Garlic Butter Beef Macaroni (Printable)
Savory beef and macaroni in rich garlic butter sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan. A comforting 45-minute bake.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni
→ Meat
02 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
07 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
10 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
11 - 1/2 tsp paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Cheese
14 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter, then sauté the diced onion until soft, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
05 - Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, basil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Add drained macaroni to the skillet and fold to combine.
08 - Stir in half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan until well mixed.
09 - Transfer mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
10 - Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything happens in one skillet plus a quick bake, meaning minimal cleanup maximum cozy vibes
- The garlic butter gets swirled right into the sauce creating these incredibly rich pockets of flavor in every bite
- This reheats beautifully for lunch the next day and somehow tastes even better when the flavors have had time to hang out
02 -
- I once skipped draining the diced tomatoes because I was in a rush and ended up with pasta soup instead of pasta bake, so don't be like me, really drain those cans well
- The cheese on top will go from perfect to burnt incredibly fast in those last 2 minutes, so set a timer and actually stand watch at the end
03 -
- Grate your own cheese from blocks instead of buying pre-shredded bags, the texture difference is honestly night and day and it melts so much better into the sauce
- Room temperature ingredients combine more smoothly, so take your cheese and butter out about 20 minutes before you start cooking