This easy recipe can be made in one pot in about 45 minutes on the stove. An Instant Pot version and a slow cooker version is included in the notes below.
1cup (120g)mild or medium Cheddar cheese, grated - 4.2 oz.
Instructions
Brown 1 pound ground beef in a large, heavy pot. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Drain off excess grease.
Stir in 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
Add ½ cup water to the meat and scrape the bottom of the pan.
Stir in 1½ cup elbow macaroni and another 1 c water, 1 8-oz can tomato sauce, and 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the macaroni is tender.
Stir in ¼ cup catsup, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 squirt Sriracha, and half of 1 cup mild or medium Cheddar cheese, grated.
Add more salt and pepper as needed after tasting. Move to a serving dish for a fancier presentation and sprinkle with the remaining ½ c Cheddar cheese, letting it melt before serving.
If you aren't serving immediately, you may need to add some extra water and sauce as the pasta absorbs moisture, especially for leftovers the next day or two.
Notes
Instant Pot Version: (Illustrated in the video)
Cook ground beef on the Sauté setting. Proceed through step 3.
In step 4, add the tomato sauce and tomatoes. Sprinkle macaroni evenly over the top. Pour remaining water over the top WITHOUT STIRRING.
Seal pot and set to high-pressure cook for 8 minutes. (It could take 10-12 minutes for the IP to come to pressure.)
When the IP beeps, do a quick release and proceed to step 5 above. Stir everything together. If not eating right away, you can leave it in the Instant Pot on warm for 5-6 hours. When ready to eat, go to step 6.
Slow Cooker Version:Cook ground beef in a skillet on the stove. Add to a slow cooker and the rest of the ingredients except for cheese. Stir and allow to cook for 8 hours. When ready to eat, stir in half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheese over the top and allow it to melt before serving.