Description
Hearty mac and cheese sloppy joes combine comfort classics into one messy, delicious meal. Creamy pasta and zesty beef merge perfectly for a quick family dinner that satisfies all cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 ½ cups (200 g) elbow macaroni or small pasta
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) milk
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce or ketchup
- 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup (75 g) diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp mustard powder (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4–6 burger buns, toasted
- Pickles
- Chopped green onions
Instructions
- Sear Beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble ground beef until uniformly browned and fragrant.
- Aromatic Base: Add onions and garlic, sautéing until onions become translucent and garlic releases its intense aroma.
- Flavor Infusion: Incorporate tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, creating a rich and complex sauce.
- Sauce Development: Reduce heat and allow the sloppy joe mixture to simmer, enabling flavors to meld and intensify.
- Pasta Preparation: Cook macaroni in boiling water until perfectly al dente, then drain and reserve.
- Cheese Sauce Creation: Melt butter, whisk in flour to form a smooth roux, then gradually introduce milk, stirring continuously to prevent lumping.
- Cheese Integration: Remove from heat, fold in sharp cheddar cheese until completely melted and silky, seasoning with mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pasta Coating: Gently combine cheese sauce with macaroni, ensuring thorough and even coverage.
- Bun Preparation: Toast burger buns until achieving a golden, crisp exterior.
- Final Assembly: Layer spiced meat mixture on bottom bun, top with creamy mac and cheese, and optionally garnish with pickles or green onions before closing with top bun and serving immediately.
Notes
- Meat Browning Technique: Ensure ground beef is evenly browned and crumbled for maximum flavor development and consistent texture.
- Sauce Consistency Control: Simmer sloppy joe mixture slowly to allow ingredients to meld and thicken, preventing watery or runny filling.
- Cheese Sauce Smoothness: Whisk roux constantly and add milk gradually to prevent lumps, creating a silky-smooth cheese sauce base.
- Pasta Coating Trick: Fold macaroni into cheese sauce carefully, ensuring each pasta piece gets fully and evenly coated for rich flavor distribution.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg