Description
A comforting and creamy mac and cheese dish packed with protein, featuring lean ground beef, sautéed vegetables, and rich cheeses.
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 light cheese slices (or your favorite melting cheese)
- 125ml reserved pasta water
- 240g dry macaroni (for an added protein boost, try whole wheat or chickpea pasta)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni in salted water until al dente. Reserve 125ml of pasta water before draining.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and bell peppers, and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart as it browns. Drain excess fat and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and chili flakes.
- Stir in the cream cheese, mozzarella, and cheese slices until they create a silky sauce.
- Add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water, stirring gently to coat noodles in the creamy sauce.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
For a robust flavor, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and grated parmesan for an extra cheesy touch. Feel free to add extra vegetables like mushrooms or spinach.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg