Macarona Bechamel

5 from 27 votes

Macarona Bechamel is a baked comfort food favorite with layers of pasta, creamy bechamel & a Middle Eastern spiced ground beef tomato sauce.

Course Entree, Pastas

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Diet Diabetic

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 546kcal

Author Yumna Jawad

Equipment

Ingredients

For the meat sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion diced
1 teaspoon 7 spice
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
1 25-ounce can crushed tomatoes

For the bechamel sauce

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 ½ cups milk

For assembly

16 ounces spaghetti
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until fully incorporated and lightly bubbles, then slowly whisk in the milk. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer, whisking frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and nutmeg.
Add the pasta on top of the bechamel sauce and toss to combine. Transfer the pasta with the sauce to a 9x13 baking dish.
In the pot used to cook the pasta, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the ground beef and onions and season with 7 spice, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook the ground beef and onions, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces with the back of a wooden spoon until browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, then transfer the sauce on top of the pasta in the baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is golden and bubbly, 25-30 minutes.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or cover and place in a preheated oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.

To freeze, build the recipe in your baking dish, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 4-6 months. Bake from frozen or thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Make it vegetarian by replacing the beef with mushrooms or other vegetables.

You can use ground turkey or lamb instead of beef.

For an Egyptian style recipe, use penne.

Nutrition