Cheesy Beef Macaroni- the best (and easiest) comfort meal that you could ever make! It uses simple, fresh ingredients and whole foods, AND it comes together in less than an hour. This meal is my families go-to for a quick, weeknight meal or when we have a craving for a delicious comfort food.
My husband lovingly nicknamed this meal Monster Mash after his first time trying it. At the time, he was working hard in the gym to gain as much muscle as possible. So, a meal full of carbs and meat was exactly what he needed.
However, this meal isn’t just for the gym buffs! Everyone that I serve this meal to falls in love with it. The fresh onion and garlic pair wonderfully with the Italian seasoning, giving this recipe a unique, but comforting, blend of flavors. The cream and cheese makes this meal easy (and addicting) to eat. Lastly, it has macaroni and beef in it- and who doesn’t love that?
On top of using fresh ingredients, this meal is quick to put together and requires minimal clean up. As a result, it didn’t take long for this meal to become a staple in my home. I can guarantee that this meal will soon become a favorite in yours as well!
Is Beef Macaroni another name for Goulash?
The answer to this question is yes… but no.
There are plenty of recipes out there called Beef Macaroni, Cheesy Beef Macaroni, Skillet Beef & Macaroni, etc. that claim to be a goulash recipe.
So, yes, Beef Macaroni can be another name for Goulash. However, I would not describe this Cheesy Beef Macaroni as Goulash, and here’s why:
Goulash is traditionally a pasta dish filled with ground beef, pasta, and bell peppers cooked in a tomato based sauce.
Like goulash, this Beef Macaroni recipe is a dish filled with ground beef and pasta cooked in a tomato sauce. However, there are 2 main difference between these two meals…
First, goulash typically has more ingredients in it than what this Cheesy Beef Macaroni recipe has.
Traditionally, American goulash contains bell peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and potentially different spices depending on the recipe, while Hungarian goulash contains vegetables and paprika. This recipe calls for none of those ingredients.
Secondly, this Beef Macaroni recipe is creamy and cheesy. Goulash traditionally has more of a tomato flavor than a creamy flavor.
So, there you have it! Some recipes labeled “Beef Macaroni” may be a goulash recipe, but this one is something else all together!
Is Cheesy Beef Macaroni a one pot meal?
This recipe calls for 2 pots in order to make this meal. However, this meal can easily be made in one pot if you would like to keep things simple.
To make this a one pot meal, simply cook the noodles directly in the sauce, instead of cooking them separately!
Once the broth and marinara sauce is added to the meat mixture, bring it to a light simmer. Then, stir the raw noodles into the saucy beef mixture. Allow the noodles to cook according to the time specified on the package. Make sure to stir the noodles every couple of minutes so that they all have time to cook in the sauce.
Doing it this way uses only one pan, but there are a couple of things to note.
(1) You need to watch the pasta closely. All of the pasta needs to be in the sauce at one point (meaning you have to stir it regularly). Also, water or broth may need to be added if the pasta isn’t done cooking before the sauce thickens.
And, (2) the pasta may take longer to cook than the recommended time. This is because there is less liquid and the liquid isn’t boiling as rapidly as if you were cooking the pasta in a full pot of boiling water.
Can I swap out or add ingredients to this recipe?
Absolutely!
Swap out the macaroni noodles with rotini noodles, gluten free noodles, or whatever else you want!
Change the Italian seasoning with a combination of parsley, basil, and oregano.
You could even omit the cream and add in a bell pepper and Worcestershire sauce to make it more of a traditional American goulash!
Go crazy, experiment, and make this recipe yours! : )
How do I make Cheesy Beef Macaroni?
Begin by cooking the pasta according to the package directions.
As the pasta cooks, mince the onion and prepare the garlic.
Then, add the ground beef and minced onion to a large skillet over medium high heat. Break up the ground beef into small chunks and cook until the beef is browned and the onion is soft.
Once the beef is cooked, add the garlic (either crushed or minced). Then, cook for one minute or until garlic is fragrant.
Next, add in the broth and marinara sauce. Bring the sauce to a light simmer over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
Once the sauce is thickened, add in the cooked noodles, cream, and seasonings. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese until it’s melted.
Serve and enjoy!
Cheesy Beef Macaroni
Ingredients
- 8 oz Elbow Macaroni Noodles
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 Sweet Onion
- 4 cloves Fresh Garlic, crushed or minced
- 12 oz Marinara Sauce
- 2 C Beef Broth or Chicken Stock
- 3/4 C Heavy Cream
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1.5 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the pasta according to the directions given on the box.
- Mince the onion and prepare the garlic by either crushing it or mincing it.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and ground beef. While the beef is cooking, break it up into small chunks. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Remove excess beef fat.
- Add garlic (crushed or pre-minced). Cook for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the beef broth and marinara sauce. Bring it to a low simmer over medium heat. Allow the liquid to simmer for 10 minutes (while stirring occasionally) until the sauce is thickened.
- Stir in the pasta, cream, and seasonings until well combined.
- Turn off heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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