Goodles Ground Beef Mac & Cheese

Cottage cheese added to the Goodles cheese sauce makes an even creamier, high-protein mac & cheese.

Every recipe around here doesn’t have to start completely from scratch—and this Goodles Ground Beef Mac & Cheese is proof. Is boxed mac and cheese typical for Hippy Crap? Nope. Are we OK with that and going to make it work for us anyway? Absolutely!

Sometimes you just need a quick, easy dinner that everyone will actually eat, and this one checks all the boxes. I start with a package of Goodles, add lean ground beef and onions, and then give it a few simple Hippy Crap upgrades to turn that little box of mac and cheese into a hearty, protein-packed meal.

Instead of boiling the noodles in water, I cook them in bone broth and let them absorb all that goodness as they cook. Then everything gets mixed together with the Goodles cheese sauce, seasoned ground beef, and cottage cheese for extra protein and that creamy, cheesy texture we all want from mac and cheese.

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The result is warm, cheesy, filling comfort food that comes together without a lot of work—or a sink full of dishes.

Is it fancy? No. Is it completely homemade? Also no. But that’s okay. Quick. Easy. High in protein. Everyone loves it. Easy peasy.

Remember: Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean every meal is made from scratch. Sometimes it means taking something your family already loves and making a few simple swaps or additions to make it a little more filling and a little more nutritious.

And that sounds pretty Hippy Crap to me. 😊

I used Goodles Ched Over Heels, but you can use whichever flavor and pasta type you like.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (6-9 oz) package of Goodles Ched Over Heels (of whichever one you prefer)

• 6 cups beef or chicken bone broth, or enough to cook the noodles*

• 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef 

• 1 cup onion, chopped

• 1 tbsp. Hippy All-Purpose Seasoning 

• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese 

• 1 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, or to taste

• Chopped parsley, optional, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the Goodles. Add the Goodles noodles and bone broth to a medium saucepan and cook according to the package directions. Instead of using water, use bone broth and allow the noodles to absorb as much of it as possible as they cook. If there is still excess broth once the noodles are tender, drain it off. Do not rinse the noodles.

2. Cook the ground beef. While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon or spatula as it browns.

3. Add the onion and seasoning. When the beef is about halfway cooked, add the chopped onion and Hippy All-Purpose Seasoning. Stir well and continue cooking until the onion is tender and the beef is completely cooked through. Drain any excess grease if needed.

4. Make it cheesy. Return the cooked noodles to their pot. Add the Goodles cheese packet and stir according to the package directions. Add the cooked ground beef and cottage cheese.

5. Mix it all together. If need be, stir over low heat until everything is well combined, creamy and heated through. The cottage cheese will soften and blend into the cheese sauce as it warms.

6. Season and serve. Sprinkle lightly with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and taste before adding more—the cheese sauce and bone broth already contain salt. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve warm.

I always use HEB's grass-fed ground beef, but any kind will work just fine.

Hippy Tips

• Don’t get too hung up on the 6 cups of broth. You mainly need enough liquid to cook the pasta properly. If your pot is smaller or your particular Goodles variety calls for less liquid, start with less bone broth and add more as needed. If there’s broth left when the noodles are done, simply drain it.

• Watch the salt. Between the bone broth, Goodles cheese packet, Hippy All-Purpose Seasoning, and Lawry’s, there’s already plenty of flavor going on. Add the Lawry’s at the very end and taste first. We just love the flavor Lawry's adds to mac and cheese!

• Want the cottage cheese extra smooth? Blend it before adding it. You’ll get an extra-creamy cheese sauce without any visible cottage cheese curds—especially helpful if someone in the family thinks they “don’t like cottage cheese.”

• Make it your own! Ground turkey or chicken works in place of the beef, and you can easily toss in chopped spinach, broccoli, or peas if you want to sneak some veggies into dinner.

• For leftovers: Add a small splash of milk or bone broth when reheating to bring the creamy sauce back to life.