{"id":855,"date":"2026-01-22T15:23:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T15:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=855"},"modified":"2026-01-22T15:23:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T15:23:17","slug":"cheesy-garlic-butter-beef-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=855","title":{"rendered":"Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef Mac"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1>Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef Mac<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef Mac is the ultimate comfort food recipe made with tender elbow macaroni, savory ground beef, rich garlic butter, and plenty of melted cheese. This easy one-pot pasta dish is creamy, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights when you need a quick and satisfying meal.<\/p>\n<p>This homemade beef mac and cheese recipe is family-friendly, budget-friendly, and packed with bold garlic butter flavor that takes classic mac and cheese to the next level.<\/p>\n<h2>Ingredients<\/h2>\n<h3>For the Pasta and Beef<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>12 oz elbow macaroni<\/li>\n<li>1 lb ground beef<\/li>\n<li>4 tablespoons butter<\/li>\n<li>4 cloves garlic, minced<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon salt<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd teaspoon black pepper<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon paprika<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd teaspoon onion powder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>For the Cheese Sauce<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>2 cups shredded cheddar cheese<\/li>\n<li>1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese<\/li>\n<li>1 cup milk or heavy cream<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd cup grated Parmesan cheese<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Optional Add-Ins<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Red pepper flakes (for heat)<\/li>\n<li>Chopped parsley (for garnish)<\/li>\n<li>Smoked paprika for deeper flavor<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Instructions<\/h2>\n<h3>Step 1: Cook the Pasta<\/h3>\n<p>Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.<br \/>\nAdd the elbow macaroni and cook according to package instructions until <strong>al dente<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Drain the pasta and set aside.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef<\/h3>\n<p>In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef.<br \/>\nCook until browned and fully cooked, breaking it apart with a spoon.<\/p>\n<p>Drain excess grease if needed.<\/p>\n<p>Season the beef with salt, black pepper, paprika, and onion powder.<br \/>\nStir well and set aside.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 3: Make the Garlic Butter Base<\/h3>\n<p>In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.<br \/>\nAdd minced garlic and saut\u00e9 for <strong>30\u201360 seconds<\/strong> until fragrant (do not brown).<\/p>\n<h3>Step 4: Create the Cheese Sauce<\/h3>\n<p>Lower the heat and pour in the milk or cream.<br \/>\nStir gently, then add cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.<\/p>\n<p>Stir continuously until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 5: Combine Everything<\/h3>\n<p>Add the cooked pasta and seasoned ground beef into the skillet with the cheese sauce.<\/p>\n<p>Toss everything together until the macaroni is evenly coated with the cheesy garlic butter sauce.<\/p>\n<p>Cook for an additional <strong>2\u20133 minutes<\/strong> until heated through.<\/p>\n<h2>Tips for the Best Cheesy Beef Mac<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Use freshly shredded cheese for smoother melting<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t overcook the pasta<\/li>\n<li>Keep heat low when melting cheese<\/li>\n<li>Add a splash of pasta water if the sauce is too thick<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Variations<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Spicy Beef Mac:<\/strong> Add chili flakes or hot sauce<\/li>\n<li><strong>Extra Cheesy:<\/strong> Add cream cheese or more cheddar<\/li>\n<li><strong>Baked Version:<\/strong> Transfer to a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake at 375\u00b0F (190\u00b0C) for 15 minutes<\/li>\n<li><strong>Veggie Boost:<\/strong> Add spinach, peas, or bell peppers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What to Serve with Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef Mac<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Garlic bread<\/li>\n<li>Side salad<\/li>\n<li>Steamed vegetables<\/li>\n<li>Pickles or coleslaw<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Storage Instructions<\/h2>\n<p>Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to <strong>3 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Reheat on the stove or microwave with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.<\/p>\n<h2>Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>This Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef Mac is rich, creamy, and packed with comforting flavors that everyone will love. It\u2019s a quick, easy, and satisfying meal that turns simple ingredients into a crave-worthy dinner.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef Mac &nbsp; Introduction Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef Mac is the ultimate comfort food recipe made&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":856,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-recipes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=855"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":857,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855\/revisions\/857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}