My Meaty Macaroni and Cheese with ground bison is essentially an elevated version of homemade Hamburger Helper. Loaded with lean meat, apple smoked cheddar, crunchy peppers, sweet onions, and tomatoes, this cheeseburger mac and cheese is just in time for blustery weather. Best of all, it's made with just 10 ingredients in 25 minutes!
Bring water and salt to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add macaroni and boil uncovered for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
In a large skillet, sauté onion, green pepper, and garlic in butter or olive oil for 2 minutes. Once the onion is translucent, transfer sautéed ingredients to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, brown ground bison over medium heat. Drain fat.
Combine ground bison and sautéed ingredients. Add macaroni with the water to the skillet. Add tomato sauce, bouillon, and bring to a boil uncovered.
Once the mixture is boiling, turn off heat. Sprinkle cheese on the top and cover until the cheese melts.
Notes
No bouillon? Feel free to omit, but you might need to add a bit more salt.
Want to spice it up? Substitute the bell pepper with a roasted poblano pepper.
Cheese option: Use pepper jack cheese for a spicy south-western flavor.