Sure, pasta is comforting as is, but throw in some beef and gravy? We've officially got a comfort food trifecta at hand. The dish goes by a humble name, Beef and Noodles, yet flaunts a hearty combination of tender beef tips drenched in a savory gravy, tossed with buttery egg noodles, and speckled with peas.
You'll find this home-style spectacle is easy to make and budget-friendly to boot. Serve it for a kid-friendly dinner the entire family will love, and if you can't get enough beefy goodness in your life, be sure to add Beef Tips and Rice to your next dinnertime lineup!
WHAT ARE BEEF TIPS MADE FROM?
Beef Tips are most often made from chuck roast which carries with it a lot of beefy flavor. We use the same cut of meat in our pot roast recipe.
We suggest you buy the roast and cut the cubes yourself. You might be tempted to pick up a package of stew meat to save on a little prep time — don’t do it. The pre-cut stew meat is actually just a collection of the butcher’s odds and ends, and will likely result in uneven cooking. You can read more about that here.
BEEF AND NOODLES INGREDIENTS
The dish, Beef and Noodles, comes down to four main components:
- Beef
- Noodles
- Peas
- Gravy
We've already established earlier for quality-control purposes, you should start with a beef chuck roast and cut it into cubes yourself. To ensure every bite is full of flavor, season the beef cubes with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
For the noodles, you can use either dried egg noodles or frozen egg noodles. Follow the packages cooking instructions, and don't forget to salt the water!
BEEF AND NOODLES WITH GRAVY
The gravy is an essential element to this homestyle, comfort food dish. It's creamy, rich, and seriously beefy. The gravy is made up of flour, beef broth, and chopped onion, and seasoned with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper.
HOW TO MAKE BEEF AND NOODLES
- Prep and Season the Beef - Cut the Chuck Roast into cubes, and allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Pat the cubes dry with a paper towel and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle oil and sprinkle with seasoning. Then, massage the seasoning into the beef cubes and set aside.
- Sear the Beef Cubes - Add oil to a large pan fitted with a lid (or a Dutch oven), and sear the cubes for 3 minutes on each side. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
- Deglaze the Pan and Cook the Onion - Add the beef broth to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat and add the onion to cook.
- Make the Beef and Noodles Gravy - Stir the flour, and then add the remaining beef broth. Allow to simmer and thicken. Stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and seasoning. Add the beef cubes back to the pan. Lower the heat and slowly simmer until tender to your liking. You'll add the frozen peas in toward the end of the cooking process.
- Serve Over Noodles - Serve over cooked egg noodles and enjoy!
HOW DO YOU THICKEN BEEF AND NOODLES?
Beef and Noodles should be thickened with flour at the start of the gravy-making process, but if you forget an ingredient, you can make your gravy thicker by mashing together 1 tablespoon of room temperature, unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of flour. Once the mixture has blended, add it to your sauce and whisk until evenly incorporated. Then, allow to simmer at least 15 minutes longer.
CAN YOU FREEZE HOMEMADE BEEF AND NOODLES?
Yes, you can freeze Beef and Noodles. Add your leftovers to a freezer-safe, airtight container. But, make sure there is not too much headspace in your container, the fit should be fairly snug. Freeze for no more than three months for best results.
You could also freeze Beef and Noodles in a freezer-safe zip-top bag.
5 MORE BEEF DINNER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Traditional Meatloaf is made with the simplest combination of ingredients, yet always turns out juicy, tender, and never dry! Topped with a sweet and tangy brown sugar-ketchup glaze, this meatloaf packs a ton of flavor and as much as we hate to say it, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be better than moms.
- Salisbury Steak is the perfect family-style comfort food dinner! It’s served with brown onion gravy, and you’re basically getting your own personal-sized meatloaf on a plate! Yes, please.
- Ground Beef Stroganoff made with ground beef, mushrooms, onions, and sour cream is seriously budget-friendly and comes together in just 20 minutes. Serve over egg noodles for a beefy, comforting weeknight dinner that’s as easy as it is delicious!
- Homemade Hamburger Helper made with savory, seasoned ground beef, a creamy, homemade cheddar sauce, and macaroni livens up an old childhood classic, and once you ditch the box, you’ll never go back again.
- Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry features quick-seared flank steak and easy steamed broccoli! A sweet and savory, quick-fix family dinner idea for Chinese food at home.
Beef and Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless chuck roast
- 3 tablespoons canola or avocado oil, separated
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Kosher salt, separated
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper, separated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ¾ cup unsalted or low-sodium beef broth, separated (do not use salted beef broth)
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles cooked according to package directions
Instructions
- Cut the chuck roast into 1" cubes using a very sharp knife. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to remove the chill.
- Pat the cubes dry with a paper towel and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Massage the seasoning into the beef cubes and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan (equipped with a fitted lid) or a Dutch oven over high heat and allow to come to temperature. Sear the cubes in 2 batches. Sear for 3 minutes on one side, then flip and sear 3 minutes more. Transfer beef cubes to a plate and set aside.
- Add a ¼ cup of beef broth to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat the medium-high and add the yellow onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir the flour, and then add the remaining 2 ½ cups of beef broth one big splash at a time, whisking well after each addition. Allow to simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, along with a bay leaf, the beef cubes, and any accumulated juices. Adjust your heat to maintain a slow simmer and cover.
- After 1 hour of cooking, stir in the frozen peas. Cover and cook for 15 minutes more.
- Serve over egg noodles and enjoy!
Nutrition
Jenni LeBaron says
This beef and noodles recipe looks like the perfect comfort food to usher in fall! I also absolutely love the peas in this. This dish would be devoured in my home!
Kelli S says
I have chicken broth, but not beef. Could I use that as a substitute.
Kelly Anthony says
The sauce won't have that same "beefy" element to it...which you probably already could guess 😉 But, it would work in a pinch!
Jennifer says
This was very delicious!! My 14 year old daughter helped me make it. Will make again.