Millionaires Mac n Cheese

Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 55 min | Course: Dinner | Serves: 6

Creamy, cheesy, beefy layered mac ‘n cheese; this pasta is one in a million! We love pasta shells here, but please don’t think that makes this dish any less of a mac n cheese. 

½ cup butter

1 onion, diced

1.5 lbs hamburger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp salt 

Pepper, to taste

8 oz cream cheese

Mac n Cheese Layer:

16 oz shell pasta (or other favorite shape noodle)

2 cups cottage cheese

2 cups sour cream

4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (+ 1 ½ cups more for topping)

Preheat oven to 350*. In a large skillet, cook onion in butter for 3 minutes over medium heat, stir in the hamburger, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until onions are soft and the meat is cooked through. Turn off the heat and stir in cream cheese until melted. Spread evenly in a 9.13 baking dish.

Cook pasta noodles according to package directions. Drain and mix with cottage cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Spread mac n cheese layer over the burger and top with up to 1 ½ cups more cheese for the lid. Bake for 40 minutes, the cheese lid should be a lovely golden color.