatoes release starches as they simmer, acting as a natural thickener alongside the pasta. Cubing the potato to uniform half-inch pieces ensures it cooks completely within the ten-minute window alongside the noodles without turning entirely to mush. Adding canned vegetables near the end prevents them from overcooking and losing their structural integrity in the simmering liquid. Maintaining a low boil rather than a violent rolling boil stops the pasta from breaking down prematurely into the broth.
Sequencing for Texture and Doneness
Staggering the addition of ingredients prevents raw potatoes from remaining crunchy while keeping the pasta from dissolving into a paste. Meat and aromatics brown first to build foundational savory depth before any liquids enter the pot. Checking the pasta at the eight-minute mark of its ten-minute simmer provides a reliable safeguard against overcooked carbohydrates.
