This Grown Up Mac and Cheese features a grown up version of a kids favorite dish, with a healthy twist that the whole family can enjoy!
Sorry my friends. This may not seem fair to you that I post a mac and cheese recipe in the middle of the summer, while you’re all in your swimsuits, but I promise you I tried to make this a bit healthier. I did, I really did try. I used whole wheat pasta, I used extra lean ground beef, skim milk and I added green peppers, see I added veggies to this otherwise not so healthy dish. So you see, I did try, I honestly did!
And this is why I call this a grown up mac and cheese, because it is a bit healthier and it has veggies, though this is not to say that a kid couldn’t enjoy this dish. I’m pretty sure kids would love this, they wouldn’t even be able to tell the pasta is whole wheat, or that there are onions and green peppers. All they’d see and taste is the delicious cheese and meaty macaroni.
To tell you the truth I’m not a huge mac and cheese fan, but this mac and cheese is a bit different and I quite enjoyed it. The addition of ground beef brings this dish to a whole new dimension. For the top crust I used panko breadcrumbs and fresh Parmesan cheese which I thought gave this mac and cheese a really nice crunch. My cheeses of choice for the cheese sauce were extra sharp cheddar cheese and gouda.
If you guys love this recipe, and most importantly make it yourselves, please let us know. Leave a comment below and rate this recipe or take a picture and tag it #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
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Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow pasta cooked according to box instructions
- 1 lb ground beef extra lean
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup skim milk
- 1 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar shredded
- 1 1/2 cup gouda shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg optional
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a skillet heat olive oil and cook the onion and bell pepper together until onion is soft and translucent. Add ground beef and cook until it's no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Drain if desired.
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- In a saucepan melt butter, whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute. Stir in milk and cook for another 5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg if desired. Remove from heat and stir in the gouda and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Fold in macaroni.
- Spoon out 1/2 of the macaroni mixture in a 9x13 inch casserole dish then top with 1/2 of the meat mixture, layer with remaining macaroni, and remaining meat mixture. Top with panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden.
Recipe Notes
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
I made this for my family last night and it was delicious! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us.
Thanks, Darlene! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes.
I can’t wait to make this I am getting the ingredients this weekend for a great week end feast what meat for a main course would you pair with this I have a big man, (Power lifter) and although there is meat in this dish I’m sure it wont be enough but I don’t want the meal to seem over stuffing. Any ideas?
Hmm, I wouldn’t have thought of serving this with another meat, but since it has ground beef in it, I’d stick to beef, and maybe serve a nice beef steak with it, and also a salad would go along nicely too. 🙂
This looks awesome and with the ground beef added, it”s a meal! Love recipes like this.
Your pictures are unbelievable! I want to pick up a fork and dig in. I think you did a great job making it lighter!
Thanks Lindsey! Hope you try it. 🙂