Go Noodle Moose Tube Purple Stew Recipe

Go Noodle Moose Tube Purple Stew is a playful name for a hearty, vividly colored pot of red cabbage, beet, white beans and tube-shaped pasta. The vegetables simmer in a tomato-and-herb broth, while the noodles make it filling enough to serve as a complete meal; there is no standard dish or traditional origin associated with this name.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, about 1 cup (150 g), diced
2 medium carrots, about 1 cup (130 g), diced
2 celery ribs, about ¾ cup (90 g), diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
1 small red cabbage, about 1 pound (450 g), cored and thinly sliced; you need about 6 packed cups (450 g)
2 medium raw red beets, about 10 ounces (280 g) total, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
1 teaspoon (2 g) dried thyme
½ teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
1 bay leaf
8 cups (1.9 L) vegetable broth, preferably lower-sodium
1 can (15 ounces/425 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, about 1½ cups (260 g)
1 can (14.5 ounces/411 g) diced tomatoes, with their juices
1½ cups (150 g) dry tubetti, ditalini or other small tube pasta
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar or lemon juice
¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley, for serving
½ cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan, for serving, optional

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion, carrots and celery; chop the garlic; slice the cabbage; and cut the peeled beets into small, even pieces. Keeping the beet dice close to ½ inch helps them become tender in the same time as the cabbage. Drain and rinse the beans, and measure out the pasta and broth before you start cooking. The listed 25-minute prep time allows for this chopping and measuring.
Soften the base, 7 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion looks translucent and the other vegetables have begun to soften. If the pot seems dry or the onion starts to brown, lower the heat; this stew benefits from a gentle, savory base rather than scorched vegetables.
Add garlic and tomato paste, 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn. Add the thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper, then stir to coat the vegetables.
Simmer the vegetables, 20 minutes. Add the sliced cabbage, diced beets, broth, beans and tomatoes with their juices. Stir well and bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. The cabbage should soften and the beets should be nearly tender when pierced with a fork. If the liquid is boiling hard, reduce the heat to keep the vegetables from breaking up.
Cook the pasta in the stew, about 11 minutes. Stir in the dry pasta and simmer uncovered for the time printed on its package, usually 9 to 12 minutes; use 11 minutes as the recipe estimate and begin checking a little early. Stir every couple of minutes so the noodles do not settle and stick. They are ready when tender but still hold their shape. If the stew becomes thicker than you like before the pasta is done, add hot water or broth ½ cup (120 ml) at a time.
Season and serve. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the vinegar or lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. The acid brightens the earthy beet and cabbage flavors; add it gradually if you prefer a softer tang. Ladle into bowls and finish with parsley and Parmesan, if using.

Tips

Choose a pasta that fits the spoon. Tubetti and ditalini are small tubes and are easy to eat in a spoonful of stew. Small rigatoni also works, but larger tubes may need a few extra minutes and make the bowl feel more pasta-heavy. “Moose tube” is just part of the playful recipe name, not a special ingredient you need to find.
Cut the beets evenly. Small, uniform cubes cook more reliably than large chunks. If your beets are larger than the stated amount, save the extra for another meal rather than crowding the pot with pieces that may remain firm when the pasta is done.
Watch the salt and the liquid. Broths vary considerably in saltiness, and pasta absorbs broth as it cooks. Start with the listed salt if using lower-sodium broth; if your broth is salted, begin with ½ teaspoon (3 g) and adjust at the end. Keep a little extra hot broth or water nearby for thinning.
Want a brighter purple color? Red cabbage and beets give the stew its color, but the shade naturally varies with the vegetables and broth. Add the vinegar or lemon juice at the end rather than cooking it for a long time; the stew may turn more magenta, and the fresh acidity is easier to taste.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew hot in wide bowls, with enough broth for the noodles and beans to sit comfortably in each spoonful. A slice of crusty bread, toasted sourdough or a simple green salad makes an easy side. Parmesan adds a salty, savory finish, while parsley provides freshness; leave off the cheese or use a plant-based alternative if you want the bowl to be dairy-free.

For a more substantial meal, offer extra beans or grated cheese at the table rather than loading the pot with extra pasta. A small bowl of vinegar or lemon wedges lets everyone adjust the brightness. The color can stain light-colored counters and cloth, so wipe beet splashes promptly and use a nonreactive spoon for serving.

Variations

Use another bean. Great Northern beans or drained butter beans can replace the cannellini beans in the same amount. Chickpeas work too, though they have a firmer bite and a more pronounced flavor. If using dried beans, cook them fully before adding; this recipe is timed for canned beans.

Make it without tomato. Replace the diced tomatoes with 1½ cups (355 ml) additional broth and omit the tomato paste. The result will be less tangy and less red, with the beets and cabbage providing most of the color. Taste at the end and add a little more vinegar or lemon if needed.

Change the pasta or cook it separately. Small shells, elbows or broken spaghetti can stand in for tube pasta. If you expect leftovers or prefer more control over the broth, cook 1½ cups (150 g) pasta separately according to its package directions, drain it, and add it to individual bowls. Keep the stew simmering for the same 40-minute recipe schedule, but do not add dry pasta to the pot; the total time will depend on the pasta’s package directions and your timing.

Add greens. Stir in 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach during the last minute, or add 2 cups (120 g) chopped kale when you add the pasta. Kale may need a few extra minutes to soften, so check that it is tender before serving. Either option changes the color slightly but adds another vegetable without altering the basic method.

Storage and Reheating

For food safety, refrigerate the stew within 2 hours of cooking. Transfer it to shallow, covered containers so it cools promptly, and keep it refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. The pasta will continue to absorb broth as it sits, so leftovers will be thicker than the freshly cooked stew. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating rather than trying to restore the original texture with extra oil.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, either in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir occasionally and heat until steaming throughout; USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. If using a microwave, cover loosely, pause to stir, and check the temperature in more than one spot.

For freezing, the stew is best frozen before the pasta is added, because cooked noodles can become soft after thawing. Cool the cabbage, beet and bean base promptly, pack it into freezer-safe containers with room for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator, bring the base to a simmer, then add freshly cooked pasta. You can freeze the complete stew if needed, but expect a softer noodle texture. Do not leave cooked stew at room temperature for extended storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there really a pasta called “moose tube”?
No special pasta is required, and “moose tube” is a playful phrase in the recipe name. Use tubetti or ditalini for small tube shapes, or substitute another short pasta from your pantry. Choose a shape that cooks in roughly the same time and check the package rather than relying only on the estimate here.

Why is my stew not purple?
Color varies with the variety and freshness of the cabbage and beets, how finely the cabbage is sliced, and the broth and tomatoes used. Red cabbage can look red, violet or blue-purple depending on acidity. Stirring in the vinegar or lemon at the end often shifts the color toward magenta, but the exact shade is not something to rely on.

Can I use cooked or pre-cooked beets?
Yes, but add them later. Raw beets need the 20-minute vegetable simmer to become tender; cooked beets can turn soft if simmered that long. Add diced cooked beets with the pasta, then follow the pasta timing. Check the noodles and beets for texture before serving, and avoid boiling vigorously.

Can I make the stew ahead?
Yes. For the best noodle texture, cook the vegetable-and-bean base ahead, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat the base to a simmer and cook the pasta in it just before serving. If you already cooked the pasta in the stew, it is still fine to make ahead, but expect it to absorb broth and soften in the refrigerator.

How can I keep the pasta from getting mushy?
Use the package timing as a guide and begin checking before the stated time is up. Simmer gently rather than boiling hard, and stop cooking when the noodles are just tender. For planned leftovers, cook and store the pasta separately, then combine it with hot stew in each bowl; this keeps the noodles firmer and makes it easier to adjust the broth.

Can I make this gluten-free or vegan?
For a gluten-free version, use a small gluten-free pasta and check that the broth and other packaged ingredients are labeled gluten-free. Gluten-free pasta can become soft quickly, so follow its package directions and consider cooking it separately. The base stew is vegan when made with vegetable broth and served without Parmesan; use a dairy-free topping or simply finish with parsley and lemon.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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