Three Cheese Filipino Style Baked Macaroni

Today, I'm bringing you a favorite pasta dish in the Philippines...the Baked Macaroni. Like the all time favorite Macaroni and Cheese here in the US, Filipino Style Baked Macaroni has elbow macaroni and cheese as the basic ingredients, but it has a tomato based meat sauce which is a little sweet like the sauce used in Filipino Style Spaghetti.

The most common version of baked macaroni in the Philippines is simply cooked pasta combined with meat sauce then topped with shredded cheddar cheese. The version that I'm going to share with you is my family's favorite. This is how I've been making Baked Macaroni since we got here in the US. The addition of mushrooms in the meat sauce makes it more special. The topping is also different. It 's a lot better than the usual melted cheddar cheese topping. It's creamy and cheesier, and both kids and adults will surely love it!

Check it out and do give it a try! It doesn't only make a delicious filling meal any day of the week, it's a perfect pasta dish for special occasions too...like Valentine's Day! ;)


Ingredients:
  • 1 lb uncooked elbow macaroni
Meat Sauce:
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 ½ cup diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cup fresh button mushrooms
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/3 cup Filipino banana ketchup
  • ½ tsp ground oregano
  • ½ tsp ground basil
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Topping:
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ cups evaporated milk 
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1½ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
Procedure:
1. Cook the elbow macaroni al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, cook beef  in ¼ cup water until water has evaporated. Drain any oil from beef. Push beef into one side of the pan. Add olive oil and saute garlic until light brown. Add onion, tomatoes and mushrooms. Mix with beef and garlic and saute until tomatoes become soft. Stir in the tomato sauce, banana ketchup, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add sugar then mix well. Simmer for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until dissolved. Whisk in the milk and garlic powder until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of parmesan and 1 cup of cheddar cheese and whisk until melted.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine the cooked macaroni and meat sauce in a 13"x9"x2" baking dish. Toss until macaroni is well covered with sauce. Add mozarella cheese and remaining cheddar cheese and toss some more. Spread the cheese topping evenly over the mixture.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until topping turns brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool down a little. Serve warm.
 
 

27 comments:

  1. yehhey at last tina, u already posted this recipe, ive been waiting soo long for this! God bless tin! :) im soo happy...its an add - on to my recipe collection...at pang benta hehehe.

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  2. Nice one! My Fiancee will love it when I surprise her with it, it will be a little piece of home away from home

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  3. We have so much ground meat here between the pounds of beef and venison so I am happy to see a new recipe using ground beef. This does look tasty and just having to use one dish is always great.Saving this one-yum!

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  4. It's wonderfully cheesy and the mac and ground beef looks really moist with all the sauce that you added ! Absolutely mouthwatering ! Love the addition of mushroom , too ;)

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  5. I've never heard of banana ketchup - going to google it now!

    Looks very delicious and love all that thick layer of cheese. Saving this recipe :)

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  6. Banana ketchup! Never heard of it. This dish nonetheless looks fabulous.

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  7. I don't think we have banana ketchup over here Tina so wondering if I can use chilly sauce since we cannot do away with spicy taste. That brownish cheese topping after baking is simply breath taking and I am going to use your recipe but made one of vegetarian version.

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    1. I use banana ketchup for a sweeter sauce. If you want it spicy, chili sauce will work good, Nava.

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  8. What great comfort food! Your family must have devoured this meal. I know mine would especially my son who loves this kind of pasta dish. I never heard of banana ketchup either and I'll have to check that out. Is it sweeter than regular ketchup? Also, I love the changes you've made to your blog, Tina!

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    1. Thanks Linda! Yes, banana ketchup is sweeter than the tomato one. :)

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  9. Banana ketchup? That's a first for me. Sounds nice tho.
    I've had something like this before. A friend made this, well, similar, she also added in eggplant (just to make her kids eat their veges without them knowing it). Tasted great! I'm bookmarking this for sure!

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  10. This dish looks amazing! Great presentation too!

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  11. Everyone is talking about the banana ketchup, but I've actually tried it in a recipe prepared by a co-worker. I'm going to share this recipe with her. Kudos!

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  12. Banana Ketchup is a new ingredient for me. I hope its available here. But your addition of mushrooms to meat and pasta are lovely combination. I prepared the three cheese french toast, the taste of three cheese is totally amazing.

    I can see that this dish can be served on every occasion. Yum!

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  13. Mangerei volentieri un bel piatto del tuo maccherone...molto buono!!!
    Un bacione
    Lu

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  14. Filipino style! Oh this looks so good and my kids (and I!) will love to come over at your house to eat it! I gotta check out banana ketchup in the Asian store!

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  15. This looks delicious! I've never had a Filipino style macaroni n cheese - only Filipino spaghetti. I'm making this soon!

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  16. Did you say Banana Ketchup? You know I'm going to look for this now, right? I'm so intrigued! This recipe reminds me so much of the pastitsio dish I love to make. Pasta, Meat, Meat Sauce + Cheese = Awesome! :-) Nice one, Tina!

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  17. What great comfort food! We have a cold front moving in and this would really warm me up!!

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  18. The banana ketchup absolutely tastes a whole lot better than tomato ketchup. You really have to try it guys!

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  19. Thank u for this recipe..so lovely..my little brothers love this so muccch.. ^-^

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  20. am cooking this today minus the button mushroom. i dont think i have them in my cupboard. thanks lots!

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  21. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I am planning to do this today for our dinner.
    Allan (www.chemistdad.com and www.ourfamilyblogsabout.info)

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  22. Hi po. will it be okay if the baking pan that i'll be using is the aluminum type, like a pan-shaped foil?

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