Top of the Stove

This is the Midwest in a pot. No shame, no apologies, just pure creamy, beefy, noodle-loaded comfort.

Ground beef and onions get browned up, then stirred into a ridiculously rich sauce made from cream of mushroom soup, cream of cheddar soup, sour cream, and Italian seasoning.

Spoon it over a pile of tender egg noodles and dinner is handled.

It feeds eight people, costs next to nothing, and takes about 40 minutes from fridge to fork. That’s a weeknight win if there ever was one.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t let it boil. Keep the heat gentle once the sour cream goes in. A hard boil will make it grainy and separate.
• Drain the beef well. Excess grease will make the sauce thin and oily instead of creamy.
• Frozen egg noodles hold up best. They’re thicker and chewier than dried, which stands up to that heavy sauce without going mushy.
• Leftovers reheat great. Add a splash of milk when warming it up to bring back the creamy consistency.