The Lakes Kitchen

This One Pot Ground Beef and Beans Macaroni is an alternative to a similar and well known dish – goulash.  In this one pot dish, adding beans can enhance the texture and the protein content.  This recipe can really use any kind of beans (we usually use any kind of beans we have when cooking recipes that call for beans in soup and casserole recipes.

However, in this recipe, I used white kidney beans.  Another name for white kidney beans is cannellini beans.  White kidney beans have somewhat of a nuttier flavor to them, but it often goes unnoticed when blended with flavors of onion, tomatoes, and chilli powder.  Again, any kind of beans will work though.

Method:

 

First, brown and cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet on the stove.

Once it’s cooked, drain any fat.  Then, drain the beans.  I also try to drain and rinse the beans while the ground beef is cooking.

 

Add the beans and the diced tomatoes to the meat and onion mixture.

Next, measure and add the chilli powder and salt.

Lastly, add in the uncooked macaroni (or any other pasta that you like).

Add in the water, and stir everything together.   Cover and let everything simmer for about 20 minutes.  It’s a great idea to stir everything occasionally, or until the macaroni is cooked.

Once the macaroni is cooked, let it sit and cool for a bit before serving.  It’s as simple as that!

You can also add toppings such as chips, cheese, avocado, extra onions and more to make this dish even more flavorful.  I added chips for dipping and some shredded cheese.

If you enjoy this recipe, you will want to try some of these:

• GROUND BEEF CHILI CON CARNE WITH BEANS – LIKE CANNED CHILI, BUT BETTER AND FROM SCRATCH
• SOUTHWEST GROUND BEEF SOUP
• ENCHILADA PIE
• CHILI RELLENO CASSEROLE
• FAST AND FLAVORFUL GROUND BEEF AND BEAN CHILI

The first time I made this soup, I knew that we would be doubling the recipe in the future.  Using many ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now, this Southwest Ground Beef Soup is convenient and low prep.  Our whole family enjoyed this hearty soup, including our toddler.  Ground beef, diced tomatoes, corn, beans, and salsa blend together to make an effortless lunch or dinner.  You can also use your favorite salsa in this recipe.  Also, homemade salsa would be amazing too!

 

 

Method:

Begin by cooking the ground beef and onions until the ground beef is fully cooked and the onions are tender.

Then, stir all of the remaining ingredients, except for the shredded cheese, into the ground beef and onion mixture.

 

I used frozen corn, but canned corn will also work.  For the salsa, I used green salsa verde, but I will also use fresh, homemade salsa in the summer when tomatoes, onions, and tomatillos are fresh in the garden and at local farmers markets.

Bring all of the ingredients in the pot to a boil, and the reduce the heat to let it simmer.  Cover and simmer everything for 15-20 minutes, or until the corn is tender and everything is heated through.

Garnish the soup with shredded cheese.  I also like to add tortilla chips to dip in the soup, and squeezing a fresh lime in the soup gives it an even added layer of flavor.

This Southwest Ground Beef soup is especially flavorful as leftovers.

A few tips:

• Use any kind of salsa that you like.
• Any kind of cheese will do.  I used a combination of monterey jack and cheddar cheese.
• Use any kind of beans that you have or like.  Also, I often add a second can of beans for additional protein and to make an even heartier soup.
• You can use more or less ground beef depending on what you prefer.
• Experiment with toppings such as chips, onions, green onions, and freshly squeezed lime as an example.

Other recipes you might want to try:

Ground Beef Chili Con Carne Soup

Easy and Flavorful Ground Beef Tortilla Soup (Not Spicy)

Enchilada Pie

If you love both filling and nutritious recipes, this Chicken and Vegetable Casserole Bake is an excellent option for dinner.  It has a substantial amount of vegetables, but the added protein from the chicken makes this a healthy and almost effortless dinner recipe to have any day of the week.  Either fresh or frozen vegetables will work in this healthy and delicious dinner recipe.

Put the cooked chicken in a greased baking dish.

Add the sliced potatoes, celery and carrots on top of the chicken in any order.

In a separate dish, add the condensed cream of chicken soup, water, salt, and pepper.

Pour the mixture over the vegetables and chicken in the pan.

 

Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and not too crunchy.

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also want to try the following recipes:

Easy Pasta with Vegetables

Vegetable Couscous with Tomatoes and Sweet Mini-Peppers