Body warming and soul satisfying, my best ever gluten free cheeseburger macaroni skillet is knock-the-chill-outta-ya comfort food. An easy homemade cheese sauce, marinated ground beef, gluten free elbow pasta, and south Louisiana sassified herbs and spices makes this an easy, breezy fail proof wintertime dish. Yep and yay...
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Best Ever Gluten Free Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet is My "I Don't Know What to Cook" Ace in the Hole, Y'all...
Most days of my life, I'm more than willing and eager to jump into the kitchen and whip something up for dinner. On these days, I can't wait to cook something piping hot and filling after a long work day. But, on other days, you almost have to drag me into the kitchen kicking and screaming. On those days, my brain has usually been filled to capacity with innumerable issues and cares. So, I try to get by with something foolproof easy that supplies both Mark and I with all we need to rest for the night, then get back up and go to work the next day.
I'm very fortunate to work indoors. So, I can control the temperature easily. And I can also pile on the blankets while I work during the cold(ish) Louisiana winter. On the other hand, Mark works outside most of the day. He's on the go for work a lot. And when he's back at the workshop, he's almost always out in the elements.
Mark loves his job, because he's out in nature where he most likes to be. But, sometimes in the winter he comes home cold, damp, and completely drained. On these days, he wants lots and lots of carbs to knock the chill out of his bones. So, I make this gluten free cheeseburger macaroni a lot in the fall and winter. Mark gets the stick-to-your-ribs comfort food feeling that he so desperately needs after being out in the crazy, stupid cold, then kinda cold, then really cold south Louisiana weather day in and day out. And I get my cheese fix, which makes this a win-win skillet dinner for both of us. Yep.
Best Ever Gluten Free Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet is Easy, Breezy Comfort Food-Making Perfection
Like most of my recipes, I developed this gluten free cheeseburger macaroni skillet to be as easy to duplicate no matter what I have available on hand. So, I started it by marinating the ground beef with my usual spices and gluten free Worcestershire sauce. While the meat was marinating, I boiled the elbow pasta. You can really use any gluten free pasta that you have. But, I like to use GF elbow pasta because it gives me that old, out-of-the-box childhood comfort food feeling that I love soooo much.
Then, I browned the Cajun trinity in the skillet. When that started to brown, I added jarred pimentos and the beef to the skillet. Once I drained the fat off the beef and veggies, it was time to set them aside while I made the cheese sauce. When that was done, I put it all together into the skillet. I adjusted the seasonings slightly. Then, I added just a bit more milk to whack the creaminess level right out of the park.
Once it was done, it was all I could do to take the pics so I could straight get me some. Hot and over-the-top creamy, every bite of this best ever gluten free cheeseburger macaroni is flavor studded from the browned Cajun trinity and the perfectly marinated ground beef.
Share this gluten free cheeseburger macaroni with those you want to food-love-hug with a cherished childhood memory that's brand spanking homemade gluten free new again. And see y'all on the yum side..
Best Ever Gluten Free Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free elbow macaroni
- 1 ½ pounds ground beeef
For the Ground Beef Marinade
- 2 tablespoons gluten free Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For the Gluten Free Cheeseburger Macaroni Sauce
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 3 tablespoons butter or oil
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
- salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
- ½ cup milk, optional
For the Cajun Trinity Seasoning Mix
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 tablespoons jarred pimentos, chopped
Instructions
- Boil gluten free elbow macaroni to package directions. Drain, and set aside.
- Marinate the ground beef with GF Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, parsley flakes and paprika. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Brown the Cajun trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery in a 12-inch cast iron skillet.
- When almost brown, add the pimentos and marinated ground beef.
- Cook until the meat is browned evenly
- Drain the meat and veggies. Put back into the skillet.
- Make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the tapioca starch, and stir until well-incorporated.
- Add the can of evaporated milk. Then, stir in both cheeses until well-incorporated.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the ground beef and veggie mixture in the skillet.
- Put the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pasta, a handful at at time, until the casserole has enough pasta for your liking.
- Add the additional milk, if desired, to make the gluten free cheeseburger macaroni more rich and creamy.
- Adjust seasonings, adding more salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika and parsley, if desired, before removing from heat.
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