DINNER IN 40 MINUTES
PANTRY-FRIENDLY
1
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the mince for eight minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains.
DINNER IN 40 MINUTES
PANTRY-FRIENDLY
BEEF · DINNER
Mince and Macaroni
Savoury beef mince in tomato sauce tossed with macaroni and topped with cheese. A cheap one-pot family meal. Serves 4.
Total time40 min
YieldServes 4
DietNo specific diet
Shopping12 ingredients
DifficultyEasy
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Ingredients
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Method
4 steps · about 40 minutes total
2
Step 2
Add the onion and cook for five minutes, then add the garlic for one minute.
3
Step 3
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, crumbled stock cube, water and herbs. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, boil the macaroni in salted water according to the packet and drain it.
4
Step 4
Stir the macaroni into the sauce and season. Scatter the cheese over, cover for a minute to melt it, and serve.
Before you serve
Cooking notes & good-to-know answers.
Small details for confident timing, useful swaps, and safer leftovers.
Cooking notes
Cook mince until no pink remains in the middle, or 71°C on a thermometer; minced meat needs to be cooked through.
Add a grated carrot or a handful of frozen peas with the tomatoes to stretch it further.
Cool leftovers quickly, cover and refrigerate them within two hours, and eat them within three days.
Good to know
Yes. Any short pasta such as penne or spirals works.
Yes. Tip it into a dish, top with the cheese and finish under the grill for five minutes until bubbling.
Yes, for up to three months. Thaw it in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.
About this recipe
Mince and macaroni is South African comfort food: a pot of savoury mince and pasta that feeds a family on a small budget in about 40 minutes.
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