Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the beef
- Brown the ground beef and diced onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until the beef is browned. Drain excess fat, then add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.
Boil and cook the pasta
- Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni or rotini, beef broth, whole milk, ketchup, yellow mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, then add salt and pepper to taste. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium, cover the skillet, and cook for 12–14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
Melt the cheeses and finish
- Remove the skillet from the heat, then stir in the shredded sharp cheddar and cubed American cheese until fully melted. Continue stirring until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Top with dill pickle chips and drizzle with extra ketchup and mustard before serving.
Notes
Pro tip: Stir occasionally while the pasta simmers so the elbows don’t stick and the sauce stays thick and glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cheese sauce can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheese and skim or 2% milk (texture will be slightly less creamy).