Looking for the ultimate comfort food? You’ve come to the right place!
This incredibly creamy, deeply savory, really hearty, and super delicious dish may be called mac and cheese with ground beef, but it’s way more complex than that. It’s more like macaroni and cheese and pasta with meat sauce had a baby. The components of these two beloved dishes combine to produce something that contains the best elements of each and yet emerges as its very own unique thing, just like any offspring!
Perhaps you’re thinking that this recipe is reminiscent of Hamburger Helper? Well, you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. After all, there are several varieties of that famous time-saver that feature pasta, cheese, and tomato. You add your browned ground beef, and presto—a quick and easy family-friendly meal that tastes good. But, trust me: beyond both dishes being prepared on the stovetop and calling for ground beef, there is no comparison at all between “Helper” (what this product has been called since 2013) and the recipe we are bringing you here.
First of all, with our mac and cheese with ground beef, you’ll be making your own thick, rich, and super sharp cheese sauce (versus making one with cheese powder). Instead of dried tomato, we mix diced tomatoes and tomato paste to bring an acidic complexity that is balanced by the fresh onion and garlic. And the paprika and oregano give this dish another whole layer of flavor. There may be a lot of steps, but none of them are very time-consuming and once all the ingredients are combined and warmed through, you and your family will be digging into a bowl of meaty, cheesy, creamy pasta goodness.
Tips for perfect mac and cheese with ground beef
Salt your pasta water generously and cook the macaroni al dente. Chop the onion and mince the garlic into very small, uniformly sized pieces so that these flavors infuse the final dish. Unless you’re using 90% lean, you’ll probably want to drain the grease after browning the ground beef. Although already-shredded cheese is a time-saver and tastes fine, there are additives in there that impact the flavor and how smoothly the cheese melts: we recommend grating your own cheddar. And maybe grate a little extra because if you have time, you can transfer everything into a casserole dish, top with the extra cheese, and stick it under the broiler to get a golden, bubbly, crunchy top!
How do I store leftovers?
Cooked and cooled mac and cheese with ground beef can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and in the freezer (in a freezer-safe container) for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop over a gentle heat.
Serving suggestions
The texture of mac and cheese with ground beef means it’s going to be great with crunchy sides, like Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Fried Corn. But I also really love the charred flavor of Grilled Green Beans with this dish. Pretty much any crispy vegetable you like will pair wonderfully well, including Air-Fryer Baby Carrots and Asparagus Fries.
But I always feel as though pasta dishes should also be accompanied by some bread. Garlic Rolls or Focaccia are great choices, but sometimes you just need more cheese. When that happens to me, I toast up some slices of this delicious Cheese Bread and top them with Roasted Peppers and some Marinated Mozzarella. You know me—there’s no such thing as too much cheese!
Mac And Cheese With Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 large onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3/4 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces) drained
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil salted water in a large pot. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes until softened.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the ground beef to the skillet.
- Brown the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon until there’s no pink left.
- Stir in the salt, black pepper, paprika, and dried oregano. Mix well to combine.
- Combine the drained diced tomatoes with the tomato paste in the skillet. Mix well and allow it to simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter.
- Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Gradually whisk in the whole milk until the mixture is smooth.
- Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Take the sauce off the heat and mix in the shredded cheddar cheese until it’s melted and smooth.
- In the skillet with the ground beef mixture, add the cooked macaroni and cheese sauce. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Place the skillet back over low heat and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Remove from heat and serve warm, garnished with parsley.
Leave a Comment