Description
French Onion Beef and Noodles is a scrumptiously savory beef and noodle casserole with a rich, silky sauce. It’s an easy one-pot meal that comes together in just over 30 minutes. Kids love it. Adults love it. It’s the perfect addition to a collection of easy recipes for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large red onion, minced (Mine was 9.8 oz or 277 g.)
- 1 lb. ground beef (80/20)
- 3 Tablespoons homemade beef bouillon, divided (If using store-bought bouillon, start with half the amount and taste as you go, adding more as needed.)
- 2 (10 oz) cans French Onion Soup
- 1 can + 1 cup water
- 12 oz. wide egg noodles (Shells, rotini, or fusilli also work well.)
- 6 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated (that’s around 1 1/2 cups). You can substitute American Swiss cheese or a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan.
Instructions
- Mince the onion finely. We don’t love the texture of large pieces of cooked onion in our dishes. This is a personal preference, and the reason I finely mince the onion. They literally melt into the sauce as the casserole cooks. However, if you prefer, the onion pieces can be the size you like best. Also, mincing the onion means the moisture will cook out of it more quickly than large pieces, and the onions will be done faster.
- Melt butter in a deep 12″ cast iron skillet [affiliate link] or a Dutch oven [affiliate link] and add the minced onion. Be sure to choose a heavy-bottomed pan that can be covered with a tight-fitting lid later.
- Cook the onions over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until they are softened and becoming translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet with the onions.
- Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of homemade beef bouillon powder over the meat. Increase the heat a bit to brown the hamburger and begin breaking it into smaller pieces and crumbles as it browns.
- Pour the two cans of French onion soup into a blender and process it until it is a smooth liquid.
- Pour the blended French onion soup over everything in the skillet, along with one soup can of water, and an additional 1 cup of water.
- Stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and increase the heat until the liquid begins to boil.
- Once the liquid is boiling, pour the noodles into the pan and stir. Gently press the pasta to submerge it under the liquid. It will look like there isn’t enough broth to cook the noodles, but I promise there is. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to a simmer. The steam will help with the cooking. Cook until the noodles are tender.
- Stir the noodles several times during cooking to prevent them from sticking, and then replace the cover on the pan.
- Continue cooking (with the pan covered) until the noodles are tender. If it seems like too much liquid has evaporated, you can add another 1/4 cup of water. Cover and keep cooking until the pasta is done. The pasta will absorb the liquid along with that luscious flavor, leaving only a silky sauce behind.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese over the finished casserole and place the pan under the broiler until the cheese has melted and become golden brown. Watch it closely. This step only takes a few minutes, and you won’t want it to burn.
- Remove from the broiler and serve.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Main Dish, Beef, Casserole
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American