Easy and Cheesy! Ready for a tasty dinner idea? Pantry items with some ground beef creates this Beefy Mac and Cheese in less than 30 minutes!
Recipe At Bottom of Post
This easy cheese and hamburger Macaroni dish reminds me of my favorite homemade cheeseburger macaroni with a semi homemade twist! We normally have mac and cheese in our pantry along with can of diced tomatoes so this is an easy dinner to toss together when we’re running behind on time and need something quick.
What you’ll need for Beefy Mac and Cheese: (amounts in recipe card below)
- ground beef
- box Velveeta mac and cheese
- can diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano
- garlic power
- tablespoon onion powder
- salt
These are the brands that we normally have in our pantry but you don’t have to use these exact brands. I do recommend using a boxed mac and cheese that has the creamy cheese sauce and not the powdered option.
I haven’t tested this recipe with the powdered cheese version of boxed mac and cheese.
How to make Beefy Mac and Cheese:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for macaroni. Once water is boiling, add macaroni and cook for about 12 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, add beef to a large skillet. Season beef with garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
Cook beef on medium heat, breaking it apart as it browns.
Once brown and cooked, drain grease from pan.
Add in diced tomatoes. Add cooked/drained pasta to beef.

Add in cheese sauce from mac and cheese box.
Stir well until combined.
Taste and season more if desired.
Serve hot/warm.

QUICK GLANCE Beefy Mac and Cheese FAQ:
- Will this work with other pasta shapes? Yes! But I just use the shells since they come with the box of mac and cheese.
- Can I use a homemade cheesy sauce or homemade mac and cheese? Of course! However, I haven’t tired this recipe with one so I don’t know how much you need.
- Can I make a homemade version of this? You sure can! I have a recipe for homemade beefy mac and cheese over on my other blog!
More cheesy recipes that you’ll love:
Beefy Mac and Cheese

Beefy Mac and Cheese
Easy and Cheesy! Ready for a tasty dinner idea? Pantry items with some ground beef creates this Beefy Mac and Cheese in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 16 oz ground beef
- 12 oz box Velveeta mac and cheese
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic power
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- a few dashes of salt
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for macaroni. Once water is boiling, add macaroni and cook for about 12 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, add beef to a large skillet. Season beef with garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
Cook beef on medium heat, breaking it apart as it browns.
Once brown and cooked, drain grease from pan.
Add cooked/drained pasta to beef.
Add in cheese sauce from mac and cheese box.
Add in diced tomatoes.
Stir well until combined.
Taste and season more if desired.
Serve hot/warm
If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #semihomemaderecipes — We love to see what you’re making from the blog!
Love it? Pin it!

Leave a Comment