Filipino-Style Cheesy Baked Macaroni | Meaty, Creamy & Delicious!

evaporated milk

🥗Healthier: coconut milk

💰Cheaper: whole milk

Coconut milk adds creaminess while being dairy-free.

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories while processed cheese is often cheaper.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is usually less expensive.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated cheese blend

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds a cheesy flavor.

In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir until well mixed. Gradually add milk while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

Once all the milk is added and sauce starts to thicken, add 1 cup grated cheese. Stir again until it becomes smooth and no more lumps are visible. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and stir-fry slices of hotdogs until cooked then remove from oil and set aside.

Add butter to the remaining oil in the pot. Saute onion, garlic, and red bell pepper until onions are limp and aromatic. Add ground beef. Break the lumps with a wooden spoon and cook until no longer pink.

Add the uncooked macaroni and mix. Cook for a minute or two.

Pour in spaghetti sauce and season with salt and pepper. And cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently.

Pour in the water and mix well. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes or until pasta is almost al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven. Season as needed and add the cooked hotdogs and mix.

Transfer the content of the pot to a baking dish and pour the cheese sauce on top. Then top with remaining grated cheese.

Bake on a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Spice Level:

Allergens