Hamburger Macaroni

Ingredient Notes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

• Ground beef: You could also use ground turkey or ground pork.
• Macaroni noodles: I used macaroni noodles, but you could also use spiral rotini noodles, penne, shells, or another short-tubed pasta you have in the pantry.
• Beef broth: You can also substitute for chicken broth.
• Cheddar cheese: I recommend using a good-quality cheddar cheese and grating it yourself instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. In my opinion, freshly shredded cheese melts a lot better.

Step by Step Directions

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

Expert Tips

• Add in extra veggies: Feel free to add in sliced mushrooms or diced red peppers when you add in the onions. It’s a great way to sneak in more veggies!
• Sour cream: I’ve also added in sour cream when stirring in the cheese at the end for an even creamier meal. Add in 1/2 cup to make it more decadent!
• Spice it up: Feel free to add in other seasonings like red pepper flakes, onion powder, chili powder, or garlic powder.

Variations / Substitutions

• Ground turkey: You can easily sub the ground beef for ground turkey or ground pork.
• Different cheeses: Like white cheddar cheese? Feel free to play around with the type of shredded cheese. You can also do a mix of any cheeses you need to use up!

Storage / Freezing

• Storage: Store this Hamburger Macaroni in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
• To reheat: I like the reheat leftovers on the stove and add a little milk to make it creamy again.

FAQs

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4.61 from 82 reviews

Hamburger Macaroni

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

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This cheesy Hamburger Macaroni is made in one pot and is an easy 30-minute meal that the whole family will love. Super cheesy, full of ground beef, and is great for leftovers too!

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb. ground beef (or any other ground meat you prefer)
• ▢ ½ white onion (finely diced)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• ▢ 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• ▢ ½ tsp. paprika
• ▢ ½ tsp. ground mustard
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste (at least 1 tsp. salt)
• ▢ ¼ cup ketchup or tomato sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp. Worcestershire
• ▢ 8 oz. dry elbow macaroni
• ▢ 2 ½ cups beef broth
• ▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream, half & half, or whole milk
• ▢ 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded (from a block for best results, not bagged pre shredded))

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Instructions 

• Cook the beef: Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the beef and begin to break up with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions have softened, about 5-7 minutes. You can drain any excess grease, if preferred.
  1 lb. ground beef, ½ white onion
  
• Garlic and seasonings: Add the garlic, and cook for ~1 minute. Then add in the cornstarch, Italian seasoning, paprika, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir to distribute the spices.
  2 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, ½ tsp. paprika, ½ tsp. ground mustard, salt and pepper to taste
  
• Add ketchup & Worcestershire: Add in the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, stir to combine.
  ¼ cup ketchup or tomato sauce, 1 tsp. Worcestershire
  
• Add broth & dry pasta: Whisk in the beef broth, then pour in the dry macaroni. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
  2 ½ cups beef broth, 8 oz. dry elbow macaroni
  
• Cover and cook: Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and cook for 9-11 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
• Add cream and cheese: Remove the lid and give the pasta a stir. Add the heavy cream, and gradually add in the cheese until it’s melty and incorporated in the pasta. Allow to rest for a few minutes, the sauce will thicken up. Taste and adjust, adding more salt, pepper, or chili flakes for a little spice.
  1/2 cup heavy cream, half & half, or whole milk, 2 cups cheddar cheese
  
• Serve: Serve immediately, garnish with parsley if desired, and enjoy!
  

Video

Notes

This recipe was updated in July 2025. The original recipe from 2021 used 16oz. macaroni, and I just felt like it was very overwhelming. However, if you prefer to make it that way, feel free to continue to do so! 

I recommend using freshly grated cheddar cheese, not the pre-shredded kind.

Be sure to add the pasta dry. No need to cook it before! (yay!)

When reheating leftovers, I find it best to do so on the stove and add a little milk to make it creamy again.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 443kcal (22%), Carbohydrates: 28g (9%), Protein: 22g (44%), Fat: 27g (42%), Saturated Fat: 13g (81%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 85mg (28%), Sodium: 584mg (25%), Potassium: 349mg (10%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 703IU (14%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 246mg (25%), Iron: 2mg (11%)

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

© Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke Girl Table