The oven heat that makes the kitchen smell like comfort is one of my favorite small luxuries, and on rainy Sundays I often pull out a simple, crowd pleasing casserole that brings everyone to the table — Hamburger Mac And Cheese is the kind of dish that folds nostalgia into bold cheddar and savory browned beef, the kind of thing I picture in warm photos and plate for dinner when I want something pretty and reliably homey.
Why You’ll Love It
This recipe balances creamy, cheesy sauce with seasoned ground beef so it feels indulgent without fuss, it bakes up in a single dish so cleanup is minimal, and it is perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or feeding hungry kids and grownups who want something familiar but elevated.
Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes |
Cook Time: 35 minutes |
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 oz elbow macaroni (340 g)
- 1 lb ground beef (450 g)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk (480 ml)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (about 8 oz)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and grease a 9×13 inch or similar shallow baking dish.
- Cook the macaroni in heavily salted boiling water until just shy of al dente according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef, season lightly with salt and pepper, and brown until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces, transfer to a plate and drain excess fat if needed.
- In the same skillet lower the heat to medium, add butter and the chopped onion, cook until translucent about 4 minutes, add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir for 1 minute to make a roux, then slowly whisk in the milk until smooth, simmer until the sauce thickens slightly about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from heat, stir in cream cheese, most of the shredded cheddar (reserve 1/2 cup for topping), Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and adjust salt and pepper to taste until the sauce is silky.
- Combine the drained pasta, browned beef, and cheese sauce in a large bowl or directly in the baking dish, mix gently to coat evenly, then smooth into the prepared dish.
- Sprinkle the reserved cheddar and panko breadcrumbs evenly over the top, place in the oven and bake until bubbly and golden about 20 to 25 minutes, if you like a deeper brown finish briefly broil for 1 to 2 minutes while watching closely.
- Let rest 5 minutes, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, serve warm.
Recipe Variations
- Tex Mex Twist Swap half the cheddar for pepper jack, add a teaspoon of chili powder, and top with sliced jalapenos for a spicy kick.
- Lighter Version Use 1% milk and reduced fat cheddar, reduce the butter to 1 tablespoon, and use turkey or lean ground beef to lower fat.
- Creamy Bacon Swap half the ground beef for cooked crumbled bacon and fold in a cup of roasted corn for sweet contrast.
- Gluten Free Substitute gluten free pasta and use a gluten free flour blend for the roux, use gluten free panko if needed.
Make Ahead: You can cook the pasta and brown the beef up to 24 hours ahead, store both separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator, prepare the cheese sauce and refrigerate for up to 48 hours, when ready combine everything in the baking dish and bake as directed, if assembled and refrigerated overnight add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the bake time and cover loosely with foil for the first part of baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pasta shape for Hamburger Mac And Cheese
Yes, shells or cavatappi hold sauce nicely and are a great alternative, just adjust cooking time to the package directions and keep them slightly undercooked before baking
How can I make this vegetarian
Replace the ground beef with seasoned lentils or a plant based ground beef substitute and brown with the same seasonings for a satisfying vegetarian version
Will this freeze well
Yes, assemble and cool completely then wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake covered at 350 F until heated through, uncover to brown the top for the last 10 minutes
Can I use low fat dairy without affecting texture too much
You can use lower fat milk and reduced fat cheese but the sauce will be slightly thinner and less rich, adding a small amount of cream cheese or a touch more flour can help maintain creaminess
Hamburger Mac And Cheese
This recipe balances creamy, cheesy sauce with seasoned ground beef so it feels indulgent without fuss, it bakes up in a single dish so cleanup is minimal, and it is perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or feeding hungry kids and grownups who want something familiar but elevated.
Ingredients
- 12 oz elbow macaroni (340 g)
- 1 lb ground beef (450 g)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk (480 ml)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (about 8 oz)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and grease a 9×13 inch or similar shallow baking dish.
- Cook the macaroni in heavily salted boiling water until just shy of al dente according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef, season lightly with salt and pepper, and brown until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces, transfer to a plate and drain excess fat if needed.
- In the same skillet lower the heat to medium, add butter and the chopped onion, cook until translucent about 4 minutes, add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir for 1 minute to make a roux, then slowly whisk in the milk until smooth, simmer until the sauce thickens slightly about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from heat, stir in cream cheese, most of the shredded cheddar (reserve 1/2 cup for topping), Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and adjust salt and pepper to taste until the sauce is silky.
- Combine the drained pasta, browned beef, and cheese sauce in a large bowl or directly in the baking dish, mix gently to coat evenly, then smooth into the prepared dish.
- Sprinkle the reserved cheddar and panko breadcrumbs evenly over the top, place in the oven and bake until bubbly and golden about 20 to 25 minutes, if you like a deeper brown finish briefly broil for 1 to 2 minutes while watching closely.
- Let rest 5 minutes, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, serve warm.
Conclusion
Hamburger Mac And Cheese is one of those dependable dishes that looks as good as it tastes and fits so many weeknight moods, from a quick family dinner to a pretty casserole for guests, the steps are forgiving and the flavor is universally comforting, so take these instructions as a starting point, make it your own with spices or add ins, and enjoy the calm confidence that comes from baking something both beautiful and reliably satisfying.
