Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to the package directions until tender. Drain well and, if desired, toss the hot noodles with a small amount of butter. Cover and keep warm while preparing the hamburger gravy.
- While the noodles cook, place the ground beef and diced onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, breaking the hamburger into small pieces, until the beef is completely browned and the onion has softened, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess grease if necessary, leaving a small amount of the flavorful drippings in the skillet.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables to the browned hamburger. Cook for approximately 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to heat through.
- Push the hamburger and vegetables toward the outside edges of the skillet, leaving an open area in the center. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and stir the flour and butter together. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the flour mixture begins to turn light brown. This helps develop the deeper flavor of the homemade brown gravy.
- Gradually pour the beef broth into the skillet while stirring continuously to incorporate the flour mixture and prevent lumps. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and optional beef bouillon.
- Stir the hamburger and vegetables into the gravy until everything is evenly combined. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the gravy has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Taste the gravy before adding salt. Add additional black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon, or salt only if needed.
- Divide the warm egg noodles evenly among four plates or shallow bowls. Spoon approximately 1 cup of hamburger and vegetable brown gravy over each serving of noodles. Serve immediately with warm dinner rolls, biscuits, or buttered homemade bread.
Notes
For richer brown gravy: Allow the butter-and-flour mixture to cook until light brown before adding the beef broth. Don't burn it, but don't rush this step either. The slightly toasted flour adds considerably more flavor than simply mixing flour into the liquid.
If the gravy is too thick: Stir in additional beef broth, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, until it reaches your preferred consistency.
If the gravy is too thin: Allow it to simmer uncovered for a few additional minutes. The gravy will continue thickening slightly as it cooks and also as it cools.
About the salt: Wait until the gravy is finished before salting it. Beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and especially beef bouillon can contain enough sodium that very little additional salt is necessary.
Vegetable substitutions: Peas and carrots, corn, green beans, or frozen mixed vegetables all work well. Use approximately 1½ cups total.
No onion? The recipe can still be made without fresh onion. Increase the onion powder slightly if desired.
For leftovers: Store the noodles and hamburger gravy separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat the gravy gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of beef broth if it has become too thick.