The perfect marriage of French onion soup, savory beef and tender pasta! This incredible meal comes together with a handful of ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes! 

I love French onion soup! So that's my inspiration for this dish. And thanks to store-bought onion soup mix, you can enjoy all the flavors of the classic soup without all the work and lengthy cooking time. 

The parmesan cheese transforms the soup mix into French onion soup. There's nothing better than the commingling caramelized onions, savory broth, and cheese! And when you add beef and pasta, you turn a brothy soup into a hearty meal. 

What type of pasta should you use? Any short pasta works here! I used orecchiette because I love the way the little "cups" hold the meat and peas. You can use any small-shaped pasta, including elbow macaroni. 

I made this with beef, but turkey and chicken work too! Feel free to swap in one pound of ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef if desired. 

Add more vegetables if desired. I love the pop of color and sweetness of green peas, but you can substitute frozen peas and carrots, or frozen mixed vegetables. 

What should you serve with your French onion beef and pasta? This wholesome dish is practically a complete meal, so you need little else. You could stretch the meal by adding a crisp green salad and warm bread on the side. 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces pasta of choice, I used orecchiette, but you can use any small-shaped pasta, including elbow macaroni

1 pound lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 packet/envelope (1 ounce) onion soup mix

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup frozen green peas, kept frozen until ready to use

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water. 

Meanwhile, brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

Add the onion soup mix, tomato paste, and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Fold in the cooked pasta, peas, and parmesan cheese and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. If desired, add some or all of the remaining pasta water to thin the sauce. 

Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side.