This cheesy beef macaroni one pot meal is a hearty and satisfying dish that can be made in under 30 minutes. Tender beef, sautéed onion, tomato, and spices are simmered with macaroni, and lots of cheese! The best part about this dish? It’s all cooked in one pan! This dish has all the flavors of your favorite comfort foods in an easy to eat format. Plus, it’s perfect for feeding a large family or party guests with ease. This post was sponsored by Laura’s Lean Beef.
Now that school is starting soon, things will be hectic with everyone’s different schedules. It’s hard to find time to make hearty meals that everyone can agree on. That is why I love one pot meals, they are simple, quick and easy to make. This particular dish is great because it has all the macaroni casserole flavors that people love but with the added comfort of beef which makes this recipe really stand out from other recipes!
If there were two foods my kids would eat everyday, they are cheeseburgers and macaroni and cheese. That is why they really love the fact that I combined the two with this easy to make meal. I especially love how simple it is to make it in one pot. Laura’s Lean 92% ( or 96%) Lean Beef makes this meal easier because there is really not much excess grease to drain. It saves me so much time because I can skip that
Ingredients
Before starting this recipe, you’ll want to verify that you have the following ingredients:
- Beef – We love using brands like Laura’s Lean Beef because it doesn’t produce a lot of excess grease to drain.
- Onion – Yellow onion is the perfect all-purpose onion for this dish to add flavor.
- Spices – Salt, ground pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning add flavor.
- Broth – Helps the pasta to cook as the dish simmers.
- Milk – Often used in macaroni and cheese to make the cream sauce.
- Diced tomatoes – Can be omitted, but we love the flavor and texture.
- Macaroni – We love the traditional elbows, but you can use what you have on-hand.
- Cheese – Cheddar cheese in your favorite sharpness is ideal! I recommend grating blocks to make this pasta dish creamy.
- Fresh basil – adds flavor and a pop of color to the cooked dish.
Equipment and Supplies Needed
We used the following equipment and supplies to make this recipe. Items that are optional or can be substituted will be noted.
- 6-quart Dutch oven – To cook this meal in. You can also use a thick-walled stockpot.
- Wooden Spoon – To mix this dish and not scratch your pan.
- Stovetop – To cook this meal on.
- Cutting board & knife – To dice your onions.
- Can opener – To open the tomatoes.
Recipe Tips
This recipe is easy to make if you know the right tips and tricks! Here are my tips for ensuring your KEYWORD comes out perfectly.
Grate/shred your own cheese – This is super important since bagged cheese shreds have additives in it to keep the shreds from sticking to each other. Sadly this affects the meltability of the cheese as well.
Thicker Sauce – If your meal looks a little watery it is okay! I shot some images while mine was still super hot. The cheese and sauce will thicken perfectly as this cools! My family was in a rush to eat (as usual so I couldn’t quite capture it fully thickened.)
Use Laura’s Lean Beef – Since this is a one-pot meal, using a leaner beef like Laura’s Lean helps cut out the grease draining step. Use the 96% variety for virtually no excess juices. We love Laura’s Lean because when you choose Laura’s Lean Ground Beef you can rest assured that their products sourced from suppliers that raise their cattle without ever using added hormones or antibiotics and are always vegetarian fed.
They also go by strict USDA standards to qualify as lean. Each 4oz serving of Laura’s Lean must contain less than 10g of fat, 4.5g or less of saturated fat, and less than 95mg of cholesterol per 100g serving! Perfect for grilled burgers, meatballs, spaghetti sauce & more!
Storage
If you want to store your Cheesy Beef Macaroni, just follow these easy steps.
The best way to store cheesy beef macaroni is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply place your cooled meal in a container and cover the lid tightly. This will keep the meal fresh and ready for reheating on busy days! This will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
To freeze this meal, place the cooked and cool meal in a freezer-safe container with a lid and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Label with date and contents of container before storing them in the back of your freezer where they’ll stay fresh for 3 months or longer!
Recipe
Follow the recipe below to make Cheesy Beef Macaroni! This recipe makes 8 SERVINGS, but you can adjust the recipe card for other serving sizes.
Cheesy Beef Macaroni One Pot Meal
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven
- Wooden Spoon
- Stovetop
- cutting board & knife
- can opener
Ingredients
- 1 pound Laura's Lean Beef any variety you prefer
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups beef broth *can also use chicken broth
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes drained
- 8 ounces dry macaroni
- 16 ounces cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Add onion, and beef to a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until browned and drain an excess grease. There should not be much when you use Laura's Lean Beef.
- Add salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to the pot. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes, milk, and macaroni. Bring Dutch oven to a boil stirring occasionally to prevent the macaroni from sticking. Once boiling, reduce heat and bring pot to a simmer for ten minutes; stir occasionally. Macaroni should be al dente.
- Once macaroni is cooked, reduce heat to low, and add shredded cheese. Remove from heat and allow the meal to thicken. This will get thicker as it cools. Serve warm!
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