DinnerCountCheeseburger Macaroni Skillet
This is the boxed skillet dinner, made the right way. You brown a pound of lean ground beef, then add the pasta, the sauce mix, and the water and milk from any brand of cheeseburger macaroni. Cover it and simmer until the noodles are tender. It takes one skillet, and it feeds five.
Ingredients (serves 5)
- Boxed cheeseburger macaroni mix (any brand)1 box
- Ground beef (lean)1 lb
- Milk2 cups
How Much to Make for 2, 4, 6, or 8
For 2 people, you’ll need about ½ of a box of cheeseburger macaroni mix, ½ lb ground beef, and 1 cup milk.
For 4 people, you’ll need about ¾ of a box of cheeseburger macaroni mix, ¾ lb ground beef, and 1½ cups milk.
For 6 people, you’ll need 1 box of cheeseburger macaroni mix, 1¼ lb ground beef, and 2½ cups milk.
For 8 people, you’ll need 1½ boxes of cheeseburger macaroni mix, 1½ lb ground beef, and 3¼ cups milk.
| Ingredient | For 2 | For 4 | For 6 | For 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxed cheeseburger macaroni mix (any brand) | about ½ of a box | about ¾ of a box | 1 box | 1½ boxes |
| Ground beef (lean) | ½ lb | ¾ lb | 1¼ lb | 1½ lb |
| Milk | 1 cup | 1½ cups | 2½ cups | 3¼ cups |
The amounts are rounded to what you can measure at home. Pounds are rounded to the nearest quarter or third, cups to the marks on a measuring cup, and spoons to real measuring spoons. An egg stays whole. Because of the rounding, some amounts are the same at two sizes.
- For 2: This recipe is written for 5 adult-size portions. You are cooking about 2 adult portions, which is roughly 0.4 times the recipe. The mix comes in a box, so the recipe shows a whole box (about 2½ portions). Save the extra for later. This is less than the recipe assumes. The same 12-inch skillet works (a 10-inch one is better if you have it). Small amounts cook faster and sauces thicken sooner, so check early and add a splash of water if the pan gets dry.
- For 8: This recipe is written for 5 adult-size portions. You are cooking about 8 adult portions, which is roughly 1.6 times the recipe. This calls for a 12-inch skillet. At about 1.6× the recipe, brown it in two batches, because a crowded pan steams the food and does not brown it. Then bring it back together in the skillet.
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Steps
- Put the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook it for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. The beef is done when no pink remains and it reads 160°F on a thermometer. Tilt the skillet and spoon off the fat.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Boxes differ, so use the amounts of water and milk printed on your box, multiplied by the number of boxes in the ingredient list. Use the simmer time on your box in step 3 as well. The milk in the ingredient list is an estimate for shopping, so go by your box if the two differ. If the ingredient list calls for part of a box, use that share of the dry pasta and of the seasoning packet, and fold the box closed to save the rest for another night. Pour in the water and stir in the seasoning until it dissolves. Use plain cold water from the tap, even if the box says hot water. It takes only a minute or two longer to come to a boil in the next step. Then stir in the milk and the pasta.
- Put the skillet back over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The pasta is done when it is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Let it sit off the heat for 2 minutes, because the sauce thickens as it cools a little. The macaroni is ready when the sauce clings to the pasta. Serve it straight from the skillet.
Good to Know
- Contains Milk, Wheat. This comes from the ingredient names, so it is not a complete list. The ingredient names do not show what is inside a jar, a mix, or a sauce, and formulas change. For an allergy or intolerance, read the package every time, and never decide from this line.
- 🌡 Ground beef: cook to 160°F at the thickest part, the USDA minimum for ground meat. A thermometer is the test, and color is not.
