Macaroni Bechamel

Name: Macaroni Bechamel
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 1 lb elbow pasta; 1 lb ground beef; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1/2 med onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 0.5 can tomato sauce (8 oz can); 1/4 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper; 6 tbsp butter; 4 tbsp all-purpose flour; 3 cups whole milk; 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese; pinch ground nutmeg

Creamy baked pasta layered with seasoned ground beef and rich béchamel sauce, a beloved Egyptian comfort food.

60 minMediumServes 6480 cal/serving

EgyptianDinnerOven and StovetopStandard

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

1 lb elbow pasta
1 lb ground beef
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 med onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
0.5 can tomato sauce (8 oz can)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
6 tbsp butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
pinch ground nutmeg

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook 1 lb elbow pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2

While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3

Add 1/2 med diced onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
4

Add 1 lb ground beef and brown it, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes.
5

Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds.
6

Add 0.5 can tomato sauce (8 oz can), 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes and set aside.
7

Make the béchamel: melt 6 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 4 tbsp all-purpose flour until smooth, about 1 minute.
8

Gradually whisk in 3 cups whole milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes.
9

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and pinch ground nutmeg. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.
10

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread half the cooked pasta.
11

Spread the beef mixture over the pasta.
12

Top with remaining pasta.
13

Pour the béchamel sauce over the top, spreading evenly.
14

Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.
15

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

Questions

How much time should I plan for Macaroni Bechamel?

As written, 60 minutes: 20 of prep and 40 of cooking. The longest single stretch is step 14 (30 minutes): "Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling at the edges."

What oven temperature does Macaroni Bechamel need?

For Macaroni Bechamel, the oven is set to 375 F (about 190 C) in step 1. The longest stretch at that heat is 30 minutes, in step 14.

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef in Macaroni Bechamel?

Yes. Choose turkey that is not extra-lean and add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, because turkey has less fat and browns more slowly. Season it a little harder than you would beef. As written, the entry for Macaroni Bechamel uses 1 lb ground beef.

Can I make Macaroni Bechamel dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Macaroni Bechamel is 6 tbsp butter, 3 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

How do I store and reheat Macaroni Bechamel?

Refrigerate what is left of Macaroni Bechamel within two hours and eat it within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through. The pasta keeps drinking the sauce as it sits; loosen it with a splash of water or stock.

Serve it with

Baladi Salad salad
Konafa dessert
Fried Yam side

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.