Italian Mac and Cheese Muffins

Blogger Arlene Cummings of Cooking With Sugar shares a favorite recipe.

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Servings 6

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( 18 ) Ratings

18 Ratings

5 Stars 31%

4 Stars

3 Stars 15%

2 Stars 31%

1 Stars

Member Reviews ( 3 )

1d6cc12e-e997-49ad-84b4-d81ea8955ba0

ingredients 8
Prep Time 20 min
Total Time 50 min

Ingredients

2: cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 5 1/2 oz)

1/2: lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef, if desired

1/4: cup butter

2: cups milk

1: loaf (16 oz) prepared cheese product, cut into 1-inch cubes

1: bag (8 oz) finely shredded Italian cheese blend (2 cups)

: Salt and pepper to taste

1/2: cup Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs

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Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. Cook macaroni as directed on package—except cook 2 minutes less time. Drain; place in large bowl.
2 Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. Drain; set aside.
3 In microwavable bowl, microwave butter, milk and prepared cheese product on High about 5 minutes. Remove from microwave; stir with whisk until cheese begins to melt. Microwave on High in 1-minute increments, stirring after each minute, until cheese is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
4 Add cheese mixture and ground beef to macaroni in bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese until well mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5 Fill each muffin cup with macaroni mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs and remaining shredded cheese over tops.
6 Cover pan loosely with foil, making sure foil does not touch cheese. Bake 20 minutes.
7 Remove from oven; remove foil. Cool at least 10 minutes before remove muffins from cups.

EXPERT TIPS

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Expert Tips

Muffins will still be wet when first removed from the oven. But once they cool, they are easy to remove from the pan with a small metal spatula.

Kids can be picky. They might prefer them without the ground beef.

If you omit the ground beef, these cute little muffins make a great side dish. One is plenty to go with a grilled chicken breast or pork chop.

This recipe can also be made in a casserole dish for more of a traditional mac and cheese, or in individual ramekins.

Nutrition Information

Review & Comments

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bobndc99

report Posted Oct. 7, 2011 8:40 PM

These were a huge hit for a picnic I attended (and shared the recipe via facebook same day I made them with another friend who met with similar success). I did add a little heat with a dash or two of cayenne to the cheese mixture, but without that, the mac-n-cheese was some of the best I ever had. Making them again this weekend!

jakargel

report Posted Sep. 29, 2011 7:49 AM

I thought this recipe lacked flavor. I am willing to try it again but I think it needs some herbs to help it out. I am hoping the leftovers today had time to sit and meld.

_Mom_

report Posted Sep. 25, 2011 10:50 AM

We're making these tonight, but substituting diced cooked ham for the ground beef.