Old Fashioned Stew
The Old Fashioned Stew recipe is one I grew up with. You cook everything on the stovetop and then cook it until all the flavors combine and it’s bubbly and hot. It has a million different names, but that’s what they called it in Minnesota.
This recipe is totally different from the rest of the world. This is a hearty, meaty pasta dish with lots of tomatoes.It’s also called chop suey or slumgullion, depending on what part of the US you grew up in.
If you’re looking to go easy on your grocery budget, goulash is a great choice. A pound of ground beef can be served in multiple servings when served with pasta and a richly flavored tomato sauce. It has become a popular standard for many not only for its taste but also for its practicality and affordability.
Since most of these recipes fit easily in my pantry, I often decide to make it at the last minute when I don’t feel like doing anything else.It’s easy enough even for my teenager to figure it out for us if it’s his weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
or 1/2 lb. pasta
or 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
or 1 large onion, diced
or garlic salt, pepper, chili powder & hot sauce to taste
or 2 cans whole steamed tomatoes, undrained
or 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
or tomato juice of your choice
To Prepare Old Fashioned Stew
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. While cooking, sear the ground beef and onions together in a very large skillet or Dutch oven.
Drain and season to taste.In a large bowl, mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and mix with the meat and ketchup. Drain the noodles and add to the beef mixture and mix well. Taste and add more spices if needed.
I didn’t need to add tomato juice, but if you like it juicier, you can add as much tomato juice as you like. Phyllis adds it to her leftovers, which I also recommend since noodles tend to soak up all the juice over time.
