This mac 'n' cheese with rich beef ragu recipe layers creamy, cheesy pasta with slow-cooked beef ragu for a luxurious, comforting dish perfect for dinners or special occasions. It's decadent comfort food with a twist!
The recipe is from the April 2017 Olive magazine, and is really is delicious. The oozing cheese sauce along with the lovely tender slow-cooked meat makes this a real comfort food winner and it's just what's needed on a cold day when you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed - be warned though...a sleep after eating this is mandatory!!
Tips
- Vegetarian option - replace the beef with hearty vegetables, eg: mushrooms, lentils or aubergine.
- Gluten-free option - use gluten-free pasta and cornflour or gluten-free flour for the cheese sauce.
- Herbs and spices - try adding rosemary, thyme or bay leaves to the ragu for enhanced depth. Smoked paprika or chilli flakes will add warmth and spice.
- This mac 'n' cheese with rich beef ragu recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for less people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - prepare the ragu and cheese sauce in advance and assemble the dish just before baking. Keep both components in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Absolutely - assemble the dish, but don't bake it. Freeze it tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding extra time.
Beef shin, short ribs, or brisket are ideal due to their marbling and ability to become tender during slow cooking.
Yes - a high-quality shop-bought ragu can save time. Enhance the flavour with fresh herbs or additional spices.
Yes - replace the beef ragu with a vegetable-based alternative like lentil ragu, mushroom sauce, or roasted tomato ragu.
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How to make this Mac 'n' Cheese with Rich Beef Ragu
Ingredients
For the ragu:
- 1kg beef shin, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, grated
- 1 star anise
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 200ml beef stock
- 200ml red wine
- 200ml passata
- a bunch of basil, chopped
For the mac 'n' cheese:
- 35g butter
- 35g plain flour
- 700ml semi-skimmed milk
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 200g mature cheddar, grated
- 100g gruyère, grated
- 100g emmental, grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 250g macaroni
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Start with the ragu - toss the beef in the salt, pepper and flour and shake off the excess. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil over a medium high heat in a large shallow casserole. Brown the beef chunks in 2 batches, until they have a good colour on all sides (approx. 4 minutes for each batch), then scoop them out and do the next batch, adding the remaining 0.5 tbsp of oil.
- Once all the beef has browned, tip it back into the casserole and add the onion, carrot, and star anise. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in the tomato purée. Add the stock, wine, and passata and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan with foil and put on a lid to create a seal. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours, then check the beef is done - you want it to fall apart easily. If it doesn't, put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes to an hour. Stir in the basil and check the seasoning, adding more if needed.
- After 2.5 hours of the beef being in the oven, make the mac 'n' cheese - melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium low heat, then stir in the flour. Keep cooking and stirring for 3 minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the mustard powder, cheddar, gruyère and emmental, and stir until melted. Season, to taste, if required with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Turn up the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cook the macaroni until just al dente (approx. 7 to 8 minutes), drain in a colander then rinse under cold water and drain well. Mix with the cheese sauce.
- Top the ragu with the mac 'n' cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
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Mac 'n' Cheese with Rich Beef Ragu
Ingredients
For the ragu:
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) beef shin cut into chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 3 carrots grated
- 1 star anise
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 200 ml (⅞ cup) beef stock
- 200 ml (⅞ cup) red wine
- 200 ml (⅞ cup) passata
- a bunch of basil chopped
For the mac 'n' cheese:
- 35 g (2.5 tbsp) butter
- 35 g (¼ cup) plain flour
- 700 ml (3 cups) semi-skimmed milk
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 200 g (1 ¾ cups) mature cheddar grated
- 100 g (1 cup) gruyère grated
- 100 g (1 cup) emmental grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 250 g (2 ½ cups) macaroni
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Start with the ragu - toss the beef in the salt, pepper and flour and shake off the excess. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil over a medium high heat in a large shallow casserole. Brown the beef chunks in 2 batches, until they have a good colour on all sides (approx. 4 minutes for each batch), then scoop them out and do the next batch, adding the remaining 0.5 tbsp of oil.
- Once all the beef has browned, tip it back into the casserole and add the onion, carrot, and star anise. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in the tomato purée. Add the stock, wine, and passata and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan with foil and put on a lid to create a seal. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours, then check the beef is done - you want it to fall apart easily. If it doesn't, put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes to an hour. Stir in the basil and check the seasoning, adding more if needed.
- After 2.5 hours of the beef being in the oven, make the mac 'n' cheese - melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium low heat, then stir in the flour. Keep cooking and stirring for 3 minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the mustard powder, cheddar, gruyère and emmental, and stir until melted. Season, to taste, if required with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Turn up the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cook the macaroni until just al dente (approx. 7 to 8 minutes), drain in a colander then rinse under cold water and drain well. Mix with the cheese sauce.
- Top the ragu with the mac 'n' cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Vegetarian option - replace the beef with hearty vegetables, eg: mushrooms, lentils or aubergine.
- Gluten-free option - use gluten-free pasta and cornflour or gluten-free flour for the cheese sauce.
- Herbs and spices - try adding rosemary, thyme or bay leaves to the ragu for enhanced depth. Smoked paprika or chilli flakes will add warmth and spice.
- This mac 'n' cheese with rich beef ragu recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for less people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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