Ovenless, Easy, Cheesy Macaroni Recipe
Xeng is a researcher at the University of the Philippines where she is working on a dissertation for her Masters in Communication.
Well, technically, this isn't a baked mac, right? But this tastes almost the same! It's creamy and meaty without the burnt edges from baking it in an oven.
I have been a fan of baked macaroni for a long time, and it's always been a battle for me whenever I need to pick between baked mac or lasagna. (Though I think I'm learning to love lasagna more. Mmmm, beeeef.) When I was in college, I always ate at this canteen or cafeteria near my building and always ordered baked mac with some Nescafe freeze (which they don't serve anymore, bummer). Anyway, I always thought the cheesy delight tasted nice, and I thought it might be easy to make. After all, it's just some macaroni with maybe some Filipino-style spaghetti sauce and some melted cheese on top. The sauce is our family's own, and the cheese/white sauce recipe is from a family friend. Read on below to learn how to make your own no-bake baked macaroni!
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Cook Time
Prep time | Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
---|---|---|---|
1 hour | 1 hour | 2 hours | 20-30 medium-sized servings |
Ingredients
- 1 jar sweet style spaghetti sauce
- garlic cloves, minced
- onions, minced
- 1 kilo ground beef
- 1 large pack quickmelt/cheddar/mozzarella cheese
- 2 cans evaporated milk
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 kilo hotdogs or sausages
- 2 cups button mushrooms
- 1 kilo elbow macaroni, cooked
- canola oil
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
Instructions
- Cook macaroni in a pot full of boiling water til it's al dente. Use a strainer to remove excess water and run under tap. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, saute garlic and onions in medium heat. Add in the beef and keep stirring for a few minutes til it changes color.
- Add the hotdogs/sausages as well as the button mushrooms. Saute til the hotdogs are half cooked.
- Add the spaghetti sauce. If using tomato sauce, add extra water and let boil.
- Add in the tomato paste. Add 1 cup of water and let boil for about 10 minutes.
- Pour 1/2 cup of milk on the sauce and let boil for a few minutes while continuously stirring.
- Add a dash of salt and pepper to your liking.
- Remove pan from heat and mix sauce with the pasta in a large baking dish. Set aside.
- For the cheese sauce: Put the whole pack of quickmelt cheese and the remaining milk in a sauce pan over low heat to ensure that it doesn't burn.
- Stir continuously until there is no more solid cheese left and until the mixture is really thick.
- Pour cheese sauce all over the macaroni and red sauce mixture. Place under a turbo griller if you really want it baked but I really like this as it is already.
Your no-bake, baked macaroni is ready to be served. Enjoy eating this with your family!