While cooking and baking is my passion, Some days I need an easy, filling and delicious meal that my whole family will enjoy. Something healthy and hearty. That can be made in one pan.
Simple.
Good.
Here you have it! This is a low-FODMAP One-Pan meal for Beef and Cheese Macaroni that is so easy and satisfying. Your family will ask for this meal again and again. You will love that it has no fancy ingredients, is gluten-free AND IBS-friendly. Plus it is ready in just 30 minutes!
FODMAP facts: While onion and garlic are definite no-no’s on the low-FODMAP diet, infused oils are the best way to impart those flavors in a tummy safe manner. The FODMAPs are NOT soluble in oil, so if the oil is properly filtered, then only the flavor of the onion and garlic remain. However, FODMAPs ARE water soluble (in a broth or sauce). Do not use onion or garlic in cooking a soup and then remove the onion or garlic. The FODMAPs will still be in the broth and make you sick! Check out other tips in my low-FODMAP Happy Gut Guide.
You may also love my:
- Low-FODMAP Cheeseburger Pie
- Low-FODMAP Shepherd’s Pie
- Low-FODMAP Chili
- Low-FODMAP Beef and Potato Stew using slow-cooker
- Low-FODMAP Hearty Meatloaf with Savory Sauce
- Low-FODMAP Family Meal Collection
Or check out over 400 more low-FODMAP recipes on the blog!
Be healthy and happy,
Rachel Pauls, MD
P.S. Check out my new COOKBOOK for over 100 low-FODMAP recipes, low-FODMAP Meal Plan, FODMAP Tips and everything you need!! It’s the BEST!
Low-FODMAP One-Pan Beef and Cheese Macaroni; Gluten-free
Although this recipe has not been lab tested, a single serving should be low-FODMAP based on the ingredients *using available FODMAP data at time of posting
Serves: 10
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Equipment: Deep 12 inch skillet or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean or extra lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil (for tips on shopping for these oils, see my low-FODMAP recipe swap blog)
- *Infused oils with garlic and onion are a low-FODMAP way to enjoy your favorite flavors. Since FODMAPs are water soluble and NOT fat soluble, the actual carbohydrates are not left behind in the oil. See my low-FODMAP Top 11 Tips and Tricks for other fun facts!
- 1 cup (149g) chopped red or green bell pepper
- One serving is 43g for red pepper; 75g for green bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped peeled carrots
- Carrots are a FODMAP free food! Enjoy at whim
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil (plus additional for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 & 1/2 cans (each can is 28 ounces, so you should have 42 ounces total for this recipe) organic crushed or diced tomatoes in juice, no added onion or garlic
- 4.2 ounces of canned tomatoes is one low-FODMAP serving
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup low-FODMAP Beef Broth or Chicken Broth (try my low-FODMAP Happy Soup for an easy soup base)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons low-FODMAP Happy Spices Taco Seasoning
- Can also substitute ancho chili powder (ensure no added onion, garlic in your blend)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3/4 pound dried elbow macaroni; gluten-free and low-FODMAP ingredients (see my low-FODMAP Grocery Shopping blog for recommended brands)
- 2 cups (8 ounces) grated cheddar cheese (ensure no added onion or garlic if purchasing a cheese blend)
- About 1/3 – 1/2 cup (40 g cheese) is one low-FODMAP serving, as cheese is naturally low in carbohydrates and lactose!
Directions
- Heat a very large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium high heat and brown the beef, stirring until no pink remains, about 5 minutes
- Drain the beef and set aside
- Wipe out the skillet, heat the infused oil over medium heat
- Add the red pepper and carrots and sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes
- Add the ground beef back to the skillet, as well as the basil, oregano, tomatoes with their juice, water, beef base, Worcestershire sauce, and Happy Spices low-FODMAP taco seasoning
- Season with salt and pepper, turn the heat to high, and bring to a simmer
- Add the gluten-free macaroni, stir and cover
- Lower the heat to medium and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender but still firm (al-dente), and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes
- Taste and season again with more salt and pepper to taste
- Sprinkle the cheese over the mixture, then cover until the cheese is melted
- Serve immediately
60 Responses
Garlic is not low-FODMAP friendly
Hi, according to the information I received from my doctor, garlic is not recommended to be eaten on a low-FODMAP diet. I’m not sure why you are asking people to buy oil infused with it and still call it low-FODMAP.
Liz,
Please check out our free low-FODMAP Happy Gut Guide. We appreciate your question, and know it is tricky when starting this diet! Oil infused with onion and garlic is safe to eat, as the FODMAPs are not soluble in oil. They are soluble in water, so do not use them in cooking. This is the best technique to allow yourself to enjoy the flavor of garlic, while avoiding IBS flares. Could you consider altering your star rating for this recipe now that you understand? All our recipes are screened by Dr. Rachel Pauls, a FODMAP food expert prior to posting. Thanks again.
As she said before, the carbohydrate that makes us sick isn’t carried in the oil. It is only carried in water. I have been dealing with a FODMAP sensitivity for 5 years and have been making garlic oil, quarts at a time, and it is the only way (other than garlic chives) that I could get any flavor into my cooking. I use a big jug of oil in a dutch oven with 6 heads of garlic cut in half. Bake, covered, for an hour (you’ll smell it when it is done) @ 350.
Kathryn,
Thank you so much for this awesome tip! So happy that you get relief from your IBS with the low-FODMAP diet. Have a wonderful day 🙂
Kathryn,
Thanks so much for the oil infusion tip! So nice to be able to avoid the expensive shelf brands!
Monash University
Hi Liz
There is so much misinformation out there. I have both IBS and IBD. Monash university in Australia studied/ invented the low fod map. So that’s my go to for accuracy. Infused oils are okay because the sugars aren’t inside them. After I did my strict low fod and then reintro I found that fructan and Gos are my evil sugars and sorbitol and mannitol are fine. Yeah avocado ?!!! It’s taking me 6 months to figure out the basics. So it’s good that you’re paying attention. My free monash app and my food log has changed my life. I’ve lost 8 pounds and 5 inches off my bloated belly. Good luck ?
Lilly,
Thank you SO much for your stars and your feedback. You are a breath of fresh air and made our day 🙂
Garlic infused oil is not garlic. Have you ever read a recipe that asks you to use garlic infused oil before- ? It’s used in almost every recipe. I’m surprised you didn’t notice lol.
Thanks for your comments!
I am curious as to how this recipe keeps in the fridge/freezer. I do not have a family to share this with so I’d have to store it for later 🙂
Hi Holly,
Thanks for your question! This is a large recipe so we understand. However, we don’t suggest storing this meal once prepared with the pasta added, as it will get mushy rather quickly. Instead, we suggest preparing the meal without the macaroni and freezing the meat and sauce. When ready to enjoy you can prepare the macaroni fresh and then add it after reheating. Let us know if you have questions! Good luck.
Huge thanks
Thank you so much for directing me to your recepies for gravy and stock you have saved my sanity .I was worried it would be time consuming etc but yours isn’t and I managed to buy 3 chicken carcasses from local butcher for £1.50 in the slow cooker it went and next morning I have tasty stock i have also made your chicken tikka, lush ,and now the meat cheese macaroni for tonight I’m now looking forward to food again and now I have chicken stock I can make even more of your lovely meals thank you again xx
Ellen!
Thank you SO much for your kind and welcome comments. Feedback like this is our inspiration. Have a wonderful day!!
Needs Improvements and makes way too much
There were a couple of things about this recipe that I did not like, however, I will make this recipe again with changes. This is for anyone that might have the same problems as me!
First off, 2 pounds of lean meat is WAY TOO MUCH. I used a large dutch oven pot and by the end, it was almost overflowing. I believe 1-1.25 lb is all you need. I do not see how anyone can make this dish in a large pan haha. The meat was also very bland 🙁 While the sauce and pasta had flavor, you could still tell the meat needed more seasoning to it.
The next part I had the most trouble with was the 1 & 1/2 cans (42 ounces) organic crushed or diced tomatoes. I went with 1&1/2 42 ounces of crushed tomatoes and that was the reason I was overflowing in my pot. It ended up being more of a soup and took me an hour of simmering to even get it remotely close to the image of how it is supposed to look. I will definitely try only 1 large can (around 24 ounces?) and see how that turns out.
Overall it’s a good start but I would be careful as you make this dish and watch the portions because they add up fast and you will run out of room. We ended up with 2 full plastic containers and only got through maybe half after a couple of days and had to throw the rest out 🙁
Thank you for your feedback,
It appears that you used 1.5 times the amount of tomatoes that the recipe called for, so this could explain why it was too much liquid for your pot and why the taste was diluted. Also, the recipe states it is meant for 10 people, thus 2 pounds of beef is less than 4 ounces per serving. Sorry you didn’t plan accordingly. Have a great day!
Yummy! But also confused by tomatoes
Hi! I’m really confused by your comment here. The recipe clearly says 42 ounces of tomatoes. Not sure how she did that and put too much in?
Also can you share how many ounces of pasta. I tried to weight my pasta on my bathroom scale to figure out the weight…hard to do!
Thanks for your comment!
Unfortunately doing the FODMAP diet requires a lot of measurements that can’t happen without a kitchen scale. We highly suggest purchasing one, they are about $10-$15! However, since a pound is 16 ounces, 3/4 of that would be 12 ounces of pasta. Stay in touch with us 🙂
Recipe clearly says it serves 10!
Got rekked
Calories?
Do you happen to know how many calories this is? Thanks!
Thanks for the question. Unfortunately, we do not have the nutritional information for our recipes. We will pass along the comment!
Great recipe
New to low FODMAP cooking. Your recipes are easy to follow and the entire family enjoys eating them!
THANK YOU Penny!!
We love hearing how our recipes are helping people enjoy life on the low-FODMAP diet. Keep us posted 🙂
So good!
This was absolutely delicious! Such a great meal, and plenty for my 3 teenagers. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank YOU Pat, for your sweet and appreciated comments!!
Hi, I can’t tell for sure or I’m just not reading the page correctly but do you pre cook the pasta before adding it or is it added to the mixture uncooked?
Hi Yambo,
The pasta is placed in the mixture while still raw, as it will cook rather quickly when you simmer the sauce. You were reading the recipe correctly. Enjoy!!?
Cheese is not low fodmap. This makes no sense.
Why would you make a recipe with cheese and garlic as low fodmap? Why not give people alternatives of things which will actually be healthy for them instead of things that will still hurt them but just “hurt them less”. Do better.
Hi Chris. I think you owe Dr. Pauls an apology. This recipe serves 10 and according to Monash that amount of Cheddar Cheese is low FODMAP. Also, garlic infused oil is definitely low-FODMAP. Look it up. Dr. Pauls’ recipes have made my life and many others better and you should apologize for trolling her.
Hi Wade!
We are so touched by your words. Your experience is so appreciated!!
Hope to hear from you again soon ?
Hi Chris,
We are sorry that you feel that way. We recommend using only garlic infused oil, never any actual garlic. Therefore you should avoid FODMAP levels due to garlic but get to enjoy the flavors.
Regarding cheese, lactose levels are low in the selected portions stated here. Since cheese contains few carbohydrates, it tends to be low in FODMAP levels. Feel free to access our Free FODMAP Guide to clarify some of your concerns.
Good luck!
Hi Chris.
I hope you choose to remove your comment as it is misleading. Feel free to perform some research via the Monash Institute as they are the leading experts in Low FODMAPs. You will see that this recipe fully aligns with their guidance for Low FODMAPs. Next time you jump in to correct people before researching, I hope you take your own advice and “do better.”
Kelly,
We could not have said it better! Thank you for your wisdom and your support. We feel so lucky to have readers like you!!
Be safe and well at this time 🙂
Easy recipe for FODMAP Newbies
This is one of the first FODMAP recipes I’ve tried and it was a hit! My family is small so I cut the ingredient portions in half and it worked out nicely. The only other adjustments were a slightly longer cook time for the veggies and again for the noodles. Very tasty. Thank you for the recipe!
Erin,
WOW. Thank you so much for this awesome feedback and for the FIVE STARS.
Reviews like this inspire us and warm our hearts 🙂
We also want to share the news about our cookbook launching this October 6, 2020!
The Low-FODMAP IBS Solution Plan and Cookbook contains more than 100 low-FODMAP Recipes that can be easily prepared in 30 minutes or less! Check out our Products page for ways to order and get a BONUS FREE PDF with your purchase.
Stay in touch with us please!!
Cant stop wont stop
This recipe is so good, I’ve had to make it twice in the past 24 hours! This first round I made half, and just halfed all the ingredients and everything worked out perfectly. The only adjustment I made on my end, was that I used 99% lean ground turkey- i was a little concerned because its a lot less fatty than ground beef but it turned out great and juicy! The second round I added 1 cup of chopped zucchini into the recipe and again it was delicious! I’m curious if others have added any veggies and what folks recommend! thank you, this recipe is such a game changer!
Celina!
Amazing. We are thrilled you enjoyed the recipe and love hearing about your successful modifications 🙂
Stay in touch with us!
This is delicious. I’m working my way through Rachel’s recipes and loved this. The flavors are interesting – almost a cross between bolognese sauce and mac and cheese! I initially expected it to be cheesier, but I’m actually happy that didn’t overwhelm the rest of the dish. My only gotcha was that I forgot to check Worcestershire sauce ingredients for garlic since I’m pretty new to the FODMAP diet, but that’s on me! Thanks again Rachel.
Katie,
Great to hear from you! So glad you enjoyed this. We are so pleased that our recipes are making your journey easier 🙂
Have an awesome day!!
Sooooooo good!!!!!
I have been trying new low fodmap recipes as my hubby suffers with IBS and this was amazing!! Such a lovely winter warmer stodgy meal. We’re a family of 4 and didn’t think we would as much so I simply halved all the ingredients and then wished afterwards that I had made the full amount so that there were leftovers, everyone enjoyed it so much – thank you!
Gemma,
What a lovely comment to read! So glad you enjoyed this recipe !! You made our day 🙂
Stay in touch!
Easy and delicious recipe for LowFodMap followers
I want to start off by saying that I found this recipe to be so easy to follow and very delicious. I cut it down in quantity, as it is just my husband an I in the household. I must say, since the recipe is so straight forward it was so easy to adjust for the two of us.
I thank you so much for your delicious recipes and very informative information that is always included.
Hammswife!
Thanks for reaching out!!
We are sooo happy you enjoyed the recipe and are basking in your kind words. Have a wonderful day 🙂
I have to watch my cholesterol also. Are these recipes ok for high cholesterol?
Hi Marsha,
Thanks for your question and welcome!
Our recipes are low-FODMAP and delicious, but they are not suited for other specifications like low cholesterol or low sugar diets. You should consult your doctor to find out what foods are OK for you. Good luck!
This is delicious! I cut the recipe in half, but I wish I hadn’t for leftovers! I usually am pretty sparing with cheese, but it really makes this dish. One of the best recipes I’ve tried from this site.
It’s like a low-FODMAP chili-mac!
Ian,
Thank you so much! We love hearing feedback like this. Please stay in touch and have a great day!!!
I’ve been struggling to find low FODMAP recipes to meal prep for my husband (who’s not having to follow this diet) and myself. Made this today and it’s so good. It’s hearty and I don’t think anyone would ever know it’s low FODMAP. Thank you for this recipe.
Arissa!
Welcome and so glad to meet you! We hope you enjoy many other recipes from our site. Stay in touch 🙂
Great
Fab u lous stuff,
Thank you for putting this recipe out there, very tasty I took the cheek of adding some olives and capers.
Very much appreciated,
Sincerely,
Alex
Thank you Alex!!
It’s great!!!
Love this!!! I’m new to cooking PERIOD and just recently started the FODMAP diet. Tried a few recipes on this site so far, and so far am enjoying it. Your recipes have helped me to get some wholesome, filling meals into my diet in spite of all the restrictions, which I LOVE. This was hands down the best recipe I did I think. Delicious and filling! Didn’t quite catch the part about having a ‘deep’ pot to cook it in, so it nearly spilled over. I don’t use the infused oil or the happy spices as buying the ingredients to cook is killing my budget enough already ?. Not using the garlic infused oil though and using the recommended chili powder substitute (for happy spices) worked fine though. Recommend!
Brooke,
Thank you so much! We are so happy to hear from you and appreciate hearing your kind comments and review.
Have a wonderful day!!
good!
This was our first low-FODMAP recipe as it was recently suggested to try this for my daughter. We thought it was really good (well the adults did). I didn’t have basil so we had to omit that and we had only 1 lb of ground beef. Still this recipe made plenty. enough for our family of 4 and for left over lunches for me to take to work. I substituted the ancho chili powder for the taco seasoning as I didn’t have everything to make the mix. I wonder if that is why my kids thought it was “too spicy”. This was not remotely spicy, by the way.
Thanks for your comment Aubrey!
Can you explain how you can include Worchestershire in this recipe? When reviewing the ingredients, it includes onion and garlic.
Hi Al,
Thanks for your question. Many foods that contain small amounts of onion and garlic are OK to eat on the low-FODMAP diet, provided you stick to a low-FODMAP serving. If you are new to this diet, you may want to look at our FREE Low-FODMAP Guide, or consider purchasing The Low-FODMAP IBS Solution Plan and Cookbook to help you with this program.
A low-FODMAP serving size for Worcestershire sauce is actually 2 tablespoons, based on the Monash app.
In the context of this recipe, which serves 10 people the amount listed here (1 tablespoon) is not likely to cause FODMAP related issues.
Good luck!
Incredible!
This is absolutely delicious! I salted the meat and veggies along the way based on another review but other than that, I made no changes!! This was a huge hit and reheats very well in a pan with a bit
of bone broth to reconstitute everything. Thanks so much!
Hi Court,
Thank you SO much for taking the time to comment and this awesome review. Please stay in touch 🙂