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Busy Night Hungarian Ground Beef Noodles
If you’re craving a comforting dish, this Hungarian Ground Beef Noodles is it! Picture fluffy egg noodles drenched in a creamy sauce, bursting with cozy flavors like tomato, cabbage, and paprika. It’s just like a warm hug from Grandma’s kitchen! Plus, it’s easy to whip up with minimal cleanup. This meal reheats beautifully, making it perfect for leftovers, making ahead or even freezing for a rainy day. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
16 oz bag of egg noodles (to make Gluten-Free, use any GF noodle of choice – I like the Jovial brand)
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped
14.5 oz can diced tomato, with juice
1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
2 tbsp sour cream (or I frequently sub whole plain Greek yogurt)
2 tbsp Hungarian paprika
Fresh parsley, chopped
Serve with sliced garlic bread, rolls or salad
Directions:
- Place a large stock pot of heavily salted water over high heat (it is said that your pasta water is salted enough once it tastes like the sea – so don’t be shy!), bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Saving some of the pasta water is beneficial to make a sauce for any meal. The water itself becomes starchy and acts as a thickening agent to make a luxurious sauce without added calories. *Egg noodles are not as starchy as regular, dried pasta, so additional reserved pasta water may be needed for the desired sauce consistency.
- Meanwhile, place a large sauté pan over med-high heat. Melt 2 tbsp of butter. Place ground beef in melted butter, and break it up with a stainless steel spatula (I prefer to use my fish spatula for tasks like this. It is generally not advised to use wooden utensils with raw meat due to the porous nature of wood. It has the potential to harbor and grow bacteria. Season ground beef liberally with salt and pepper and cook until browned. Once the meat is browned, add the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until onions are soft. 2-3 minutes.
- Add roasted bell peppers, diced tomatoes (don’t forget to add the juice too!) and cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage has partially wilted. About 5 minutes.
- Add sour cream, paprika and cooked egg noodles to the pan. Stir gently with a spatula to incorporate. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the desired sauce consistency is achieved. Check seasoning, add additional salt and pepper if desired. Top with fresh parsley and dive in!
TIPS
-This Hungarian Ground Beef Noodles is a great freezer meal. Store for up to 3 months. I’m all about reducing plastic and foil where I can – use these stainless steel food storage containers (be sure to check you buy the correct size) for freezing make-ahead meals.
-When reheating pasta leftovers, add a small amount of water to a cooking pan on the stovetop and gently stir noodles to coat. Use low-med heat and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally until heated through.
-To turn up the flavor, add crumbled, crispy bacon for garnish.
-Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese for an extra salty, nutty bite.
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Craving more pasta dishes? Try these most shared recipes: