One Pot Ground Beef Egg Noodles

Cook the beef and onion: Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spatula, until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain excess grease if needed, keeping about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds.

Flavor and season: Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to caramelize. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stirring well. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper.

Bring to a boil: Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire, stirring to dissolve the flour mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and add the uncooked egg noodles, stirring to submerge them as much as possible.

Simmer: Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking. If the noodles need more liquid, add a splash of broth or water as needed. Cook until the noodles are tender and the sauce is lightly thickened.

Adjust to taste: Stir in the butter (optional). Avoid stirring too much, the noodles are very tender at this point. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve warm.