Are you on the hunt for the ultimate easy, budget-friendly, and satisfying one-pan dinner that the whole family will go absolutely crazy for? This incredible, cheesy Chili Beef Noodle Skillet is your new weeknight superstar! It’s a hearty and delicious cross between a classic American goulash and a comforting chili mac, and it all comes together in about 30 minutes with the easiest cleanup imaginable.
This isn’t just another ground beef recipe; it’s a guide to your new go-to comfort food. We’ll show you how a few simple pantry staples can be transformed into a rich, savory, and deeply satisfying meal. Savory ground beef, tender vegetables, and soft egg noodles are all simmered in a simple, chili-seasoned tomato sauce and finished with a glorious, gooey blanket of melted cheddar cheese. It’s a one-pan wonder that is guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate One-Pan Weeknight Dinner
What makes this Chili Beef Noodle Skillet so spectacularly delicious is its incredible simplicity and its classic, crowd-pleasing flavor. This is the quintessential American comfort food skillet. The recipe starts by browning ground beef with a classic mirepoix of onion and celery to build a deep, savory flavor base. A simple but flavorful sauce is created with canned tomatoes and a touch of chili powder. The entire dish is brought together when tender, cooked egg noodles are stirred in, absorbing all the delicious sauce, and it’s all finished with a generous layer of melted cheddar cheese.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 30 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Comfort Food Classic
This recipe uses a handful of simple pantry staples to create its signature comforting and cheesy flavor.
- The Hearty Base:
- Ground Beef: A pound of lean ground beef provides a rich, savory, and satisfying protein base for our skillet.
- Egg Noodles: A classic comfort food pasta! Soft, tender, and wide egg noodles are the perfect choice for soaking up the rich, savory sauce.
- The Simple Chili Sauce:
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Using a can of undrained diced tomatoes is a fantastic shortcut that creates an instant, chunky, and flavorful sauce base.
- Chili Powder: A tablespoon of your favorite mild chili powder provides a wonderful, smoky, and savory depth of flavor that is not overly spicy, making it perfect for the whole family.
- The Cheesy Finish: A generous amount of shredded sharp cheddar cheese is the key to that beautiful, gooey, and irresistibly cheesy blanket that brings the whole dish together. For the absolute best, creamiest melt, it’s always recommended to shred your own cheese from a block.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Beef and Noodle Skillet
This delicious, one-pan (mostly!) meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Brown the Beef
Step 1: First, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook your 8 ounces of egg noodles according to the package directions until they are al dente.
Step 2: While the noodles are cooking, in a large skillet, cook the 2 pounds of ground beef, the 1 chopped medium onion, the 1/4 cup of chopped celery, and the 2 minced garlic cloves over medium heat.
Step 3: Use a wooden spoon to break the beef into crumbles as it cooks. Continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off any excess grease from the skillet.
Part 2: Build the Sauce and Combine
Step 1: Add the 1 can of undrained diced tomatoes, the 1 tablespoon of chili powder, the salt, and the pepper to the skillet with the beef mixture. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes, until everything is heated through.
Step 2: Drain your cooked noodles well and stir them directly into the skillet with the beef mixture. Continue to heat everything through.
Part 3: Melt the Cheese and Serve
Step 1: Remove the skillet from the heat.
Step 2: Sprinkle the top of the skillet mixture evenly with the 1/2 to 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
Step 3: Cover the skillet and let it stand for about 5 minutes. The residual heat from the hot skillet will perfectly melt the cheese until it is gooey and delicious.
Serve the hot, cheesy Chili Beef Noodle Skillet immediately in warm bowls.
The Easiest Cheesy Ground Beef and Noodle Skillet
A quick and easy one-skillet meal, this Chili Beef Noodle Skillet is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for a weeknight. The recipe features a simple chili base made by cooking ground beef with onion, celery, garlic, and diced tomatoes, all seasoned with chili powder. Cooked egg noodles are stirred directly into the beef mixture, and the entire skillet is finished with a layer of melted cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces) egg noodles
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, celery, and garlic over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until heated through.
- Drain the cooked noodles and stir them into the beef mixture until everything is well combined and heated through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, cover the skillet, and let it stand for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- This is a very fast one-pan meal (for the main components), making it ideal for a busy weeknight.
- The cheese is melted using the residual heat of the dish after it has been removed from the stove, which prevents the bottom from scorching.
- This dish is similar to a classic ‘chili mac’.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A hearty skillet meal like this one is the perfect make-ahead and freezer-friendly meal.
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can prepare the entire beef and vegetable sauce (without the noodles) up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce on the stovetop while you cook your fresh noodles, and then stir everything together with the cheese.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This is a fantastic freezer meal! Let the finished skillet mixture cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add Some Beans: For a true, classic “Chili Mac” flavor and an extra boost of fiber and protein, you can stir in one 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed kidney beans or pinto beans along with the diced tomatoes.
- Use a Different Pasta Shape: If you don’t have egg noodles on hand, this hearty sauce is also absolutely fantastic with an equal amount of another medium pasta shape, like elbow macaroni, rotini, or medium shells.
- Make it a Baked Casserole: For a delicious, bubbly, and golden-brown top, you can turn this into a baked dish! After you have combined everything in the skillet, simply transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top it with an extra 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and some buttered panko breadcrumbs. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, until it is hot and bubbly.
Enjoy The Ultimate One-Pan Comfort Food!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Chili Beef Noodle Skillet is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to bring the whole family together. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite for busy weeknights.
We hope you enjoy every last, warm, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, easy, and comforting meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the difference between an American Goulash and a Hungarian Goulash?
While they share a name, they are two very different dishes! A traditional Hungarian Goulash is a rich, slow-simmered beef and onion stew that is heavily seasoned with paprika. An American Goulash, like this recipe, is a much quicker, one-pot dish that typically features ground beef, a tomato-based sauce, and a pasta like elbow macaroni or egg noodles.
Q2: Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes, this is an absolutely perfect make-ahead meal! The flavors will actually be even better on the second day. For the best texture, it is a great idea to prepare the beef and vegetable sauce completely and store it separately from the cooked noodles. When you are ready to eat, you can simply reheat the sauce and toss it with the fresh noodles.
Q3: How do I keep my noodles from getting too mushy in the leftovers?
Because the noodles are mixed in with the sauce, they will naturally continue to soften and absorb the liquid as the dish sits in the refrigerator. This will make the leftovers even thicker and still delicious! If you strongly prefer your pasta to be al dente, the best method is to cook the noodles separately and simply store them separately, tossing them together with the sauce just before you serve or reheat them.
Q4: Can I freeze this skillet meal?
Yes, this is a fantastic freezer meal! Let the finished skillet mixture cool completely. You can freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then warm it gently on the stovetop.
Q5: Can I cook the noodles directly in the skillet to make it a true one-pan meal?
You can, but you will need to adjust the recipe. To make this a true one-pan meal, you will need to add about 2 to 3 extra cups of liquid (like beef broth or water) to the skillet along with the tomatoes. Bring this mixture to a boil, then stir in your uncooked noodles, cover the pan, and let it simmer until the noodles are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid.