Hamburger and Macaroni {Family Fave}

Rachael Ray has nothing on my mother. As far as this family is concerned, my mom invented healthful, delicious comfort food that one can cook in 30 minutes or less.

This hamburger and macaroni dish is one of my mother's recipes that has been served in our house at least once a month for the last 45 years. We even have a special name for it—HMO (Hamburger Macaroni Onions). I've also heard it called "goulash" or "American chop suey" or "Hamburger Noodle Casserole."

My father gets a song in his voice when he announces that we're having HMO for dinner. You make brown the meat and make the sauce while the water is coming to a boil and the macaroni is cooking. So it takes less than half an hour to make. So easy!

Hamburger and Macaroni

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Servings 4 servings

2 cups uncooked macaroni (use rice pasta or gluten-free pasta for gluten-free version)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped (or mixed chopped green onion greens and yellow onion)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Pinch chili pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 large can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Start cooking the pasta:

Get a large pot of salted hot water (1 tablespoon of salt for 2 quarts of water) heating and begin cooking the macaroni as per the directions on the macaroni package.
Brown the beef and onions:

While the water is heating and macaroni cooking, prepare the sauce. In a skillet, brown the ground beef in a tablespoon of olive oil on high heat. Stir only infrequently so that the ground beef has an opportunity to brown.

Elise Bauer

Elise Bauer

When the beef has mostly browned, add the onions to the pan and toss to combine. Cook until the onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes.
Add seasonings, tomatoes:

Add the celery seed, a dash of crushed red pepper and seasoned salt. Pour in canned tomatoes, add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Elise Bauer

Elise Bauer
Add cooked pasta:

Reserve a half cup of the pasta cooking water. Mix in the drained and cooked macaroni and the parsley. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add in some of the pasta water if the dish is too dry.

Add freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.