From the Kitchen: Egyptian Macarona Béchamel
Give me a four-day weekend, and I'll visit three countries through their cuisine!
This weekend, my kitchen took me on quite an international adventure! First, I visited Hungary with a wonderful Chicken Paprikash. Then it was off to Morocco for a flavorful Chicken Tagine with Mushrooms, Lemon & Olives. And finally, I decided to wrap up my four-day weekend with a trip to Egypt!
My final culinary destination was Egyptian Macarona Béchamel, a delicious baked pasta casserole layered with seasoned ground beef and topped with a rich, creamy béchamel sauce.
And I have to tell you, I was particularly excited about this one!
You see, when I lived in Tarpon Springs, Florida, I developed quite an appreciation for Greek cuisine. Tarpon Springs has a wonderful Greek heritage, and one of the dishes I especially enjoyed was pastitsio.
If you've never had pastitsio, imagine layers of pasta, beautifully seasoned ground beef, and a thick, creamy béchamel sauce baked together into one glorious casserole.
When I discovered Egyptian Macarona Béchamel, I immediately thought of those wonderful meals I enjoyed in Tarpon Springs. The similarities were impossible to ignore, and I knew I had to try making it myself.
A Little Egyptian Comfort Food
Macarona Béchamel is a beloved comfort food in Egypt. While there are variations from one household to another, the basic dish combines pasta, seasoned ground meat, and a generous layer of homemade béchamel sauce.
The ground beef is flavored with warm spices such as allspice and cinnamon, giving it a character that's a little different from the Italian-style meat sauces we're accustomed to eating here in America.
The béchamel is made from butter, flour, and milk, much like a homemade white gravy. Once assembled, the casserole goes into the oven until the top is beautifully golden.
It's hearty, comforting, and absolutely delicious!
Making It My Own
Of course, I rarely leave a recipe completely alone!
For my version, I decided to add mushrooms to the ground beef filling. And rather than measuring out a portion of the package, I simply used the entire 16 ounces of fresh white mushrooms.
Why leave a few mushrooms sitting in the refrigerator when you can just use them all?
I also simplified the cooking process by browning the ground beef, mushrooms, and onions together, then draining off the excess liquid before adding the seasonings and tomato sauce. It saved a couple of steps and worked beautifully.
Finally, I topped the casserole with approximately ½–¾ cup of freshly shredded mozzarella cheese before baking.
That little addition gave the finished dish a gorgeous golden topping.
Definitely NOT Low-Carb!
Now, let's talk about something else.
I've spent much of this year making significant changes to the way I eat, and most of my cooking these days reflects my lower-carb lifestyle.
This recipe most certainly does NOT fall into that category!
Between the pasta, flour, milk, and cheese, there was absolutely no pretending this was a low-carb supper.
But I had something I don't always have: extra time to spend in the kitchen.
And after enjoying a four-day weekend, I decided I wanted to send it out with a bang!
This recipe was considerably more time-consuming than many of the dishes I've prepared recently. There was pasta to boil, beef to cook, béchamel to whisk, and a casserole to assemble and bake.
But sometimes it's nice to slow down, enjoy the cooking process, and make something simply because it sounds wonderful.
And let me tell you, this one was worth every minute!
The Verdict
Oh, my goodness! This dish is absolutely SUPERB!
From the very first bite, I was transported right back to Tarpon Springs, Florida.
It reminded me exactly of the Greek pastitsio I enjoyed when I lived there!
The seasoned ground beef and mushrooms, tender pasta, thick and creamy béchamel, and beautifully browned mozzarella topping came together into something truly special.
I had hoped this recipe would bring back some wonderful food memories, but I wasn't prepared for just how closely it would resemble the dish I remembered.
Was it more time-consuming than my usual cooking? Absolutely.
Was it low-carb? Not even close!
Would I make it again?
In a heartbeat!
And that's one of the things I love most about exploring international cuisine. Sometimes you discover an entirely new flavor. Other times, you discover something that takes you right back to a place and time you remember fondly.
This weekend, I experienced a little of both.
From Hungary to Morocco to Egypt, it's been quite a culinary adventure!
And I can't think of a more delicious way to bring my four-day weekend to a close.
🇪🇬 Egyptian Macarona Béchamel
Creamy Baked Pasta with Spiced Ground Beef & Mushrooms
Preparation and cooking time: Approximately 75–90 minutes
Servings: Approximately 8 generous portions
Baking dish: 9 × 13 inches
Oven temperature: 375°F
This is my adapted version of the traditional Egyptian casserole, including mushrooms and a little freshly shredded mozzarella.
Ingredients
Pasta
1 lb penne pasta
Salt for pasta water
Seasoned Beef & Mushroom Filling
2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, finely diced
16 oz fresh white button mushrooms, sliced or chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil, if needed
Creamy Béchamel Sauce
6 Tbsp salted butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
1 tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Topping
½–¾ cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. Prepare the Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the penne approximately 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
Drain and set aside.
2. Prepare the Beef & Mushroom Filling
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine the ground beef, diced onion, and sliced mushrooms.
Cook everything together, stirring occasionally and breaking up the beef as it browns, until the beef is fully cooked and the vegetables are softened.
Drain off the excess grease and liquid.
Return the mixture to the skillet.
Add the garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for approximately 10–15 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and the sauce to thicken.
The finished filling should be moist and flavorful without being watery.
3. Prepare the Béchamel Sauce
In a large saucepan, melt the salted butter over medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk continuously for approximately 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually pour in the whole milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens to the consistency of a smooth, medium-thick white gravy.
This will generally take approximately 6–10 minutes.
Stir in the salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly.
To incorporate the egg:
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg.
Slowly whisk approximately ½ cup of the warm béchamel into the beaten egg to temper it.
Gradually whisk the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan of béchamel.
This helps prevent the egg from scrambling and gives the finished casserole a firmer, creamier topping.
4. Assemble the Casserole
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Assemble the casserole in the following order:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce across the bottom of the baking dish.
Add half of the cooked penne pasta.
Spread the entire seasoned beef and mushroom mixture evenly over the pasta.
Add the remaining penne pasta.
Pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the top, covering the pasta completely.
Sprinkle with ½–¾ cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake
Place the uncovered casserole in the preheated oven.
Bake at 375°F for approximately 35–40 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
If additional browning is desired, broil briefly at the end, watching carefully.
6. Rest Before Serving
Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to rest for approximately 15–20 minutes before cutting.
This gives the béchamel time to set and helps the casserole hold its shape when served.
Cut into generous squares and enjoy!
A Few Notes from My Kitchen
About the mushrooms: I used an entire 16-ounce package of fresh white button mushrooms. Cooking them with the ground beef and onions, then draining the excess liquid, worked wonderfully.
About the béchamel: The sauce should resemble a smooth, medium-thick white gravy before it goes into the casserole. It will continue to firm up during baking.
About the egg: Adding an egg to the béchamel helps the finished casserole hold together when sliced.
About the mozzarella: I used approximately ½–¾ cup of freshly shredded mozzarella. Although cheese isn't necessary for a traditional Egyptian Macarona Béchamel, I loved the golden finish it gave my casserole.
About the spices: Don't skip the allspice and cinnamon! They provide the warm, distinctive flavor that makes this dish different from an ordinary baked pasta casserole.
About leftovers: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Individual portions can also be frozen for approximately 2–3 months for best quality, although the béchamel may change texture slightly after thawing.
From the Kitchen. From the Farm. From the Heart.
