18 Jun Recipe: One-Pot Cheesy Beef Pasta for under $5.00 per serve
One-Pot Cheesy Beef Pasta for under $5.00 per serve! A budget-friendly dinner that tastes like comfort food
It has a bolognese-style base, but instead of cooking the pasta separately, the small pasta shapes cook in the sauce. That means fewer dishes, a thicker, family-friendly meal and a dinner that can stretch further than it looks.
Estimated cost: around $15–$17 total
Serves: 4 generous serves, or 5 smaller child-friendly serves
Estimated cost per serve: around $3.50–$4.25
Costs will vary depending on the mince, cheese and pantry items you use, so treat this as a guide rather than a fixed price.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 500g beef mince or turkey mince
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chilli powder, optional
- Pinch crushed chilli flakes, optional
- 170g tomato paste
- 425g tomato passata or plain tomato pasta sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 625ml low-salt beef stock, divided
- 150g dry elbow pasta, macaroni or small pasta shells
- 100g grated cheddar cheese
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the mince, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Stir in the parsley, basil, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, chilli powder and chilli flakes, if using. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, passata, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and 375ml of the beef stock. Stir well, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes.
- Add the remaining 250ml beef stock and the dry pasta. Stir well and cook until the pasta is tender, stirring regularly so it does not stick to the bottom. Add a splash of water or extra stock if the sauce becomes too thick before the pasta has cooked.
- Stir through the grated cheese until melted. Serve warm.
Make it stretch and save more
This recipe can easily be bulked out without making it feel like a “cheap” meal.
Add a grated carrot, grated zucchini or finely chopped mushrooms when cooking the onion. A drained tin of brown lentils can also be added with the tomato sauce to stretch the mince further and add fibre.
Frozen peas, corn or mixed vegetables can be stirred in near the end of cooking. You can also use a little less cheese in the sauce and add a small sprinkle on top when serving.
Small pasta shapes such as macaroni, elbows or shells are a good choice for younger children because they are easier to eat than spaghetti.
Can you freeze it?
Yes, but the best option is to freeze the sauce before adding the pasta and cheese.
Cook the beef and tomato sauce up to the point before adding the extra stock and pasta. Cool it completely, then freeze in family-sized or single-serve portions.
When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat in a saucepan, then add the remaining stock and dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender, then stir through the cheese.
You can freeze the finished dish, but the pasta may become softer when reheated. It will still work as an emergency dinner. Reheat gently with a splash of water, stock or passata to loosen the sauce.
Can you make it in a slow cooker?
Yes, but it works best if you make the sauce in the slow cooker and add the pasta near the end.
- Brown the mince, onion and garlic in a pan first, then transfer to the slow cooker. Add the herbs, spices, tomato paste, passata, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and 375ml beef stock.
- Cook on low for 4–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours.
- About 25–35 minutes before serving, stir in the remaining 250ml stock and the dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender, checking once or twice if you can. Add a splash more stock or water if it looks too thick.
- Stir through the cheese just before serving.
For the most reliable slow cooker result, cook the pasta separately and stir it through the sauce at the end. This avoids mushy pasta, especially if dinner time gets delayed.
A tip for busy parents
This is a handy end-of-week meal because it uses pantry staples, cooks in one pot and can hide extra vegetables. Make the sauce ahead if you can, then cook the pasta in it when everyone is ready to eat.
Can you use chicken mince?
Yes. Chicken mince works well in this recipe, although it will have a milder flavour than beef. Use the same amount — 500g chicken mince — and make sure it is cooked through before adding the tomato paste, passata and stock.
For extra flavour, you may like to add a little more Worcestershire sauce, paprika or dried herbs. Chicken mince can also be drier than beef, so keep an eye on the sauce and add a splash more stock or water if needed.
A vegetarian option?
To make a vegetarian version, swap the mince for brown lentils, plant-based mince, finely chopped mushrooms, or a mix of lentils and mushrooms. Use vegetable stock instead of beef stock, and check that the Worcestershire sauce is vegetarian, as some brands contain anchovies.
A simple vegetarian option would be:
- 1 tin brown lentils, drained
- 250g finely chopped mushrooms
- Vegetable stock instead of beef stock
- Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, or a splash of soy sauce
That would keep the meal budget-friendly and still hearty.
How we estimate recipe costs
Our Budget Meals recipes use approximate prices based on average Australian supermarket costs at the time of publishing (including major supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths and Aldi). Costs are calculated using standard-sized ingredients and divided by the number of serves. Prices can vary depending on where you shop, specials, seasonality, brands and whether you already have pantry staples at home. The estimates are intended as a general guide to help families compare meal ideas and plan affordable dinners.
