30 Minute Beef and Noodles Recipe (One Pan Dinner!)
This creamy one-pan beef and noodles recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and is the perfect cozy comfort food for a busy weeknight!
Easy One Pan Creamy Beef and Noodles
- One-pan dinners make busy school nights SO much easier! The best part about this recipe is that it all cooks together in one pan! This infuses every bite with delicious flavor and allows the noodles to cook perfectly al dente right in the sauce. I like to use my large saute pan but you can use any large pan. Cast iron works well too!
- It has all the flavors of beef stroganoff but it’s easier to make! If you grew up loving stroganoff but are looking for an option that’s made without condensed soup – you’re in luck! This dish has all those same flavors of creamy beef stroganoff but it cooks together in one pan and takes just 30 minutes with minimal prep work and no processed ingredients!
Ingredients for Creamy Beef and Noodles
- Onion & Garlic: I recommend yellow onion and freshly minced garlic for this beef and noodles recipe.
- Herbs & Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, and ground sage are the perfect trifecta to amp up the flavors of this beef and noodles.
- Ground Beef: I like to use 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef for the best flavor.
- Wide Egg Noodles: I find that wide egg noodles work best for this recipe because they cook quickly and their shape really holds the creamy sauce well.
- Beef Broth: You can use other broth in place of beef broth but beef will add the best flavor. Beef stock is a great option too!
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is the key ingredient to making this beef and noodles recipe super creamy. Half and half will work in a pinch but the sauce will be thinner.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: I like to use sharp cheddar for this recipe but you can use your favorite melty cheese. Parmesan adds a delicious nutty flavor as well!
How to Make Beef and Noodles
Saute onion, garlic, herbs, and spices in a large saute pan over medium heat.
Add ground beef and cook through until browned.
Mix in uncooked egg noodles, beef broth, heavy cream, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Simmer gently, uncovered, for 6-10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked al dente, stirring every few minutes. Stir in shredded cheese.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Tips for Making
- If you’re going for more of a stroganoff-type dish, add some sliced mushrooms! I’d recommend adding about 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms at the same time that you add the onions.
- Stick with 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef. If you use a leaner cut, you’re going to lose flavor. If you use beef with a higher fat content, you may run the risk of a dish that feels a little greasy since it all cooks together in one pan.
- Season moderately with salt and pepper. The ingredient list is short and sweet so make sure that you’re seasoning throughout the cooking process and then season to taste before serving as well. Salt and pepper are going to boost the flavors of this overall dish immensely.
FAQ
Can you use other noodles for this recipe?
I recommend sticking with wide egg noodles for this beef and noodles recipe. I like them because they cook more quickly and the sauce easily coats the surface of the curly noodles. If you want to use another noodle, like penne or rotini, just keep in mind that you’ll likely need to cook those noodles for a bit longer so you may need to add more broth throughout the cooking process to account for the slightly longer cooking time.
Can you boil noodles in beef broth?
Yes! And you should! Part of what gives this beef and noodles dish so much flavor is that the noodles simmer right in the beef broth and heavy cream which creates a delicious, creamy sauce.
Making Beef and Noodles Ahead of Time
One of my favorite things about this dish is that it holds up really well in the fridge and the flavors just get better with time. I love to make a batch of this over the weekend and then I’ve got easy lunches or dinners ready to go all week!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover beef and noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing Beef and Noodles
Freeze leftover beef and noodles in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating Leftovers
Reheat beef and noodles in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so plan to add a splash of cream or broth before reheating. Cook until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave in 30-60 second increments until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
Try these ground beef recipes next!
Did you love this recipe?
Please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
Beef and Noodles
This creamy one-pan beef and noodles recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and is the perfect cozy comfort food for a busy weeknight!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound ground beef
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles, uncooked
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
- Add 1 small diced onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes.
- Add 6 cloves grated garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground sage, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add 1 pound ground beef and turn heat to medium-high. Cook the beef crumbling it with a spatula, until cooked through.
- Add 12 ounces uncooked egg noodles, 32 ounces beef broth, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Mix until well combined and the noodles are submerged.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low or medium-low. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 6-10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked al dente, stirring every few minutes. Keep the noodles submerged as much as possible so they cook evenly.
- Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Stir in 4 ounces shredded cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
- If you loved this recipe, leave a 5-star rating and review below!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- If you’re going for more of a stroganoff-type dish, add some sliced mushrooms! I’d recommend adding about 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms at the same time that you add the onions.
- Stick with 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef. If you use a leaner cut, you’re going to lose flavor. If you use beef with a higher fat content, you may run the risk of a dish that feels a little greasy since it all cooks together in one pan.
- Season moderately with salt and pepper. The ingredient list is short and sweet so make sure that you’re seasoning throughout the cooking process and then season to taste before serving as well. Salt and pepper are going to boost the flavors of this overall dish immensely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of beef and noodles
- Calories: 458
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 313.7 mg
- Fat: 44.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.6 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 14.3 g
- Cholesterol: 58.7 mg
Loved this — I also used the sour cream instead of heavy cream. Wife and I loved it ! Thanks
I’m so glad to hear that sour cream worked well in place of the cream, Mark. Thanks for sharing that and thank you for leaving a review!!
This was a nice surprise. Very tasty and easy and I was amazed I had all the ingredients on hand. Thank you for a recipe that is delicious and from scratch, not using ‘cream of’ soups as part of the base. I used penne because it’s what I had, and definitely had to let it simmer much longer, but it turned out nicely. Props for including sage, which always adds a nice layer with beef.
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this beef and noodles recipe, Mimi! Thanks for sharing that it worked with penne. I love sage too!
Simple and delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed this beef and noodles recipe, Randall!
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have sage so I substituted Italian seasoning… I’m not a big garlic fan so I left out the 6 cloves of garlic and just used the teaspoon of garlic powder. I also left out the onion powder ( again, I don’t have any and the small chopped onion looked like plenty)! Followed the directions exactly and this is one of the best recipes I’ve made in a long time…. Everyone loved it!
I love to hear that, Vicky! So glad you enjoyed this beef and noodles recipe!! 🙂
My husband loves this dish!! I use a cup of sour cream instead of heavy cream. It brings in a tangy flavor and makes the sauce extra creamy. I top this with fresh sliced scallions. It’s very easy and quick to make on a busy weeknight.
Great idea using sour cream – that sounds delicious!!
Family favorite!!! Easy for quick weeknight dinners!
I’m so glad you liked this beef and noodles, Stephanie! It’s one of our family’s favorites too 🙂
this dish was absolutely delicious – i used minced onion and garlic as this is what i had on hand. i was skeptical about not cooking the noodles separately, but, did as the recipe indicated. my family loved this dish and it will be made in my home on a regular basis
I am so glad to hear that your family enjoyed this beef and noodles recipe, Moo! Minced onion sounds like a delicious addition 🙂