Filipino-style Baked Macaroni is the ultimate pasta dish! With a sweet, meaty sauce and cheesy topping, it’s hearty, tasty and sure to be a crowd favorite.
Last month, I asked Kawaling Pinoy readers to share their favorite holiday meals, and one dish that came up more than any was baked macaroni. Guys, I cannot agree more! It’s really the perfect party food as not only is it everyone’s favorite, but one pan can also easily feed an army of guests.
Baked mac is something I make at home once or twice a week. I toss pasta and meat sauce together, top the mixture with grated cheese, throw it all in the oven for a few minutes and call it a day.
However, to turn this dinner staple into a party-worthy dish, a simple mornay sauce sure does make a whole lot of difference. Amazing how a ten-minute cheese sauce quickly turns my everyday mac and cheese I from blah to ahh.
The dish has three components; the pasta, the sauce, and the cheese topping. It sounds like a lot of work and I am not going to lie, it is. I promise, though, it’s worth the effort! Hearty and tasty and so cheesy, it’s sure to be a party favorite.
Plus, it’s a great make-ahead meal if you don’t have the time or to energy to put together a three-step dish on the day of the event.
- Prepare and bake the pasta casserole, allow to cool completely, and refrigerate for up to three days.
- To reheat, bake, covered in foil, in a 350 F oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature reads 165 F.
Tips on How to Make Cheesy Baked Macaroni
- Filipino-style pasta meat sauce usually includes red hotdogs to extend servings and add a smoky flavor. Feel free to swap with diced ham or chopped bacon, if you like.
- For better texture, undercook the pasta for about 1 to 2 minutes shy of package directions as they will continue to cook when baked with the sauce.
- Cook the bechamel until it coats the back of a spoon. To check for doneness, dip the spoon into the béchamel and then draw a finger through the coated spoon. If the sauce wipes clean and leaves an open space, the sauce is done and ready for the cheese and seasonings.
- For neater squares, allow the baked pasta to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
How to Make Cheesy Beef Macaroni Casserole without an Oven
- Prepare the macaroni casserole and transfer into a heat-proof dish. Top with cheese sauce.
- Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet on the stovetop for about about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Place a wire rack in the skillet and the casserole dish on the rack.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and “bake” the pasta until heated through and cheese is melted.
Try this meaty macaroni for your next get together! Serve it with warm pandesal or garlic bread and your favorite green salad or roasted vegetables for a delicious and filling meal.
Want variety? My Filipino-style lasagna recipe is just as tasty and uses the same meat and cheese sauce. Prefer something simpler? American chop suey is quick and easy to make in one pot!
Baked Macaroni with Cheese Topping
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) small elbow macaroni
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 Filipino-style hotdogs, sliced diagonally
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup banana ketchup, preferably sweet and spicy
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Cheese Topping
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cups milk
- 16 ounces Eden Cheese (or any quick-melting cheese), cubed
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, bring about 4 quarts salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook 1 to 2 minutes less than package's directions. Rinse under cold running water and drain well.
For the Meat Sauce
- In a pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add sliced hotdogs and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add bell peppers and cook until tender-crisp.
- Add ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking apart with the back of a spoon, for about 7 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, and beef broth.
- Stir in sugar and Italian seasoning.
- Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and continue to cook for about one hour or until meat is fully cooked and sauce is thickened.
- During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add browned hotdogs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the Cheese Sauce
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir well into a smooth paste. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until golden (but NOT browned) and starts to bubble a bit.
- Gradually add milk to the roux, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Cook, whisking regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Stir in nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
- Gradually add quick-melt and cheddar cheese, whisking regularly until melted. Cook until cheese sauce is thick but spreadable.
To Assemble
- Grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine macaroni and meat sauce. Gently toss together until well-combined.
- Transfer pasta mixture into prepared dish. Spoon cheese sauce on top, spreading across to completely cover the pasta.
- Bake in a 375 oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting into serving portions.
Nutrition
Can I bake it using a microwave po? How mang minutes and what temp if ever po? Thanks!
I’ve never tried baking this in a microwave but you can do it 1 or 2 minutes at a time. The only thing is, I don’t think the cheese sauce will brown like it would in the oven.
Hi po lage ko po pinapanood mga blogs at tinatry mga recipe nyo. Pero sana po kung pwede po grams nlng po sana gamiyin para po saken mas madali kesa sa pounds kc po kinoconvert ko pa. Censya na po suggestion ko lang po kc kahit po sa pagbili sa mga palengke at groceries kilograms po lage thanks po
Hello, Grace!
Yung recipe card pwede siya adjust. Under the ingredients mayroon nakasulat na US customary at Metric-just click on the METRIC and it will show measurements in grams etc
Hi Lalaine! Can I cook the meat sauce and pasta.first, then refrigerate it for 2 days before baking?
Yes, you can make this ahead. I won’t store it past 3 days, though, for food safety 🙂
Hi Lalaine, after cooking all the ingredients. Any instructions on how to bake it? Thanks!
Bake in a 375 F oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until bubbly 🙂
i tried this recipe and sold it in our canteen and it was a sold out. The taste is so good. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thank you, Ram! I am glad everyone liked it 🙂
Hi aside from the cheddar cheese,can i put shredded mozzarella cheese on top before baking? Thanks!
Can i use filipino-style spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce, paste & banana ketchup mixture?
Yes, you can 🙂
hi mam pwede bang hindi ko na lagyan ng nutmed?
Yes, pwedeng omit ang nutmeg 🙂
Amazing
,,Can I use powdered milk like bearbrand and nido with water?
Hi Boog,
I’ve never tried reconstituted milk but I think it would work. Maybe make it a little more powder milk to water than you normally would to make it creamier and more flavorful.
Can I use powdered milk like bearbrand and nido?
I tried cooking this for my boss family and they loved it. So whenever they like to eat it, they will just tell me to cook pasta and open you recipe again hehe.
Thanks a lot!
Thanks, Krizhyy, for the feedback. I am glad everyone likes the recipe. 🙂
Hello! Does it need to be cooked in the oven once I put the cheese on top? Thanks!
HI, Bey!
Yes, it needs to go to.the oven to brown the cheese sauce a little and to heat up the pasta.
Can you replace mozarella instead of quick melt?
Hello Cara
I don’t usually like to use Mozzarella for cheese sauces as it gets a bit stringy and might not be as smooth and velvety as the quick melt.
Can i ask how much would it cost in the entire recipe? Thank you.
Hi Jennilyn! I’m not sure where you’re located. I’m based in Texas so the cost might be different.
Er my whole family is Buddhist we can’t eat beef what can I substitute it with
Just skip the beef?
how many macaroni I need for atleast 15 people
This recipe uses 16 ounces or 1 pound of uncooked macaroni and serves 8. You can double the recipe and make two pans 🙂
Try eggplant and mushroom buttons instead of beef. 😉
What a delicious idea, definitely a great way to turn this into a vegetarian treat 🙂
Thanks for the tip! Sound delicious and nutritious, too!
Hello po, may I ask, can I substitute pepper to the italian mix? Or what other alternatives can I use that can be easily found. Thankzzz.
Hello Justin,
You can just omit it if you can’t find it. 🙂
Hi Lalaine,
Thank you for sharing your recipes.
The fam and friends loved it.
/Kathy
You’re welcome. 🙂
Have no idea which is filo hotdog. Can I substitute with bacon instead?
Yes, you can substitute ham 🙂
can i use corned beef instead of ground beef?
I’ve never tried corned beef with baked macaroni but I have with spaghetti. It might work 🙂
My preggo self made this. Cravings fulfilled! Thank you so much!
Hi, this recipe looks yummy and I’m planning to make it for new year’s eve. I’d like to clarify the amount of ground beef…is it 1.5 pounds Thanks in advanced and for sharing your recipe =)
can I use fresh milk for the cheese topping?
hello! is it okay if I don’t have tomato paste? I dont have an available tomato paste right now 🙁
Yes, it’s ok to omit the tomato paste. Tomato sauce by itself will be fine, I just like to add tomato sauce to kind of thicken the sauce.
I tried to do this morning and it is perfect! My mate said I should make that recipe thia coming Christmas!
Hello Rex
I am serving this for Christmas, too! It’s delicious and easy to make for a big crowd 🙂
Hi.. May I ask. Was it 6oz of any quick melt cheese (1pack)?
Hi Angela
It’s 16 ounces 🙂
NAG PAPA ORDER PO BA KAU NITONG BAKED MACARONI?
Recipe lang po hindi nagbebenta 🙂
wow, yummy, can i ask what kind of milk did you use on that baked mac & cheez?
Hello Rodessa
I used homogenized milk. 🙂
What brand do you use (homogenized milk)? Thank you. 🙂
I don’t really have a specific brand, it’s any gallon of fresh milk I find in the refrigerated dairy aisle 🙂
Thank you so much mam.
🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Ms Lalaine, can i use evaporated milk instead of fresh milk? Thank you!
I’ve never personally tried evaporated milk but worth a try. You might need to dilute it or adjust the roux mixture as evaporated is richer and thicker than fresh milk used in the recipe.
wow, it looks so delicious. I hope i could make this one during the holidays.
Yey! I was forever trying to find out how to make that cheese sauce, thanks Ms. Lallaine, now i can make my kids happy with this recipe. More power:)
You need to try this, Teepee! Sooo good! Your kids (and adults in the house) will love it. 🙂