Ingredients

The following ingredients have 8 Servings
  • 12 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, (finely chopped)
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, (seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, (finely minced)
  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2  teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, (chopped)

Instruction

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • Beef. In a large pot, cook the ground beef (2 pounds), sprinkle with salt (1 3/4 teaspoons) and pepper (3/4 teaspoons), and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon until no pink remains in the beef. Remove cooked beef to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Veggies. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil). Add onions (1 1/2 cups), green pepper (1 medium), and garlic (1 tablespoon) to the skillet. Saute over medium heat until veggies are soft. Add cooked beef back to the skillet.
  • Sauce. Stir in dark brown sugar (3 tablespoons), apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons), Worcestershire sauce (3 tablespoons), dry mustard (1/2  teaspoon), both cans of tomato sauce (1 (15-ounce) can + 1 (8-ounce) can), ketchup (3/4 cup), and beef broth (1 cup), and mix until well combined. Simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Pasta. Meanwhile, cook the pasta (12 ounces) in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, just until al dente. Drain and add to the meat sauce. Stir until evenly combined.
  • Assemble + bake. Transfer pasta and meat mixture to prepared baking dish. Top evenly with cheese (2 cups). Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley (2 tablespoons) and serve.