Description
A deliciously creamy and cheesy mac and cheese dish packed with high protein, perfect for cozy family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 800g lean ground beef (or turkey/chickpeas for a vegetarian twist)
- 20g butter (or olive oil for a lighter touch)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 100g chopped white onion
- 75g each of red, green & yellow bell peppers
- Salt, pepper, paprika & chili flakes (to taste)
- 140g light cream cheese
- 50g shredded mozzarella
- 3–4 slices of light cheese (or your favorite melting cheese)
- 125ml reserved pasta water
- 240g dry macaroni
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Start by boiling the macaroni in salted water until it’s nice and al dente. Reserve 125ml of the pasta water before draining.
- Sauté Veggies: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and bell peppers. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened.
- Add Beef: Crumble in the ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned, draining excessive fat. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and chili flakes.
- Make it Creamy: Lower the heat and stir in cream cheese, mozzarella, and melting cheese. Allow them to mix into a silky sauce.
- Bring It Together: Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir gently until noodles are coated in the sauce, adding more water as needed.
Notes
This dish is perfect for family dinners and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months. Reheat with a splash of water or milk.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 80mg