A delicious and nutritious meal doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Ground beef is a simple ingredient that can make a great-tasting meal without breaking the bank when combined with pantry staples like elbow macaroni, stewed tomatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs.
Ingredients For Poverty Meal
- Onion
- Garlic
- Lean ground beef
- Stewed tomatoes
- Elbow macaroni
- Dried oregano
- Dried parsley
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Grated Parmesan cheese
How To Make Easy 20-Minute Poverty Meal
Cook the ground beef with the onion and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink.
Add the stewed tomatoes, herbs, water, salt, pepper, water, and elbow macaroni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the pasta is cooked through, about 15 mins. Serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
How Can I Store Leftovers?
Let the leftovers cool down completely before placing them in an airtight container and the fridge for up to 4 days.
Easy 20-Minute Poverty Meal With Only 10 Ingredients
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Stove
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2- 15 oz cans stewed tomatoes
- 1- 15 oz can water
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the lean ground beef, chopped onion, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent.
- Drain the excess fat if necessary. Add the stewed tomatoes (with juice), one can of water, dried parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Once cooked, serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top. Adjust seasoning if desired.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can I Use Instead Of Water To Enhance Flavor?
You can use beef broth or tomato juice to add extra flavor instead of water.
Can I Make This Recipe Vegetarian?
If you swap the ground beef with a vegetarian meat substitute like Meal Starter Crumbles, chopped mushrooms, or beans, you can make this meal vegetarian.
Is It Necessary To Saute the Macaroni?
It is not necessary to saute the macaroni. If you want to add another level of flavor, you can saute the macaroni in a little leftover fat from the cooked ground beef.
What Should I Do If The Mixture Seems Too Dry?
If you feel it is too dry, adding a bit of beef broth, tomato juice, or water will make it juicier. Before simmering, the liquid should cover all the ingredients.
What Should I Serve with This Meal?
A side salad and a slice of toasted crusty bread is all this meal needs.
How Can I Adjust The Seasoning If It’s Bland?
Adjusting the salt and pepper is a great way to add more flavor. Dried herbs like oregano, basil, parsley, and marjoram are widely used in Italian cuisine and add loads of flavor.
How Do I Know When The Macaroni Is Perfectly Cooked?
The macaroni is perfectly cooked when it is tender but not mushy, so keep an eye on it. Start checking it by the 15-minute mark.
What If I Can’t Find Stewed Tomatoes?
You can use canned whole peeled tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, or chopped fresh Roma tomatoes instead of stewed tomatoes.
Can I Add Cheese To This Recipe?
Adding freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese adds tons of flavor to this dish.
Lupe G.
Wednesday 11th of December 2024
I made this for dinner but had to tweak it. I didn’t have elbow macaroni so I used penne pasta and added sliced baby carrots for more color. It was so easy and very delicious.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Jane
Wednesday 4th of December 2024
I resent the name , but it is very good! We grew up calling it American chop suey.
Kim
Wednesday 4th of December 2024
Always called this either Johnny marzetti or goulash.,..
Merrillyn Watts
Saturday 19th of October 2024
Made this twice today. Gave one order to a friend and one to myself. I used ground sausage instead of hamburger, because of this I left out the red pepper. Very easy and tasty
D. Bailis
Saturday 21st of September 2024
We called this “delicious” when I was little kid! Our family of six enjoyed this meal on a shoestring budget, and we never once thought of ourselves as poor. We felt blessed to eat this well. Even when money is tight, we still all have so much more than most people in our world. We can all count our blessings, for they are many. A more accurate description for this recipe could be “hearty budget stretcher” or “tasty and economical.” There is no “poverty” in a thankful heart.