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–+ servings
Close-up of cooked spiral pasta mixed with tomato sauce and garnished with slices of green onion in a pot. A wooden spoon rests in the dish.
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4.88 from 8 votes

Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese

If there were ever a dish that I wanted you to drop everything to go make, this would be the one! This is the perfect weeknight dish to put on rotation!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings: 2
Author: Julie Chiou

Equipment

Ingredients 

For the sauce:

  • ¾ cup (177 ml) tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestchire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the pasta:

  • 2 cups (120 g) rotini or any spiral-shaped pasta
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ large onion diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • ½ pound (227 g) ground beef
  • 1 cup (113 g) freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to directions on the package. Drain well and set aside.
    2 cups rotini
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
    ¾ cup tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoons Worcestchire sauce, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    A whisk in a brown bowl of tomato sauce surrounded by chopped vegetables, shredded cheese, pasta, and ground meat on a textured surface.
  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat up the vegetable oil. Add the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes.
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ½ large onion, 1 medium green bell pepper, 2 cloves of garlic
    Diced green bell peppers and onions are sautéing in a white pan.
  • Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up with your spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until ground beef is thoroughly cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
    ½ pound ground beef
    A white pan with raw ground beef, chopped green bell peppers, and onions, being stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the sauce to the skillet then add the pasta.
    A large skillet filled with cooked rotini pasta mixed with ground meat, green bell peppers, and tomato sauce. A wooden spoon rests inside the skillet.
  • Add the cheese on top. Turn the heat down to medium -low and toss the pasta and cheese until cheese has melted and the pasta is coated in the sauce with the ingredients evenly distributed throughout.
    1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
    A pot filled with rotini pasta, ground meat, and vegetables, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, with a wooden spoon inside.
  • Divide evenly in bowls and serve!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 431 kcal | Carbohydrates: 31 g | Protein: 29 g | Fat: 23 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 19 g

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