I usually make Macaroni Bechamel whenever I want to cook something comforting!
I make this dish with a well-seasoned beef sauce between two layers of pasta, topped with bechamel sauce, and bake it to perfection!
Macaroni Bechamel
Macaroni Bechamel is the dish I usually make when having guests for dinner! I usually prepare the meat sauce the day before to make it easier for myself.
The most flavored part of this recipe is the meat sauce; I love to season it very well to add lots of flavour to the baked pasta; however, if you don't like a particular spice I used in this recipe, you can remove it.
In this recipe, I make bechamel sauce without using butter. This is my favorite, light way of making bechamel sauce. However, if you like the traditional way of making bechamel, feel free to do so.
You'll Need
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Pasta: This recipe is traditionally made with penne, but you can substitute it with any other pasta you like
For the meat sauce: I use extra lean minced beef, onion, tomato sauce and seasonings.
Seasonings: To make my meat sauce flavourful I season it with ground cinnamon, bay leaf, paprika, cardamom, cloves salt and ground black pepper.
For the bechamel sauce: I use whole milk, all-purpose flour, salt and black pepper.
How To Make Egyptian Macaroni Bechamel (Baked pasta)?
Cooking the pasta: in a large pot with salted water cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Tip: Don't overcook the pasta it will oven-bake for around an hour, which will make it softer.
Prepare the meat sauce: In a pot, place the minced beef, minced onion, water and all the spices then cook until the beef is fully cooked and all the liquid is reduced.
Add the tomato sauce then stir and turn off the heat.
Making the bechamel: Pour the milk into a pot, then add the flour, salt and pepper.
After that, place the mixture over medium heat and whisk occasionally using the whisk. Once the mixture starts to bubble, whisk continuously until it thickens, then turn off the heat.
Assembling everything: Preheat the oven at 190C / 360F.
Spread two tablespoons of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of a 9-inch baking dish, then spread half of the cooked pasta.
After that, spread the meat sauce evenly over the pasta.
Then spread the other half of the pasta over the filling.
Finally, spread the bechamel sauce on top.
Baking: Bake for one hour or until the top becomes golden brown.
More Pasta Recipes
- Shrimp Pasta Recipe
- Creamy Avocado Sauce Pasta
- Pasta with Breadcrumbs
- Creamy BBQ Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Paprika Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Vegetable Pasta Bake
- Quick Chicken Arrabbiata Pasta
- Pesto Pasta With Homemade Pesto Sauce
Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to recipe all the latest recipes once published! You can also follow Healthy Life Trainer on Facebook and Pinterest!
Macaroni Bechamel (Egyptian Baked Pasta)
Equipment
- Baking pan
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Saucepan
- Pot
Ingredients
- 480 g pasta penny
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Meat Sauce
- 500 g minced beef
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 onion minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cloves
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ stick cinnamon
- 4 pods cardamom
- 1 cup water
For The Bechamel Sauce
- 5 cups whole milk
- 8 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large pot with salted water cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Preparing the filling: In a pot, place the minced beef, minced onion, water and all the spices then cook until the beef is fully cooked and all the liquid is reduced.
- Add the tomato sauce then stir and turn off the heat.
- Making the bechamel: Pour the milk in a pot then add the flour, salt and pepper.
- After that, place the mixture over medium heat and whisk occasionally using the whisk. Once the mixture starts to bubble whisk continuously until it thickens, then turn off the heat.
- Assembling everything: Preheat the oven at 190C
- Spread two tablespoons of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of a 9-inch baking dish then spread half of the cooked pasta.
- After that, spread the filling evenly over the pasta.
- Then spread the other half of the pasta over the filling.
- Finally, spread the bechamel sauce on top.
- Bake for one hour or until the top becomes golden brown.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta it will oven-bake for around an hour, which will make it softer.
- In this recipe, I make bechamel sauce without using butter at all; however, if you like the traditional way of making bechamel feel free to make it that way.
Comments
No Comments