Velveeta Mac and Meat
You want a quick, weeknight dish that’s in one pan AND is super comforting for the entire family? Well look no further because this dish is a blend of hamburger helper and mac-n-cheese. Enough to feed the entire family, hearty, and done in 30 minutes or less! How could you go wrong?
Velveeta Mac and Meat
- Prep Time
5 min
- Cook Time
30 min
- Total Time
30 min
- Servings
8
- Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion diced
- 1lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1-6oz can tomato paste
- 1lb shells pasta
- 4 cups beef broth
- 12oz Velveeta cheese cut into cubes
- 1 bunch parsley for garnish
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt your butter and sauté your diced onion for about 4-5 minutes or until it starts to turn translucent. Add in your ground beef and season with salt/pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Break up ground beef into small pieces and allow to cook through and brown- about 6-7 minutes.
- Add in the entire can of tomato paste and thoroughly mix into the meat and allow the raw tomato flavor to cook out for about 2 minutes. Add in the beef broth and mix well.
- Add your uncooked pasta in and toss to coat. Place a lid on the pan and allow the pasta to cook right in the meat and stock mixture.
- Once the pasta is done to your liking (I usually go a few minutes less than instructed on the package), add in your cubed Velveeta cheese, stir constantly, and allow it to thoroughly melt.
- Remove from heat and garnish with extra cheddar cheese and chopped parsley.
- Serve hot!
Tips
- Cooking the pasta in the meat mixture helps create a thick consistency from the starch in the pasta and helps the pasta gain a ton of flavor. You also have WAY less mess!
- If your liquid absorbs too quickly and you feel your pasta needs more time, simple add ½ cup-1 cup more of stock or water.
- To reheat, just add a 1/2-1 cup of liquid to loosen the pasta up and to create that nice creamy texture again.
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