The Best Beef and Noodles

Beef and Noodles Ingredients

The best part of this recipe is the simple list of ingredients needed to make the meal. Every ingredient is easily found at the local grocery store, which is exactly why this classic dish is so popular. Here are some of the important ingredients:

• Beef is a pivotal part of this recipe. For the best flavor and fall-apart texture that’s iconic to beef and noodles, use a chuck or rump roast.
• Carrots, celery, and onion are also known as mirepoix. This mixture of vegetables is sautéed, working to enrich the beef stock and create the perfect underlying flavor.
• Parsley has more flavor than it is given credit for. In this recipe, the parsley stems are used with the mirepoix and beef stock since they are packed with flavor, but their texture is not great to eat. The leaves are sprinkled on top as a finishing touch for additional flavor and vibrant color.
• Thyme adds an herbaceous note to the sauce without being overpowering. Beef is a strongly flavored meat that can be used with herbs to cut through the flavor.
• Egg noodles are the traditional noodle of choice. They easily soak up other flavors and hold their texture nicely once cooked.
• Beef stock amps up the flavor of the entire roast. Use homemade stock or low-sodium if purchasing it from the store. Personally, I keep Better than Bouillon beef bouillon in my refrigerator at all times for recipes such as this.

The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Beef and Noodles

This beef and noodles recipe is simple to make, and while it may have a few hours of total time, much of it is spent allowing the roast to cook in the oven. In the meantime, the entire house will begin to smell like the most incredible meal is on its way. Here are the steps to make this recipe:

Step 1: Prepare the beef – To the beef, sprinkle over salt and black pepper. Flip the beef to the other side and add salt and black pepper again. 

Step 2: Sear the beef – In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil on the stove. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the beef, allowing it to sear. Once the first side is browned, flip the beef to sear the opposite side. When all sides are browned, remove the beef from the pot and set it aside, leaving any browned bits in the pan.

Step 3: Cook the mirepoix – Cut the carrots, celery, and onion into a small dice. Place the diced vegetables into the pot on the stove to begin cooking. Remove the cloves of garlic from their husk. Remove the leaves from the parsley and set them aside. Tie together the parsley stems and sprigs of thyme with butcher’s twine. Place the garlic and herb satchel in the pot with the vegetables. Let the mixture cook and soften.

Step 4: Place the beef in the oven – After about 6-8 minutes, place the browned beef back on top of the cooked vegetables. Add in the beef stock and let the mixture come up to a simmer. Once simmering, place the lid on the pot and place it in the 350°F oven to roast.

Step 5: Remove the beef and cook the noodles – After about 3 hours, remove the pot from the oven. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside. Also, remove the satchel of herbs and discard them. Leave the cooked vegetables and browned bits in the pot and place it back on the stove. Add in the water and bring the liquid mixture in the pot up to a boil. Once at a boil, add in the noodles and allow them to cook.

Step 6: Shred the beef and add to the noodles – Using a fork, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces. Once the noodles are fully cooked, remove the pot from the stove, add the shredded beef, and mix. Sprinkle the top with some chopped parsley (reserved from the leaves earlier) and serve.

Recipe Tips

• Get the Better than Bouillon brand of beef bouillon and keep it in your refrigerator. When a recipe calls for beef stock, simply mix the bouillon with water to create a quick stock. Check the bouillon instructions printed on the manufacturer’s container for preparation amounts.
• The beef will be done cooking when it is fall-apart tender. To test this, take a fork and pierce the meat. If it easily pulls apart, it’s ready to be removed from the oven.
• Do not be too concerned if the noodles are not fully covered by the cooking liquid once added. For this recipe, you want the noodles to absorb a majority of the sauce and not have to drain any liquid after they’re done cooking. That said, if it appears that all of the liquid has been absorbed and the noodles are not done cooking, more water can be added.

More Dinner Recipes

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• Spicy peanut noodles
• Creamed asparagus on toast
• California chicken Caesar wrap
• Jamaican-style pork tenderloin
• Sheet pan salmon and asparagus

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