One-Pan Beef and Cheese Macaroni

Ingredients

• Ground beef

  80% lean meat / 20% fat, raw

  16 oz or 454g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Red bell pepper

  Sweet, raw

  1 small or 74g

• Carrots

  Raw

  1 medium or 61g

• Basil

  Spices, dried

  1 tsp, leaves or 0.7g

• Oregano

  Spices, dried

  1 tsp, leaves or 1g

• Tomatoes

  Red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice

  2 cup or 480g

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  4 tbsp or 59g

• Chicken broth

  Soup, canned, less/reduced sodium

  8 tbsp or 120g

• Worcestershire sauce

  1 ½ tsp or 9g

• Dry taco seasoning mix

  Campbell soup company, pace

  1 tsp or 0.9g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Macaroni

  Dry, enriched

  6 oz or 170g

• Cheddar cheese

  1 cup, shredded or 113g

Directions

1. Warm a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned with no pink remaining, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat and set the beef aside.
2. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the chopped red bell pepper and carrots; sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the browned beef back to the skillet. Stir in the basil, oregano, canned tomatoes, water, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and taco seasoning. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Bring the mixture to a lively simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the macaroni, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, 8–10 minutes.
5. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle the cheddar over the top, cover until melted, then serve hot.