Macarona Bechamel is the most comforting famous Egyptian bechamel pasta recipe baked with penne, bechamel sauce, with loaded cheese. Perfect dinner idea to serve as a side dish casserole. This recipe comes from Egyptian cuisine famous all across the middle east. The crusty texture of baked macaroni is enough to tempt everyone to eat.
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What is Macarona Bechamel?
In Arabic, macarona is macaroni and bechamel is the form of white sauce so it’s famous as Macarona bechamel pasta in Egyptian style. One of the best recipe for pasta lovers to try. Many people call it Egyptian Macaroni Bechamel.
If you are a great fan of mac and cheese then try this recipe I am sure you will make it again and again. My Egyptian friend introduced this recipe to me and since then I am fully in love to make it at home as my family craves for it.
The making of Arabic macarona gives a perfect flavor to cook with ground beef (here I used chicken) with some spices and tomato paste. Then assembling the macaroni with meat and layering of special bechamel sauce for pasta makes a yum bite after baking.
For me, it’s a salivating comforting food that my family loves especially my kid always ready to have it.
To make this recipe, I give a little twist as I used coarsely ground chicken rather using ground beef and add mozzarella to add a distinguished cheesy flavor.
Many of my friends will ask me, why didn’t I use elbow macaroni to make it? As I believe, all types of pasta have more or less the same flavor so used Italian penne to enhance the look of this dish.
White sauce used in this recipe is famous as bechamel sauce (Italian Besciamella) prepared with the roux of butter, flour, and milk.
I love making pasta with a creamy texture so tried and tested different recipes. Here you can find my one-pot creamy mushroom chicken pasta that will give you another flavor to add to your menu.
Why This Recipe Works
If you are in love with creamy, crusty, and cheese pasta with a roasted crusty texture then this recipe is for you. I love to make it again and again as it's a perfect casserole for family dinner. My son starves to have it.
- The baked flavor of minced meat and penne pasta with bechamel sauce is best for all types of taste buds.
- Extremely easy to make.
- Pair up well with different variety of main course.
- Not much spicy so kids will love to have it.
- Love the sizzle right after taking out from the oven.
Ingredients And Substitutions
It seems like to manage so many ingredients for this pasta recipe but it’s not like that. If you will do it in steps, it only requires a handful of ingredients to prepare this dish.
I preferred to use penne pasta as it gives classing cutting look after baking. Ground chicken cooked with allspices and salt. I love paprika and a touch of cinnamon or nutmeg powder that adds a unique taste to the meat. It is always fun to make bechamel sauce as I love to create a creamy textured sauce. Baking the macarona with cheese makes it super delicious and tempting at every bite.
How to Make Macarona Bechamel
It seems like a lengthy process to make this pasta but believe me, It’s absolutely not if divide the job into batches. While I boil pasta, on the other stove prepare the meat and at the same time make the sauce so it saves time in the kitchen and when it bakes, I spend time cleaning my kitchen.
Prepare The Pasta
Boil the pasta in hot water with salt for about 8 minutes on medium heat. Strain the water and rinse with tap water to release the starch.
Preparation of Ground Meat
In a pan, pour oil and sauce chopped garlic. As the garlic becomes aromatic, add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat until it transforms color to pink. Add ground chicken/lamb and cook on high heat until it changes color. Add spices (paprika, allspice, cinnamon powder) with salt and tomato paste. Cook on high heat to mix all the ingredients. Splash with chicken stock or meat broth if the meat is dry. Cover the lid and cook for about 15 minutes (for chicken) and for lamb (40 minutes). As the meat gets tender, make sure it should not watery. If it is then evaporate the water on high heat.
Making Bechamel Sauce For Pasta
In a heated pan, add butter and melt it on low heat then add flour and whisk it properly to make a roasted roux. As the flour starts to change color and become aromatic then add lukewarm milk. Make sure the heat is low while adding milk. Whisk it properly for about 3 to 5 minutes until it starts to get thick. Season with salt and black pepper and give it a nice whisk to check the sauce consistency. It should be semi-thick in texture.
Assembling & Layering
Mix the boiled pasta with cooked ground chicken. Add it to a baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over it and spread it evenly. Then add another layer of pasta over the sauce and spread the remaining sauce over it. Topped with mozzarella cheese. Add some chunks of tiny pieces of capsicum just for adding color. Sprinkle black pepper and oregano over it.
Baking
Preheat the oven before 5 to 10 minutes then place the pasta dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 220 C. Broil for 5 minutes to give a nice roasted color on top.
Tips & Variations
- Add pasta in hot boiling water and don’t overcook otherwise the dish will be mushy in texture. Make sure to rinse pasta with tap water right after straining.
- Cooked meat should not be watery in texture otherwise the pasta will release water after coming to room temperature.
- While making bechamel sauce for paste, make sure to add the flour at a low temperature otherwise it will burn. Cook the flour for few minutes on medium heat and keep stirring.
- To make a perfect consistency of bechamel sauce use the right proportion of butter, flour, and milk. It should be semi thick in texture. If it’s lumpy then add cold water to break the lumps. For beginners, use little cold water after roasting the flour and mix well to get a fluid consistency then add milk to make it thicker.
- Topping of cheese will stand out the dish and add more flavor.
Macarona Bechamel Video
Store & Freeze
Make it ahead of time and Refrigerate
Well, it’s the best recipe of Arabic pasta that you can make before a day of serving. Just assemble everything and cover it with plastic film and place in your refrigerator.
For family gatherings or weekend parties, you can make it ahead of time and just bake before serving. Make sure to take out from refrigerator before 2 hours to bring back to room temperature. Bake it and serve!
How to Freeze
Regarding the frozen option, as per my experience, I am not a fan to freeze the assembled dish of bechamel macarona as the sauce might release water, and overall not happy with the baking result so I prefer to freeze separately. Just assemble in a casserole dish when you are ready to eat. That’s the perfect solution to eat frozen macarona bachemel.
How to Store Baked Bechamel Pasta
Simply pack in an airtight and microwave-friendly glass container. Place in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. When you need, take it out and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes and serve.
If you feel dry then add little milk and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. You can also reheat it on stove top. Place the leftover in a pan, add little milk, and place on high temperature for 30 seconds. Cover the lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat. It will be ready like steamy macarona bechamel.
Q & A
1) Cook on high heat and stir continuously to make it thick. It will take 2 to 3 minutes to get desired thickness.
2) Make a roux in a separate pan and add it to a sauce. This will apply if the sauce is extremely runny.
Add water or stock to make it thin.
It looks dry due to lacking of sauce or if the sauce consistency is too thick. Sometimes, the pasta absorbs sauce if it's not properly cooked.
Yes, it's a form of white sauce.
Yes, macarona bechamel is an Egyptian baked pasta recipe.
Bechamel is 3 ingredients sauce. Prepared with butter, flour, and milk. Season with salt and black pepper.
Excited to try more Arabic food
Chicken Mandi | Shish Tawook | Kabsa Rice | Dakous | Falafel | Maqluba
More Pasta Recipes
Macarona Bechamel (Cheesy Baked Bechamel Pasta)
Ingredients
- 400 g Macaroni Penne Pasta
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup onion
- 2 teaspoon garli chopped
- 100 g Ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon All spice garam masala
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 2 teaspoon Capsicum
- Bechemal sauce
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- ½ cup All purpose four
- ½ liter Milk
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Mozzarella cheese For topping
- 1 pinch Oregano
Instructions
Prepare Macaroni Pasta:
- In a hot boiling water, cook the macaroni pasta for about 8 minutes on medium to high heat. As it get 95% boiled then drain water and rinse with tap water to release excess starch.
Preparation of Chicken
- In a heated pan, add oil and saute garlic and onion until it changes color. Add ground chicken and cook on high heat until the chicken changes its color. Now add spices (paprika powder, garam masala, cinnamon powder, and salt). Cook all the spices on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to get rid of spice rawness. Add tomato paste and mix well. Add tomato paste and mix well. Also, add capsicum chunks to add color to chicken. Cover and cook the chicken on medium heat to low heat for 20 minutes.
Preparation of Bechamel Sauce
- Start with preparing the Roux, In a pan, add butter and melt it on low heat. Add All purpose flour and brown it to get a nutty paste. Next, add milk and stir quickly to make a thick sauce. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for few minutes on low heat until you get a thick and smooth texture. Make sure to keep whisking as it will help to make a smooth texture of sauce.
Assembling
- Mix the macaroni with chicken.
Layering
- In a casserole dish, place the layer of macaroni then pour bechamel sauce. Repeat the layering again. Over the top, spread mozzarella cheese and sprinkle few chunks of capsicum to add color.Sprinkle a pinch of oregano.
Baking
- Preheat the oven 5 to 10 minutes before then place the pasta dish in oven and bake for 30 minutes at 220C. Broil for 5 minutes to give a nice roasted color on top.
Serving
- Take it out from oven, Let it settled for 5 minutes. Cut into cubes and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Add pasta in hot boiling water and don’t overcook otherwise the dish will be mushy in texture. Make sure to rinse pasta with tap water right after straining.
- Cooked meat should not be watery in texture otherwise the pasta will release water after coming to room temperature.
- While making bechamel sauce for paste, make sure to add the flour on a low temperature otherwise it will burn. Cook the flour for few minutes on medium heat and keep stirring.
- To make a perfect consistency of bechamel sauce use the right proportion of butter, flour, and milk. It should be semi-thick in texture. If it’s lumpy then add cold water to break the lumps. For beginners, use little cold water after roasting the flour and mix well to get a fluid consistency then add milk to make it thicker.
- Topping of cheese will stand out the dish and add more flavor.
Hinz
Planning for a party at home, make this Macaroni Bechamel Bake and your guest will love to finsih with happy note. Give a try!