Elbow Macaroni with Meat in a Skillet
Super simple and incredibly delicious dinner for the whole family! Elbow macaroni with meat are cooked together in a skillet, and there's no need to boil the pasta separately. This saves not only time and effort but also significantly reduces the amount of dirty dishes. The macaroni absorbs the meat sauce beautifully.
Updated : 16 June, 2025
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
250 grams
Elbow macaroni
500 grams
Any type of meat
1
Onion
1
Carrot
50 grams
Tomato paste
500 milliliters
Water
50 milliliters
Vegetable oil
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients. Choose meat that doesn’t require long cooking (such as beef) — pork tenderloin, chicken, or turkey (I used turkey thighs). Instead of elbow macaroni, you can use any other type of pasta, just adjust the water amount and cooking time. Opt for pasta made from durum wheat as it cooks better and tastes better.
Step 2
Rinse and pat the meat dry with paper towels. Cut it into small pieces.
Step 3
Peel the onion and chop it finely.
Step 4
Grate the peeled carrot on a coarse grater.
Step 5
Heat a skillet over medium heat and pour in half of the vegetable oil for frying. Add the onion to the hot oil. Sauté the onion, stirring, for a couple of minutes until translucent. Then add the grated carrot. Continue to sauté the vegetables for a few more minutes until softened.
Step 6
Push the vegetables to the edge of the pan. Pour the remaining oil into the empty space and add the meat. Increase the heat and quickly brown the meat on all sides until it changes color — this seals in the juices and keeps the meat tender. Once this happens, mix the meat with the vegetables, add tomato paste, salt, and pepper to taste. You can also add any spices you prefer.
Step 7
Add hot water to the meat, about a cup. Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat. Simmer the meat for 10-20 minutes, depending on the type of meat (chicken will cook faster, while turkey and pork will take longer).
Step 8
Add the dry elbow macaroni (or any other pasta of your choice) to the meat. Pour in a little more hot water. Adjust the water amount depending on the type of pasta and the volume of meat sauce. Stir the pasta into the meat mixture. For me, the water just reached the top of the dish.
Step 9
Cover the skillet and cook the dish until all the water is absorbed. Check the pasta; if it’s still not done, add more water. I didn’t add more water; the macaroni stayed slightly al dente and held their shape well. Let the dish sit for another 10 minutes with the lid on, then serve.
Step 10
Enjoy your meal!