Easy Pizza Macaroni Bake

What do you get when you combine macaroni and cheese with pizza fixings? An easy recipe when you have boxed mac and cheese. My kids' two favorite comfort foods combined.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 628 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 6 cups water
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) jar pizza sauce
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 (3.25 ounce) package sliced pepperoni
• 2 (7.25 ounce) packages macaroni and cheese dinner mix (such as Kraft®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Step 2

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 3

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Reserving cheese packets, cook macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain and transfer macaroni to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle one reserved cheese packet over macaroni and top with Cheddar cheese.

Step 4

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, onion, and bell pepper in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Stir remaining reserved cheese packet into beef; spread beef mixture over macaroni.

Step 5

Pour pizza sauce over beef mixture and top with pepperoni slices and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle oregano and basil over cheese.