Description
Homemade Cheesy One Pot Beef is a quick and easy dinner recipe that tastes even better than the boxed version! Ground beef, macaroni pasta, crushed tomatoes, and cheddar cheese come together in one pot for a creamy, comforting meal the whole family will love. Ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients and minimal cleanup!
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 recommended for best flavor)
- 2 cups macaroni pasta (elbow macaroni or your preferred shape)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (freshly shredded from block works best)
- 2-3 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
- 1 can (14-15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (fresh preferred)
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste)
Optional Add-ins:
- Extra cheese for topping
- Fresh herbs for garnish
- Vegetables like bell peppers, peas, or spinach
- Hot sauce for spice
Instructions
Toss your beef into a big pot on medium-high and break it up with a wooden spoon. Let it get brown and crumbly—those crusty bits matter. When it’s done, tip the pot and spoon out the extra grease or your sauce will be swimming in it.
Throw in the garlic and all your spices—garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper. Stir it around for a minute so everything gets coated. Your kitchen’s gonna smell ridiculous in the best way.
Pour in the broth and tomatoes. Here’s the good part—scrape the bottom of the pot hard with your spoon to get all those brown bits mixed in. That’s where half the flavor is hiding.
Get it bubbling gently, then dump in your pasta. Stir it every few minutes so it doesn’t glue itself to the bottom. Takes about 10-15 minutes till it’s tender but still has some bite. If it starts looking dry, splash in more broth. The pasta’s gonna drink up a lot of liquid.
Turn the heat way down—like low low—then add your cheese. Stir till it melts into this gorgeous creamy sauce. Taste it now and add more salt or garlic powder if it needs it. This is your last chance to fix anything.
Scoop it out while it’s hot. If you want peak coziness, throw more cheese on top of each bowl.
Notes
- Check your pasta early: Start testing at 10 minutes to avoid mushy noodles. You want tender with a slight bite.
- Fresh Italian seasoning matters: If yours has been sitting in the cabinet for years, grab a new jar. The difference is real!
- Use the freshest cheese: Block cheese you shred yourself melts smoother and tastes better than pre-shredded.
- Control the consistency: Like it saucier? Add more broth. Want it thicker? Let it simmer a minute or two longer with the lid off.
- Don’t rush the browning: Take time to get good color on that beef—it builds flavor!
- Common mistake to avoid: Adding cheese while the heat is too high will make it grainy. Always turn it down to low first.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: American