Hacienda Hamburger

This is a one-pot wonder from the era of church cookbooks and potluck suppers. Ground beef browns with celery and onion, then uncooked noodles cook directly in a tomato paste and water sauce until tender. American cheese melts into the whole thing, and sliced ripe olives add briny little bursts throughout.

The beauty of this recipe is how the noodles absorb all the beefy, tomatoey liquid as they cook. No draining, no separate pot of water. Everything happens in one skillet over low heat for about 30 minutes. The tomato paste gives a concentrated, rich sauce without the wateriness of canned tomatoes.

American cheese is the right call here. It melts smoothly into the sauce without separating or getting stringy. The olives are what give this its “hacienda” character, adding a salty, almost Mediterranean note to the Tex-Mex base.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown the beef thoroughly before adding vegetables. Good color on the meat builds the flavor base for everything else.
• Keep the heat low once the noodles go in. Too high and the liquid evaporates before the noodles cook through, scorching the bottom.
• Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The starchy noodles will grab the bottom if left alone too long.
• If the mixture looks dry before the noodles are tender, add a splash more water.

Variations

• Use pepper jack cheese instead of American for a spicier, more modern version.
• Add a can of diced green chiles with the tomato paste for extra Southwestern kick.
• Stir in a can of kidney beans for more protein and a chili-mac vibe.