This recipe for a Mac and Cheese Casserole is so easy to do. The sauce of this casserole is a basic alfredo which is made in the cooked meat giving this dish a hearty and flavorful taste. In this post, I will share how to make an alfredo sauce that is the easiest and most delicious recipe. Additionally, this casserole recipe costs well under $20 when using 2-pounds of ground beef. If you were to use ground pork or even tofu, the cost would be much less.
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Published May 6, 2022
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Cost for this casserole
Mac and Cheese Casserole is a monthly go-to for our family. Not only is it easy on the budget, but the large amount of food it results in helps feed our three growing and hungry boys. As we have a budget for groceries at $170 a week, the goal for meals is to get the cost at or below $20. Additionally, you can choose to use a variety of different meats or tofu for this recipe. I chose to use ground beef, but have used ground pork and turkey in the past and it tastes amazing as well. However, if you are a vegetarian, tofu would work well with this recipe.
16-oz elbow macaroni $1.00
2-pounds ground beef, turkey or pork $8.38
3-4 cloves garlic, minced $0.25
1 shallot, minced $0.25
8 Tbsp butter $0.82
1/2 cup flour $0.10
2 cups heavy cream $1.75
2 cups shredded cheeses, parmesan, asiago and cheddar $2.50
Vegetables $1.95
The total cost for this Mac and Cheese Casserole in a 9 X 13-inch baking dish was $17.00 and comes in at $1.13 a serving.
That gave our family a hearty meal with plenty of leftovers for lunches the next day.
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
It has been around five years since our house has had a jar of alfredo sauce. The reason that I have not bought alfredo is because making it from scratch is so easy and incredibly delicious. Alfredo sauce is basically butter, a liquid like milk, stock or water, and a whole lot of cheese.
To make alfredo, or any sauce, freshly shredded cheese is essential as pre shredded will not blend into the sauce and just clump up. The reason that pre shredded does not work for homemade alfredo sauce is because it has a powder to help the cheese shreds not stick together while in the bag. If you have ever shredded cheese, had them in a bowl for longer than five minutes, you will notice that the cheese sort of sticks together and becomes a clump again.
The shreds begin to stick together and this is essentially the best to use with homemade sauces, or even cheese-based soups. If you were to try to use pre shredded cheese in a homemade alfredo, the cheese would not melt well and will not become a creamy sauce.
Mac and Cheese Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
2-pounds ground beef, turkey or pork
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
8 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup starchy pasta water
1 box elbow pasta
2 cups shredded cheeses, parmesan, asiago and cheddar
Salt and pepper
Directions
1. Firstly, set a 6-Quart pot with water on the stove and turn the temperature to high to boil the water. When the water is boiling, cook the elbow pasta according to package directions.
2. When the pasta is done boiling, make sure to reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water using a Pyrex measuring cup that is heat safe. Then strain the rest in a sink colander.
3. In a large saucepan on the stove, sprayed with non-stick spray, add the ground beef, turkey or pork and then cook until browned.
4. When the ground meat is cooked, mince the shallot and garlic cloves on a cutting board. Add them to the meat, cooking in the center until just fragrant and then mixing it well with a spatula.
5. Using a Cuisinart Food Processor or box grater, shred the cheese for the Mac & Cheese Casserole sauce, for example today was extra sharp cheddar, asiago and parmesan cheeses. As you are making an alfredo-type sauce, pre shredded cheese will not work as it will not melt into the sauce. However, pre shredded cheese can be used to sprinkle on the top of the casserole before it is baked.
6. Use 8 Tbsp of butter for 2-pounds cooked meat placing it into the saucepan. Once the butter is melted, add 1/4 cup flour for each 4 Tbsp butter and mix well.
7. Take the reserved starchy pasta water in the measuring cup and then slowly incorporate it into the ground meat mixture. This should be 1/2 cup starchy pasta water per 4 Tbsp butter.
8. Add 2 cup of heavy cream to the mixture and then mix well.
9. Add the shredded cheese, one handfull at a time, to the large saucepan and then mix well.
10. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray and then pour the drained elbows into the dish.
11. Season the meat sauce with salt and pepper, then carefully pour it onto the elbows in the baking dish.
Finally, sprinkle the top of the Mac & Cheese Casserole with 1 cup of shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Serve with vegetables and enjoy!
~Monica
Recipe for Mac and Cheese Casserole
Mac and Cheese Casserole
Equipment
- 9 X 13-inch bake dish
- 6-Quart Pot
- Whisk
- Saucepan
- Cuisinart Food Processor shredder blade
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Ground Beef, Turkey or Pork Sausage
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 Shallot minced
- 8 Tbsp Butter
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Starchy Pasta Water
- 1 bos Elbow Pasta
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Asiago Cheese shredded
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set a 6-Quart pot with water on the stove and turn the temperature to high to boil the water.
- When the water is boiling, cook the elbow pasta according to package directions.
- When the pasta is done boiling, make sure to reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water using a Pyrex measuring cup that is heat safe.
- Then strain the rest in a sink colander.
- In a large saucepan on the stove, sprayed with non-stick spray, add the ground beef, turkey or pork and then cook until browned.
- When the ground meat is cooked, mince the shallot and garlic cloves and add it to the meat, cooking in the center until just fragrant and then mixing it into the meat well with a spatula.
- Using a Cuisinart Food Processor or box grater, shred the cheese for the Mac & Cheese Casserole sauce, for example today was extra sharp cheddar, asiago and parmesan cheeses.
- As you are making an alfredo-type sauce, pre shredded cheese will not work as it will not melt into the sauce. However, pre shredded cheese can be used to sprinkle on the top of the casserole before it is baked.
- Use 8 Tbsp of butter for 2-pounds cooked meat placing it into the saucepan.
- Once the butter is melted, add 1/4 cup flour for each 4 Tbsp butter and mix well.
- Take the reserved starchy pasta water in the measuring cup and then slowly incorporate it into the ground meat mixture. This should be 1/2 cup starchy pasta water per 4 Tbsp butter.
- Add 2 cups heavy cream to the mixture and then blend well.
- Add the shredded cheese, one handful at a time, to the large saucepan and then mix well.
- Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray and then pour the cooked and drained elbows into the dish.
- Season the meat sauce with salt and pepper, then carefully pour it onto the elbows in the baking dish.
- Finally, sprinkle the top of the Mac & Cheese Casserole with 1 cup of shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
- Remove the baked Mac & Cheese Casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
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