Filipino Macaroni Spaghetti
This creamy Filipino Macaroni Spaghetti Recipe comes together in about 30 minutes without baking. It is sweet, savory, and cheesy. The noodles bulk up the dish so that you can stretch the sauce further and get even more meals out of it! There are two comfort foods - macaroni and cheese and spaghetti - to create a delicious dinner your whole family will love!
Equipment
1 skillet
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 medium yellow onion
- ½ cup bell pepper diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups tomato sauce or 16 ounce
- 1 cup banana ketchup
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to adjust the taste
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni pasta: Boil enough water for one pound of uncooked elbow macaroni. Sprinkle some salt to season the macaroni. Cook the macaroni until al dente and take them out. Rinse with cold water to reduce starch and avoid sticking together. Set them aside.
- Preheat your skillet and pour 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Saute your chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent. Add your minced bell pepper if using any. Cook for a minute.
- Add the ground beef and cook until light to golden brown. Break the meat into small pieces using a spatula.
- Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, and half a cup of water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
- Add your cooked elbow macaroni to your sauce. Stir everything until the macaroni is fully coated with the sauce. Taste and adjust the taste according to your taste.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Serve on a plate and sprinkle more cheese generously. Enjoy!
Notes
Notes
- Moderately salt your pasta water. Add 2-4 tablespoons of salt to your pot of boiling water before adding the pasta. This is your first chance to season the pasta and makes a huge difference in the overall flavor of the dish. If you've ever had a bland macaroni, chances are good the pasta was not seasoned well with salt.
- Don't overcook your noodles. Overcooked elbow macaroni will turn mushy. You must cook them just al dente to keep their tender texture.
- Use fresh cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in cellulose which prevents it from clumping and also prevents it from melting well and creating that super smooth and creamy cheese sauce.
- Use a food processor to chop produce. If you want to cut down on prep time, use your food processor to quickly prepare your garlic, onion, and bell pepper and shred the blocks of cheese.
- Feel free to add more cheese if you like! I've made this Filipino no-bake mac and cheese with lots of cheese to make it more cheesy. You can add extra if you like a super thick, creamy macaroni spaghetti sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 8servingsCalories: 468kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 21gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 786mgPotassium: 534mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 628IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 3mg
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