Homemade Beefaroni

Beefaroni is a hearty, meaty, and saucy comfort food dish that’s a new take on a classic recipe. In less than 30 minutes, you will have a meal that the whole family will love!

Homemade Beefaroni Recipe

There is a lot you can do with macaroni and beef!

Some of my favorite pasta dishes start with these two ingredients and there are so many different ways to make them your own.

My most favorite is this family Beefaroni recipe. I’ve been enjoying this homemade version for most of my life and to me it’s comfort food at its finest!

As an adult, I can honestly say I make it at least twice a month. And I usually make a double batch so I can have leftovers I hide way back in the fridge.

I love it for breakfast the next morning or for lunches for the next few days. And the shells are so fun. I love to use them in this creamy beef and shells recipe too.

Reasons to make this Beefaroni Recipe

• Versatile – Ground beef isn’t usually packaged at exactly 1 pound in the store, but most recipes call for exactly that. You can use anywhere between 0.75 to 1.75 pounds of ground beef for this recipe without drastically changing the other volumes.
• Budget friendly – Ground beef is one of the cheaper meats you can buy, especially when it’s on sale. Add a box of pasta and the few other ingredients you need to make this homemade beefaroni and you’ve got yourself a fairly cheap dinner!
• Delicious – You can’t go wrong with pasta and ground beef mixed with a delicious sauce. This is a recipe that both kids and adults will want over and over again.
• 30 minute meal – I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough easy dinners, especially on busy weeknights. This recipe is ready in only 30 minutes from start to finish.

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Ingredients Needed

Ground Beef – I like to use lean ground beef (93/7) but use what you have. You can also use ground turkey, chicken or pork.

Veggies – The basic vegetables like onion, celery, bell pepper and carrots. Substitute any of you favorite veggies. Great for using little amounts of leftovers in the fridge.

Tomatoes – A combination of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.

Spices – Oregano, garlic, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Red wine – My mom always made it was a splash but feel free to leave it out if you prefer.

Pasta – Traditionally, this recipe called for macaroni noodles like in my busy day soup. I prefer shells because it looks good. However, you can use any that you’d like.

Cheese – I like to add a little freshly shredded parmesan cheese to the top (along with some parsley for color) to really finish it off.

Looking for more leftover worthy dishes? Follow LTB on Pinterest and pin to a board!

How to Make Homemade Beefaroni

First: Cook the pasta “al dente” in salted water. In a large dutch oven, brown ground beef over medium heat, drain fat if desired.

Second: Once you have browned the meat, add the onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, and spices until soft.

Third: Add the crushed tomatoes, paste, and wine. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.

Fourth: Toss in the pasta and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve warm.

For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

How long does it last?

If you happen to have any leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, you can! If you are planning on freezing, I would leave the pasta out of the beefaroni. It will turn mushy when frozen.

Store it in a freezer/oven safe casserole dish, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

I love to enjoy mine with some toasted bread, a green salad or pasta salad, and finish it off with something sweet like these sugar cookies.

How do I reheat it?

Defrost the Beefaroni, heat in a 375F oven until warmed through, then stir in cooked pasta and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Check out all my ground beef recipes for quick and budget friendly meals.

Tips for No Leftovers

• If you don’t have crushed tomatoes, you can substitute tomato sauce for the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. As long as you have a tomato base, you are good to go.
• You can substitute diced tomatoes for the crushed.
• Don’t want to use beef? Make it with ground turkey or chicken, or even a blend!
• Elbow macaroni is fine but I like to make mine with mini shells, Cavatappi, or rotini. I do like pasta with lots of nooks and crannies for the sauce and ground meat to hide in and cling to.
• Substitute Italian seasoning for the individual spices listed. If you have bay leaves, use them in addition to the spice mix.
• Toss in additional veggies if you want more.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

If you ate Chef Boyardee Beefaroni as a kid, you will love this homemade grown up version that is a favorite in our family!

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