Mac Cheese Meatball Bake (Printable version)

Hearty pasta layered with juicy meatballs and creamy cheese sauce baked till golden and bubbling.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or small pasta shells

→ Meatballs

02 - 1.1 lb ground beef or pork
03 - 1 large egg
04 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
05 - 2 tablespoons milk
06 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese Sauce

12 - ¼ cup unsalted butter
13 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
14 - 3 cups whole milk
15 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 - ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
18 - ½ teaspoon salt
19 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Topping

20 - ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
21 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
22 - 1 tablespoon melted butter
23 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Steps to follow:

01 - Set oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil salted water and cook pasta until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined. Shape into 1-inch diameter balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
04 - Bake meatballs for 12 to 15 minutes until browned and cooked through.
05 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk while whisking and cook until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in cheddar, mozzarella, Dijon mustard, salt, and nutmeg until smooth.
06 - Mix the cooked pasta, baked meatballs, and cheese sauce in the prepared baking dish.
07 - Combine panko, Parmesan, and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over casserole and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
08 - Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley and serving.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It's a one-dish meal that feels like three dishes came together, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying it.
  • Homemade meatballs mixed right into creamy sauce transforms this from standard mac and cheese into something that feels almost restaurant-worthy.
  • The golden, crispy topping hides a sauce so smooth and rich it tastes like you spent hours on it, not forty minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step at the end; it's the difference between a casserole that holds its shape and one that's more sauce than substance on the plate.
  • Shred your own cheese if you can, because pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy instead of silky smooth.
  • Brown the meatballs properly before mixing into the sauce or they'll finish cooking in the oven and might be slightly underdone in the middle.
03 -
  • If you're short on time, use frozen meatballs from the grocery store and bake them according to their package directions, then proceed from there—nobody needs to know your secret.
  • The nutmeg in the sauce sounds strange until you taste it, then you understand it's what makes your version taste better than the one people are trying to remember from childhood.
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