Categories: BeefMain DishesPasta

Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef

Lots of recipes require using clear soup (meat broth, stock), however not all of them also require boiled meat which is often used to prepare meat broth. So the question is, are there any good recipes which actually require boiled meat and no broth?

This is one of them: russian pasta with ground boiled beef and fried onions (btw, it is called “makarony po-flotski” in Russia; I have no idea why, but we always called this dish so).

Any “al dente” kind of pasta will work here: I’ve used penne, just read instructions on the pack and cook them accordingly. You may also vary proportion of meat to pasta to taste.

Ingredients:

  • Macaroni (penne, gomito, conchiglie or any other type of macaroni to your taste) for about 4 servings
  • Boiled beef (made of about 1 lb of fresh beef)
  • 1 big onion
  • Fresh dill or fresh parsley, or both, to taste
  • Olive oil
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste

How to prepare, step-by-step:

  1. Prepare ingredients: boil meat (meat from the clear soup will work good here), rinse greens:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 1
  2. Peel and chop onion; warm up skillet with about 3 table spoons of olive oil, add chopped onion and fry over moderate heat stirring occasionally until soft and browned in color:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 2
  3. While onion is cooking, clean boiled meat: remove bones, fat and hard parts (veins, tendons, etc) if any. Then chop cleaned boiled meat with meat grinder, or blender, or food processor:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 3
  4. Fill cooking pot with water and bring to boil, salt to taste, add macaroni and cook by instructions on their pack until ready:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 4
  5. While macaroni are being cooked, add chopped meat to the onions, salt to taste and season with ground black pepper; mix, reduce heat to low and fry together for about 10 mins stirring from time to time; add more oil if you feel like it:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 5
  6. Add chopped fresh herbs (I used dill), mix and fry for 2 mins more, then remove from the burner:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 6
  7. When macaroni are ready (I advice to taste them from time to time and only turn off the heat when they are soft enough) pour them to colander and drain all water (depending of the quality, you may need to rinse them with cold boiled water, just read recommendations on the pack):
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 7
  8. Pour macaroni back to the pot they were cooked in and add all meat from the skillet:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 8
  9. Mix everything:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef Recipe: Step 9
  10. Serve and enjoy:
    Macaroni with Ground Boiled Beef

View Comments

  • I just randomly found your blog... And I love love this dish, I remember my gramma use to make it with tushonka( canned meat), and I can't find tushonka any where where I live the only type of canned meat is here is spam and that not the same.. I'm definitely going to try this recipe

  • the reason why this dish called "makarony po-flotski" (navy pasta) is because it came from the Russian navy where it was quite popular in the past

  • Oh, I used to love this dish! In my opinion, it is the sauteed onions that really make this dish what it is. I don't eat meat any more but I still crave the taste of pasta and sauteed onions, combined. My solution? Make kasha varnishkes, a mix of pasta, buckwheat, and sauteed onions. Yum!

  • This is the recipe that ALL of my children and husband LOVE beyond all things....the one meal that pleases everyone....and it is easy and fast. Except, I was taught to use pork. You don't mention putting sour cream on top, but that is essential at our house. I think they love it because it tastes exactly like pelmeni, yet it doesn't have the same level of effort!

    I have a funny story. As I say, I usually make this with pork. One night all I had was beef, so I made it with beef and my son Sergei looked quizzical and said, "This is good, but the meat tastes different. Don't you usually use rat?"

    I was just glad we didn't have company!

    • I think any meat or meat combination will taste good in this one (except rats ofc :) ). I also love it with chicken and fresh parsley :)