Finnish Macaroni Casserole
Finnish Macaroni Casserole
A hearty Finnish macaroni casserole with seasoned minced meat, tender pasta, and a smooth egg‑milk custard. Baked until set and lightly golden, it’s simple, comforting, and perfect for outdoor cooking. Serve with ketchup or lingonberry jam for a classic Finnish touch.
- Author
- Peter Nylund
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 300 ml macaroni
- 200 g minced meat (can also be pre‑cooked and dried)
- 1 small yellow onion (can be dried)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 pinch black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- 2 eggs or 1 dl egg powder
- 350 ml milk, or 350 ml water + 80 ml milk powder
- Some cheese for gratinating (a hard cheese like Parmesan keeps well for a week in summer heat), optional
- Note: If the minced meat and onion are dried, soak them well in advance.
Directions
- Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, usually around 8 minutes, then drain.
- Brown the minced meat and chopped onion if they are not already pre‑cooked and soaked. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the cooked macaroni and minced meat into the tin in layers, then mix everything together.
- Whisk the milk, eggs, and paprika powder — a whisk works best if using dried ingredients.
- Pour the egg‑milk mixture over the contents of the tin. Shred a little cheese on top.
- Bake for 30–40 minutes on fairly low heat (about 160°C if using a thermometer) until the custard has set and the surface looks nice.
- Serve with ketchup or lingonberry jam — I made lingonberry jam on site using dried lingonberries and sugar.
