This cheeseburger macaroni is an easy version of a homemade hamburger helper. With lean ground sirloin, onions, garlic, spices, macaroni and lots of cheese, there is plenty of flavor in this childhood favorite.
If you are looking for cheap dinner ideas this macaroni dinner won’t disappoint. It is made in one skillet with easy to find, affordable ingredients. Plus, you can stretch a pound of meat into 4-5 servings.
My family loves pasta recipes, and I love to make them because they are easy, cheap and tasty. Like this homemade cheeseburger macaroni, baked spaghetti, ravioli bake and baked ziti with sausage make great weeknight dinners.
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Ingredients
- Oil – Olive oil works well or use your favorite oil; we are just using a little to get the ground beef browning.
- Ground Beef – We use ground sirloin because it is flavorful and has a low fat content. Use your favorite lean ground beef variety.
- Spices – Things are simple in the cheeseburger mac. Dried oregano, salt (we use kosher salt), and fresh ground black pepper make the seasoning mix.
- Condiments – To add another layer of flavor (and some color) to the meat sauce use tomato paste, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. If you are not familiar with Worcestershire sauce it has a strong flavor that works well with meat. Find it in the condiment section of most grocery stores and online.
- Produce – Onions and garlic add even more flavor to the homemade cheeseburger macaroni.
- Pasta – We use elbow macaroni, which is dry pasta shaped in short tubes. If you don’t have macaroni, then substitute another short tube pasta that is similar size.
- Broth – Beef broth adds richness to the sauce. Choose your favorite brand.
- Cheese – Cheddar makes this macaroni and beef dinner cheesy and creamy. We use a medium cheddar and shred it by hand.
- Cream – Use half and half or whole milk.
Recipe tips
- When adding uncooked pasta to sauces and soups, like this sausage minestrone and vegetable beef soup, it is important to stir often when the pasta is added. Uncooked pasta tends to sink to the bottom and may stick.
- Use a lean ground beef if you can. We used ground sirloin and did not have to drain any excess oil. If you do find yourself with too much oil in the pot drain some of it.
- A quick and easy way to remove excess oil is to take the pot off the heat. Pile the browned meat to one side of the pot and tip it slightly so the oil pools opposite the meat. Use a ladle or large spoon to scoop most (or all) of it out. Level the pot, place it back over the heat and continue with the recipe.
- It is best to hand shred the cheese. Pre-shredded packaged cheese contains cellulose and sometimes potato starch is added in to prevent caking. The cheese will melt better when you shred it yourself.
- Don’t overheat the cheeseburger macaroni once the cream and cheese are added in. Overheating can cause the cream to break and the cheese to become grainy.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot, or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well to combine then arrange it in a single layer.
- Cook the beef for 3 minutes without disturbing. Then, stir the meat while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula for 2-3 minutes or until browned and most of the liquid rendered has cooked out.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the macaroni and beef broth to the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Stir often, focusing on the bottom of the pot to keep the pasta from sticking. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot and cook for 13-15 minutes until the macaroni is tender, stir occasionally.
- Take the pot off the heat, add in the half and half and the shredded cheese. Stir until combined and the cheese is melted.
Place the pot over low heat, cover and cook for a few minutes to heat through. Stir occasionally and do not let it come to a simmer or boil.
Taste the cheeseburger macaroni and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
The cheeseburger macaroni will thicken as it cools, and the pasta absorbs the sauce. If it looks too soupy give it a few minutes uncovered. Serve and enjoy!
You may also like these pasta recipes:
- Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
- Lemon Pepper Pasta
- Italian Sausage Spaghetti
- Ravioli Bake
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
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📖 Recipe
Cheeseburger Macaroni
This cheeseburger macaroni is an easy version of a homemade hamburger helper. With lean ground sirloin, onions, garlic, spices, macaroni and lots of cheese, there is plenty of flavor in this childhood favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef we use ground sirloin
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ketchup
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 small Onion diced (use yellow or white onion)
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1½ cup Elbow Macaroni
- 4 cups Beef Broth
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese we used a medium cheddar
- ½ cup Half and Half
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot, or a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking add the ground beef, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and arrange it in a single layer.
- Cook the beef for 3 minutes without disturbing.
- Stir the meat while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Most of the liquid rendered should have cooked out, but if it did not cook an additional 1-2 minutes while stirring until it does.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the macaroni and beef broth to the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a simmer (it will take about 2-3 minutes to simmer). Stir often, focusing on the bottom of the pot to keep the pasta from sticking.
- Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot and cook for 13-15 minutes until the macaroni is tender. Stir occasionally to make sure the macaroni does not sink to the bottom and start sticking.
- Take the pot off the heat, add in the half and half and the shredded cheese and stir until combined and the cheese is melted.
- Place the pot over low heat, cover and cook for a few minutes to heat through. Stir occasionally and do not let it come to a simmer or boil.
- Taste the cheeseburger macaroni and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
Notes
The cheeseburger macaroni will thicken as it cools, and the pasta absorbs the sauce. If it looks too soupy give it a few minutes uncovered.
Nutrition
Calories: 781kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 46gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 2035mgPotassium: 840mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 826IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 505mgIron: 5mg
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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