Cheesy beef & macaroni casserole
- Preparation 20 min
- Cooking 30 min
- Servings 10
- Freezing Absolutely
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🍲 The cheesy beef mac casserole that saves rushed weeknights
This cheesy beef and macaroni casserole is my version of grandma’s classic. Except I use more meat, more cheese, and more sauce. That’s what makes the difference: a mac that actually tastes like something, that comforts, that doesn’t come out dry and bland from the oven. Medium-lean ground beef well-browned, Italian diced tomatoes (not passata. We want TEXTURE), a mozzarella + sharp cheddar combo that stretches and caramelizes in the oven, and you’ve got the most reassuring meal of the week.
🧀 Mozzarella + sharp cheddar = the winning combo
Why TWO cheeses? Mozzarella stretches and gives that magical melty texture when you dig in with a spoon, while sharp cheddar (Black Diamond Extra Sharp or store brand) brings the punch of flavor that balances the richness of the mozza. Always grate them yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent perfect melting. Take 5 extra minutes, get a casserole that slaps.
💡 The perfect dish for meal prep and weekday lunches
This recipe makes 10 portions. That’s exactly the point. Make a big casserole on Sunday afternoon, fill the freezer with individual portions, then eat cheesy mac for two weeks without cooking. Rushed weeknight between work and the kids’ hockey practice? Pull a portion from the freezer, oven at 400 °F without aluminum foil for some crispy mac on top, serve with garlic bread, a Caesar salad or a simple arugula salad with white balsamic. And you’re in business. This is comfort food at its finest.
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🍝 Macaroni cooked 1 minute UNDER package time
Cook your pasta 1 to 1.5 minutes less than package directions. The oven cooking will finish the job. If you cook al dente as usual, you’ll end up with mushy noodles in the end. Catelli classic elbow, rotini, fusilli. All short textured pasta works.
🥩 Medium-lean ground beef, never extra-lean
Medium-lean is REQUIRED. The fat brings the flavor. No fat = bland sauce. You can mix beef-veal-pork if you want, but personally I prefer beef alone, I find it gives the best flavor.
🍅 Italian diced tomatoes, never passata
For this recipe, we want TEXTURE. A can of Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes (any brand) gives the sauce its bite. Passata is too smooth for the profile we’re going for. If you have homemade diced tomatoes from your harvests, even better.
🌿 Italian seasoning Clubhouse in bulk
I buy my Clubhouse Italian seasoning in large quantities on Amazon. Way cheaper per gram than small jars at the grocery store, and it keeps for a year easily in an airtight container.
🧀 Mozzarella + sharp cheddar, ALWAYS grated at home
The mix of mozzarella (which stretches) + sharp cheddar (Black Diamond or store brand) gives the perfect texture with the right kick. NEVER use pre-shredded cheese. It’s coated with anti-caking agents that prevent uniform melting. Grate the blocks yourself, takes 5 minutes.
🥘 One large 9×13 dish or two individual ones
For this big recipe, use one large 9×13 baking dish (the biggest you can find) or split it between two individual dishes, handy for freezing one half right away. No small 8×8 dish, it’ll overflow.
❄️ Freezing: cool then directly to freezer
Once the mac is baked and gratinéed, let it cool 30 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to individual airtight containers. In the freezer it keeps up to 3 months at peak flavor. Beyond that, still edible but the cheese loses some personality.
🔥 Reheat in oven at 400°F, no foil
My favorite trick: pull a portion from the freezer, thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven at 400 °F without aluminum foil for about 15 minutes. No foil = some crispy mac on top, that’s what makes it magical. Microwave’s fine for the office, but oven is the gold standard.
🔄 2-3 reheats max before it gets dry
A portion can be reheated 2 to 3 times max before the macaroni gets dry and rubbery. If you pull a portion and only eat half, don’t waste it. Finish it next meal.
⚠️ Fatal mistake: overcooked pasta before the oven
The classic mistake: cooking the pasta to package time. Result: mushy pasta after 30 minutes in the oven. Cook them 1 to 1.5 minutes UNDER the recommended time. If on top of that you find it a bit dry, add ½ cup of beef broth and some passata to the sauce before baking. Instant creaminess and the sauce becomes perfect.
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Cheesy Beef & Macaroni Casserole
- 2 lb (900 g) elbow macaroni, cooked ultra al dente (1 minute less than package directions)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Olive oil
- 2.5 lb (1.13 kg) lean ground beef
- 1 can (27 oz / 769 ml) diced tomatoes with Italian spices
- 1 cup (250 ml) beef broth
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 14 oz (400 g) shredded mozzarella (about 1 full block)
- 7 oz (200 g) shredded sharp cheddar (about half a block)
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Preparation
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, one minute less than package directions. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
- In the same pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Cook for about 10 minutes, until no longer pink, then drain excess fat.
- Add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, then stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens and becomes creamy.
- Pour the sauce over the reserved pasta and mix well to coat. Divide the mixture between two large baking dishes. Top with mozzarella and cheddar.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12 minutes. Switch to broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.
Absolutely! Pork, veal, or even a mix of ground meats work really well. You can also use chicken or turkey for a lighter version.
A light side dish like a green salad or some grilled vegetables is perfect. It balances the rich, comforting flavors of the gratin.
Sharp cheddar is a classic, but you can mix in mozzarella for that gooey stretch and parmesan for a salty, tangy kick. Combining a few cheeses makes the dish even more legendary.
Stored in an airtight container, it keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. It also freezes well, so cutting it into individual portions before freezing makes it easy to pull out a quick weeknight meal later on.
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