If You Have A Pound Of Ground Beef, Macaroni, And Canned Tomato Soup, You Could Have Dinner Ready In 30 Minutes

Your weeknight dinner solution is here. Skip complicated recipes and yet another grocery store run with this easy three-ingredient comfort meal ripped straight from your grandma's recipe book. All you need is ground beef, a can of tomato soup, and a box of macaroni noodles. 

This vintage dish is known as "slumgullion" by those of us old enough to have grown up with VHS tapes and rattails. But, whatever you call it, Americans have been eating some version of this humble but delicious recipe for a very long time. Similar to American chop suey, homemade Hamburger Helper, or Johnny Marzetti, this affordable, budget-friendly dinner has been recreated and gussied up over generations. 

The standard recipe is so simple anyone can make it: Brown your ground beef, add a can of tomato soup, and then stir in your cooked macaroni. You can enjoy this simple recipe as is, or you can get creative. Some people like to use ground turkey instead of beef, while others use vegan "beef" crumbles. You can also add in veggies, such as spinach or sautéed mushrooms and bell peppers. And slumgullion fans never say no to cheese (you get extra vintage points if you use Velveeta).

If you don't have canned tomato soup on hand, use jarred tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes (Ro-Tel also works if you like a hint of spice). Macaroni is the standard pasta choice, but you can also use ditalini, mini farfalle, shells, or rotelle. Of course, you can also use whole-wheat noodles, gluten-free noodles, or zucchini noodles to bring your version of slumgullion into the present era.

As you can see, the beauty of this dish is that you can build it around your family's taste and what you have in the pantry or fridge. For extra oomph, you can grate fresh Parmesan on top or sprinkle on freshly chopped herbs like parsley or chives. Serve with crusty bread or a green salad. And that's dinner sorted in less than 30 minutes!

This kid-friendly recipe also makes for great leftovers. Pack it for lunch at school or work, and you'll have a comforting homemade meal for all ages. Watch June Bowling make this recipe on Facebook below. For other quick meal ideas, check out our favorite 30-minute-or-less recipes here.