Poor Man’s Pasta
Poor Man’s Pasta bakes tender egg noodles tossed with tangy cream cheese and sour cream beneath a hearty beef and tomato sauce, finished with a gooey Cheddar–mozzarella crust. It’s rich, comforting, and a great pick for a family dinner or casual potluck when you want bold flavor from simple pantry staples.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook1 hr
- Serves8
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Poor Man’s Pasta, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 49 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 7 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 52 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 17
- Heart Health
- 64
- Metabolic
- 32
- Digestive
- 29
- Inflammatory
- 39
- Performance
- 33
- General Wellness
- 1
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef, garlic, and jalapeno, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce. Add water to the can to loosen any remaining sauce; pour it into the pan along with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 2
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the noodles and cook until slightly firm, then drain. Return the noodles to the pot; stir in the cream cheese and sour cream.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 4
Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture over the bottom of the dish. Add half of the noodle mixture and top with half of the tomato sauce mixture. Sprinkle with half of the Cheddar, then half of the mozzarella. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
- 5
Bake in the preheated oven until browned around the edges, bubbly, and heated through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
- Calories 737.41 kcal High 37%
- Protein 35.28 g Good Source 71%
- Carbohydrate 42.16 g 15%
- Total Fat 45.87 g High 59%
- Saturated Fat 24.15 g High 121%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 187.26 mg High 62%
- Sodium 779.94 mg High 34%
- Dietary Fiber 4.15 g Moderate 15%
- Total Sugars 8.8 g --
- Added Sugars 0.62 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 400.65 mg Good Source 31%
- Iron 3.71 mg Good Source 21%
- Potassium 435.97 mg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin A 214.58 mcg Good Source 24%
- Vitamin C 10.51 mg Moderate 12%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Eggs 🥚
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Poor Man's Pasta is made with 15 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Cream Cheese, Diced Jalapeño Peppers, and Extra Wide Egg Noodles. Each serving provides about 737.41 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Poor Man’s Pasta made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Cream Cheese, Diced Jalapeño Peppers, Extra Wide Egg Noodles, Fresh Parsley. The full list of 15 is above.
- How long does it take to make Poor Man’s Pasta?
- About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 1 hr to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 737.41 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Poor Man’s Pasta easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 15 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Poor Man’s Pasta healthy?
- Poor Man’s Pasta has an easyChef Pro health score of 36/100. Per serving, it provides 737.41 calories and 35.28 g of protein, or 71% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium, iron and vitamin A. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 779.94 mg (34% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 24.15 g (121% of the Daily Value). It contains Eggs, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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