Easy Beefy Mac and Cheese

It’s back-to-school season here at the Crunch Time house which means not only school, but after-school activities and almost NO time for meals. This time of year I’m looking for hearty, comforting meals that can be ready well within 30 minutes and don’t require a lot of clean-up or ingredients. Enter this Easy Beefy Mac and Cheese!

This recipe has immediately vaulted up our list of favorite fast dinners and I think I’ve made it 3-4 times just in the last month. I love that it all comes together in a single skillet and I also love that I think it’s actually better on day two so you can get a few lunches or maybe even a second dinner out of it!

What Ground Beef Works Best?

I like to use ground beef for this recipe because it folds into the mac and cheese easily. Since everything is in one skillet, I would go with a leaner ground beef mix for this recipe. Something like 90/10 or even leaner will work well.

Generally, I prefer an 80/20 blend for ground beef, but that ends up being a bit fatty for this recipe. It will work though if it’s all you have!

How to cook macaroni in a dry skillet

The trick to making this recipe fast and easy is to cook everything in one skillet. Normally, you would cook the macaroni in a second pot and then stir it into the mac and cheese mixture, but you don’t need to do that!

Once your beef and vegetables are browned, add the dry macaroni to the skillet and sauté it for a minute. Then add the seasoning and liquids to the skillet and stir it together. Bring the liquids to a simmer and cook the macaroni, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes (uncovered).

There will still be some liquid in the skillet, but the macaroni should be pretty tender. Then you can stir in your cheeses, season to your liking and let the dish rest.

Tips for making this dish perfect

Here are some tips for making this dish turn out perfect every time.

Make sure to brown your beef well and break it up with a spatula before adding the macaroni. You don’t want any huge chunks of beef in the final dish.
Use a mix of cheeses. I like sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella but you can change it up.
Make sure to let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving. When it is first done, it’ll look a bit on the soupy side, but if you let it rest for a few minutes, the liquid will absorb and it’ll be perfect for serving.
Serve the beefy macaroni garnished with fresh herbs like chives or basil.

Substitutions for this mac and cheese dish

There are some easy substitutions you can try for this dish.

Instead of onion powder, you can use a fresh onion. I would use ½ cup of sweet or white onion or shallot.
Make this dish spicy with ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes and substituting a jalapeno for the red pepper.
Change up the cheeses with gouda cheese or swiss cheese.

What to serve with this beefy mac and cheese

I wouldn’t overthink what to serve with this mac and cheese dish. A side salad is a great option for something light to go with the dish. It’s a full meal in a bowl though so it’s also fine to serve it with nothing else!

Leftovers

This mac and cheese dish makes great leftovers and will keep fine in the fridge for up to five days. You can reheat it in the microwave with a splash of water. Heat it on high for a minute or two until it’s steaming hot. Add fresh cheese to it if you want it extra cheesy!