Kid Friendly Macaroni and Beef Recipe Tomato Sauce
Sort by: Most Helpful
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
04/03/2003
This is a basic macaroni and ground beef dish. I made some changes to the recipe. I seasoned the ground beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. I sauteed the onions and green pepper together. I only had 3-8oz cans of tomato sauce so I placed approximately one half can of diced tomatoes with green chilies in with the tomato sauce. I simmered this for a few minutes and then added the cooked macaroni. I didn't use the entire box of macaroni because I thought it would be too dry with the amount of sauce that I had. The addition of the canned tomatoes with green chilies gave it a fresher taste and added a little bite to it.A sprinkling of parmesean cheese on top and it is good to go. I served it with a Caesar salad and garlic bread. This made a very nice weekday dinner.I will definitely make this again and again. Thank you!
04/08/2002
This is a very quick and delicious recipe to throw together when time is tight. I did saute 3 large garlic cloves along with the onion. I also added fresh ground pepper to the recipe. Since I was out of green pepper, I used red pepper and celery in its place. It turned out great. I also used less tomato sauce. Some family members sprinkled it with parmesan or cheddar cheese. This recipe was a hit with my family. It is not gourmet, but a nice basic dish.
07/17/2003
Good. Our family all agreed that we like this dish much better when a jar spagetti sauce is added instead of the tomato sauce. It just seems to add a little more punch to it.
05/30/2009
I browned my meat with the an onion, a green pepper, minced garlic, salt & pepper then after draining I added two 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce one can stewed tomatoes and a jar of my grandma's stewed tomatoes (because that all I had on hand) I then added a 16 oz box of rotini and brought it all to a boil, then simmered it until the pasta was tender. I added colby jack on top to melt and my family liked it alot. Next time I will use the 2 cans tomato sauce and 3 cans of stewed tomatoes. Hope this helps. Thanks for the recipe.
07/02/2002
EXCELLENT! Very quick and easy! Big Hit with my family! I sprinkled garlic powder over and stirred in, GREAT..A SURE KEEPER! THANK YOU!
10/16/2007
Family loved it! Used 1 can of tomatoes, 1 jar of chunky salsa that I ran through the food processor and 2 lbs. ground beef. Served with cheddar cheese. Will make again.
05/02/2008
Quick, easy. The whole family loved it. My initial thought was that there would be way too much tomato sauce but I was wrong. Perfect.
08/26/2011
Read thru 43 reviews before making this dish. So many wonderful ideas. Used what I had on hand - 3 cloves garlic (minced), 7 oz tomato sauce, 2 carrots (diced), 1/2 cup macaroni, 1 small potato (diced), 1/2 cup chicken broth to 1/2 lb ground beef. Salt, pepper to taste. Served over steamed wihite rice. Fantastic comfort food.
11/13/2011
This is easy and good. I've made it exactly as the recipe calls and I've also modified the recipe and added some garlic to the sauce..then mixed the sauce and noodles with shredded parmesan and mozarella in a baking dish and baked the whole thing. This was far better...probably less healthy with all the cheese (LOL) but yummy!
03/26/2009
I liked this quite well, it was also good reheated. When I reheated it I added shredded cheese and it was better that way.
01/23/2011
it's ok. basically spaghetti and meat sauce.
03/15/2009
I agree with other posters that this is not the best meal I have ever had, but it is a great pull-together-from-what-you-usually-have-on-hand dinner. It reminded me of Hamburger Helper, but much better tasting without all the preservatives and junk. It actually was better than I expected and my husband gobbled it down. Some modifications that I made: #1 Only used 1 lb of ground turkey, #2 Used two cans of 8 oz tomato sauce (correction from two 14.5 oz) and one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes. #3 Did as other suggested and sauteed bell peppers, onion, and later garlic in a little bit of olive oil before adding the meat. #4 16 oz box of noodles is a bit much. I used probably about 2/3-3/4 of what I cooked and will do a mini mac and cheese with the rest. #5 Did this as a bake. Put everything in a 9x13 pan and baked until heated through and sauce was bubbling. Added a layer of cheese on top and put back in the oven for about 5 minutes until melted. Yummy!
05/17/2011
I added a tbsp of chicken seasoning to the beek and a tsp of salt and it added flavor. great recipe!
09/28/2000
I thought this was an easy and very good recipe.
11/24/2000
I loved this I thought it was ever so quick and easy to make and boy oh boy the taste was great!!
01/05/2011
This was really good, but I only gave it 4 stars here, because I changed it up a bit...Insteady of tomato sauce, I used a jar of salsa. Also, cut down on the onion and used red peper instead of green pepper. And, threw some cheddar cheese on top right before serving. It was YUMMY!!!
08/13/2011
Made with Salsa and fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomato sauce
08/11/2011
I add some small diced tomato. Simple and easy! Love it!
09/22/2011
This recipe was quick and easy to make. I was surprised I didn't need to add more seasoning other than what I normally use to season my ground beef. This is a great family recipe! The only thing I did differently was using only one can of tomato sauce instead of two.
08/10/2011
My husband does not like casserole or casserole-like food, but he liked this one....he said it's a keeper! I halved the recipe and added garlic like a few other reviewers. Tasty and quick!
03/26/2012
Fast and easy. Not gourmet, but with a name like Elbows and Ground Beef hopefully you aren't expecting gourmet. Do NOT use spaghetti sauce. The tomatoes and peppers create a completely different taste. In addition to the listed ingredients, I sauteed the onions, peppers and when almost done, a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic. I also stirred in a can of petite diced tomatoes with the sauce. Yum!
11/03/2010
I give it 5 stars but I modified the recipe. I added 1 taco seasoning packet and used diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. It was even tastier the next day. My 2 year old loves it!!! What an easy recipe
05/01/2011
Great recipe. I have been looking for a recipe like this for a long time to used w/ Ground beef!
08/21/2010
I also grew up calling this goulash. We threw the cooked elbows right in the suace and served with parmesan cheese.
10/29/2010
I give this 5 stars because it reminds me of my childhood, it's still pretty tasty, and it's sooo easy to make. I don't care for tomatoe sauce in this, instead I use either 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, or one 28 oz can of diced tomatoes. Sometimes I leave the green pepper out, sometimes I add it in.
11/03/2009
I grew up thinking this was Goulash!! Except we didn't have the green pepper, which is an excellent addition!! I forgot all about this untill I saw this recipe. Thanks for the reminder, and the green pepper idea. I will make it like this from now on.
10/09/2010
Delicious! Followed recipe exactly...
07/23/2012
Very good...memories from childhood...my Grammie called it Wash Day supper because it is easy and all in one pot. DO NOT USE SPAGHETTI SAUCE! Do not pre-cook the macaroni....just put it in the pot dry to soak up and cook in the tomato, pepper and beef juices. I used 1 can beef broth, 1 can tomato sauce and a can of condensed tomato soup, can of Rotel, jar of canned garden tomatoes from last year, garlic and a little Italian seasoning (1 tsp). Delicious and cheap meal. Used a potato masher to break up the ground beef.
01/01/2011
As other reviewers suggested, we used jarred spaghetti sauce instead of the tomato sauce for more flavor (and I agree, the tomato sauce alone would would have been rather bland). Delicious, wonderful comfort food. Will definitely make again. Editing to add: The leftovers are even better. :)
01/29/2010
Nice basic pasta recipe. We added garlic powder to this too. When you don't want anything too fancy and a fast meal this is good.
12/24/2009
I knew this was a hit when my husband asked what it was called. Very simple and quick on those days that you have to hurry out to activities
05/09/2008
I used ground venison and gluten-free pasta...otherwise the same as the original recipe. The meal is delicious, simple, easy-to-make, comfort food.
10/13/2008
very original, but very good!
05/15/2003
This recipe wasn't so hot....very bland, and I added garlic and worcestershire sauce...too much sauce for the amount of beef and pasta and that was only using one can of tomato sauce. Kids liked it though.
04/07/2012
they taste good bit they need alot more seasoning than that
07/23/2007
Great recipe, quick, easy, I made some changes for personal taste but basically kept it the same!
12/16/2008
I made this for dinner tonight, my husband loves it I add a little something to it though I add a can of diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic and I season my ground beef with a little bit of garlic powder , salt and pepper. I thought it will give it a little more taste. I am sure this will be a simple dish I will make often for us both. thanks for the recipe.
01/18/2004
This is easy, fast, and not too bad. But I was a little disappointed that the sauce wasn't as tasty. I would like a mac 'n beef recipe that also has a lot more sauce. I put in additional tomato sauce, but it still wasn't enough. This recipe also seems to serve more than 4. We had a lot left over.
01/11/2003
I was a little short on tomato sauce, so I used a little picante sauce. The flavor was quite tasty. Thanks for a quick and easy recipe.
01/14/2003
This recipe is easy to fix after a long day at work. Add a little garlic bread and salid to set it off.
03/24/2015
I've been making this for years and years except I add either some fresh minced garlic or powdered garlic (whichever I have on hand)to my ground beef, bell peppers and onions while browning. I also add one to two cans of diced tomatoes including the juice instead of using tomato sauce after draining my ground beef then salt and pepper to taste. Add your noodles or macaroni last, stir and simmer until pasta is done. It's also good with a can of whole kernel corn added to it. This dish is good but we like my version a bit better.
01/14/2007
It made way more than 4 servings. 2 of us ate 2 large helpings with a lot of sauce each and we still had 9 cups of leftover sauce and 7 Cups of leftover elbow macaroni.. was DELICIOUS and I will definately fix it again just making sure I use less elbows and have enough freezer space for the sauce, which would make a good base sauce for other dishes that take spaghetti sauce.
08/15/2014
My mom has been making this for as long as I can remember. In our house it's called, "beef adobo." It has no relation to chicken adobo in taste; we're part filipino, so the name works. Anyway, mom uses everything listed above with exception to the tomato paste/sauce (uses water instead) and green pepper. But then she also adds one egg towards the end of the cooking process (stirring into hot pot) and diced tomatoes. Salt & pepper to taste and voila, "beef adobo!" I've added a pic for your viewing pleasure.
04/13/2014
Loved this recipe. Subbed Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage for the ground beef and added cheese. Very, very good and quick. Thanks so much for the recipe.
03/08/2006
Quick, easy, and yummy! Read reviews and decided to add stewed tomatoes, and extra water (enough to cook my pasta shells).
12/04/2004
This was okay...easy, but a little bland and simple. If I make it again I'll probably use spaghetti sauce or add garlic or something to spice it up.
02/17/2014
I made this today and just redid some of the ingredients. I added sofrito (Latin seasonings) and mushrooms, crushed tomatoes with garlic and oregano, also a 1/2 tbs of minced garlic. Really a good recipe to do on last minute and really you can also freeze the meat sauce which I did, for later on.
03/08/2007
Pretty good recipe although I felt it was missing something. I added some garlic to help with the flavoring but it was still missing something.
08/09/2008
I was looking for something that would use up the 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef I had left from another recipe I had just made. This looked simple enough and seemed to have good ratings, so I made it for supper. I just had two full bowls of it! I did add salt, pepper and garlic to the browning meat and I used a yellow pepper I had on hand. Instead of regular tomato sauce, I used 2 bottles Classic Roasted Tomato and Garlic sauce. (It really didn't need two full bottles but I didn't want to waste any!) This recipe yields way more than just 4 servings, I would say. I had those two soup-bowlsful and there seems to still be enough in the pan to fill several more bowls! This is a keeper for a fast easy comfort-food dish.
01/29/2015
I gave the recipe 5 stars as it reminded me of something my Mother would make when I was growing up. DH gave it 4 stars because he would prefer a thicker sauce. He wants thicken it w/tomato paste. Maybe I'll try that to keep him happy but it really doesn't need it.
08/22/2005
My mom has made this dish since I was a little girl. Like her, I add 1 1/2-2 cups of water and some garlic to the sauce and actually cook the pasta (1/2 of what the original recipe calls for in the sauce once it comes to a boil. I sometimes add a tsp of chile powder for a slight kick.
05/30/2014
here's what i do different. i sautee the onions and garlic to taste in seasonings of choice. usually italian seasoning. a lil garlic powder. a lil salt. a lil pepper. a lil onion powder. it varies by mood and whose eating. i also prefer using a homemade meat gravy. num num num delicious
09/04/2008
I thought this was terrific! The sauce made sooo much though... I split the sauce in half and froze it. When I was ready to serve it up I heated it up on the stove and poured over 16 ounces of large macaroni. My family really liked it. Will definitely make again.
02/24/2015
My kids and husband loved this! I will definatly be making it again!
02/18/2008
This was pretty good. I added tons more spices like basil, fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Otherwise would have been too bland. Thanks for sharing!
03/02/2015
Quick and easy. My husband likes anything with hamburger. I didn't have the right amount of tomato sauce so added a jar of home canned tomatoes. Also added some home grown chopped jalapeños from my freezer, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a can of mixed vegetables that I bought accidentally a while back.
05/24/2015
I loved this recipe. For those who prefer less sauce (like myself), only add one can of tomato sauce. Overall, though, beautiful.
09/12/2012
Great quick supper! I added a can of whole kernal corn. A simple supper. Very similar to one my mom used to prepare when we were kids.
07/16/2013
Great basic recipe. After reading all the reviews I used this recipe as a guideline. I added chopped celery and carrots. I used a red bell pepper. I used 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and added water as needed to cook the noodles in the same pot (about 3/4 can). I also added chicken base. I seasoned everything as I added to the pot. I used salt, pepper, Italian herb mix, minced garlic and garlic powder, red pepper flakes. I only used 1lb ground beef and 8 oz pasta. I sautéed all the vegetables together then added the beef. Drained it all. Added the crushed tomatoes and pasta. Simmered until the pasta was cooked. Me and the hubby enjoyed it. Definitely easy and worth making again.
01/05/2016
Easy. It would be good to add salt and pepper a little bit or another more flavoured tomato sauce instead of the canned tomato sauce.
04/20/2017
Quick easy and delicious not to mention easy to freshen and add to
03/06/2018
Was good. Took I to after added cheese on top, then baked, was very good like that too
04/24/2015
Delicious! My house smelled incredible, and my family loved it. I've saved the recipe and will add it to our regular dishes! I didn't make any changes - just followed the recipe, and it was perfect
09/30/2016
Kinda Blah
01/18/2005
mmmm love this stuff I add a can of stewed tomatoes and it really makes it yummy!!
05/25/2017
It was a good start but I did add so much more to make it more flavorful: celery, carrots, and more vegetables, plus a lot of seasoning like chili powder.
10/08/2018
We made this tonight but I did make some small changes. My green peppers had went bad so I didn't use them at all. I browned the beef with sea salt, peppercorn and minced garlic. I added canned petite diced tomatoes, an onion and some more garlic. It still didn't seem to be enough so I like others added freshly shaved parmesan cheese and then it was great! I wish I had done some cheesy garlic bread but we were too hungry!! Thanks for the recipe!
07/07/2017
Made as written. Pretty good. Will make again
03/22/2017
great basic and quick meal. added 2 garlic cloves (next time will up to 3), also added cumin, basil and oregano. served over gemelli pasta for family, I served mine over baby kale bc I'm not doing carbs right now
10/29/2018
This was a very simple easy recipe to made and it came out very good! I added mushrooms to mine, which i thought was really good in it too.
03/08/2022
I did it all in one deep skillet. I add 2 cans of chopped tomatoes and some broth or water. Add the macaroni right our of the box and let it cook in the liquid covered. Very yummy!
10/11/2021
Great recipe I did modify to make it my own. For starters I cooked 5 pieces of bacon in dutch oven used the grease to cook garlic, onion and peppers. In addition, I used 16 oz crushed tomatoes, 12 oz tomato sauce, 1 Tbsp. red hot and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. After mixing all together I put it in oven with crumpled cheddar cheese on top. Delish and I have leftovers for lunches.
12/19/2014
This was surprisingly good considering the little bit of effort and time involved. I was looking to use up some ground beef that needed to be used and I had all the ingredients in the pantry. I used one can of sauce and a can of diced tomatoes along with onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Very tasty and easy.
06/02/2016
This was a simple tasty dish. i did make a few additions like adding diced tomatoes and some spices the heat it up a bit. will make this one again!!!
02/27/2017
I added to this 8 sliced fresh mushrooms and added after onion & peppers were sautéed in olive oil added frozen corn and cooked on low heat for 5 mins substitute 1/2 the sauce with 15 1/2 oz can of diced tomatoes added elbow macaroni and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powered. My husband loves this
03/05/2014
I cooked the ground beef with minced garlic, minced onion, garlic powder, onion powder
10/02/2012
Iv been making this for years,Delicious!! I always use alot of different seasonings garlic,basil,onion powder salt an pepper very Easy weeknight meal this is also great thrown in a baking dish an baked with ante type of cheese You prefer on top Sooooo Easy and yummy!!
01/28/2016
Good basic recipe.
10/15/2012
The boys liked this meal. The girls, not so much. We did add fresh garlic. Next time, I would add less tomato sauce.
05/27/2020
easy and quick. lacking a little. so added garlic and some Tabasco a well as salt and pepper. Also melted pepper jack cheese over it.
11/16/2014
Great, simple recipe! I added a can of corn and can of peas.
05/21/2013
I added a ton of seasonings as this was a bit bland for my tastes. I also added in some shredded carrots to add a few veggies to the mix.
09/06/2013
This was a great idea! I changed it up a bit though! Instead of two cans of tomato sauce. I used one can of Rotel and a small can of tomato sauce. I seasoned my meat with seasoned salt. We also used whole wheat elbows! I topped mine with 4 cheese Mexican blend. It was so great!
11/13/2019
This receipe was a great foundation or should I say a road map to bring meal together. I found the original recipe very Bland. so I added fresh garlic, oregano, Italian spice, and some garlic salt. I also added a pound of hot sausage. What I ended up with was simply a marvelous meal. I give it five stars not because of the original recipe, but more so because using the basics of the original recipe. GREGORY ANYTHING BUT BLAND. Yes my last name is BLAND so i for sure don't want to eat like it.
06/09/2018
I added garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, beef bouillon cubes and Worcestershire sauce. I also used tomatoes paste instead of tomatoe sauce. It was delicious! I will be putting this recipe in the monthly rotation.
06/14/2021
Quick and easy
04/29/2021
This is a very nice quick & simple recipe. It made enough for leftovers & I also used spaghetti sauce.
07/13/2019
I have made a version of this for years, the only difference is I use 2 cans of tomato soup a little milk, delicious !
10/01/2012
Very fast and easy, but needs a lot of doctoring to give it flavor.
11/02/2014
I needed something quick so I tried it. I made the following changes based on what I had available: I used a red pepper instead of a green one. I used tomato paste with three cans of waters and 1 can of petite diced tomatoes with onions instead of tomato sauce. I used small shells instead of macaroni. I also added 1-2 tbl Worcestershire sauce. p.s. My family loved it.
02/17/2020
I also added a can of diced tomatoes, a can of corn, a dash of sugar, 2 gloves garlic and salt and pepper. Came out amazing
08/30/2015
I added extra seasonings like others had suggested- even tomatoes from my garden and some salsa too for a little kick!
12/10/2018
Yes my Mom made this just as the recipe is written with one exception she put crushed up Ritz crackers on top of it. It was oh so good . I took the advice and did add a small amount of salsa & pasta sauce as I didn't have any tomato sauce. A hit with the family , will make again as I have been , just kinda forgot about it
01/31/2022
My husband loved this. It reminded him of stuff his mom cooked him as a kid. I added one can of diced tomatoes & did 1/2 green & 1/2 red pepper.
04/24/2022
This is the recipe I was looking for. My Mom use to make it all the time. I am a very basic beginner cook and this is just my style
03/20/2022
This is a great base recipe and the secret is all in the tomato sauce. I will only make this with Hunts tomato sauce. I have been disappointed making this with other brands.
03/29/2020
I didn't care for it, I usually like this type of dish. I admit I had to use some red pepper as I didn't have enough green but it shouldn't have made a big difference.
09/05/2013
It was kinda bland, even with me adding some extra ingredients. My family thought it was just like spaghetti and meat sauce...not thrilled with it.
05/06/2016
It's bland.
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11739/elbows-and-ground-beef/
0 Response to "Kid Friendly Macaroni and Beef Recipe Tomato Sauce"
Post a Comment