Mac & Cheese Meatball Bake (Print version)

A baked casserole featuring tender pasta, juicy meatballs, and creamy cheese sauce with a crispy topping.

# What You'll 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 - 1/2 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 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese Sauce

12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
13 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 3 cups whole milk
15 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Topping

20 - 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
21 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
22 - 1 tablespoon melted butter
23 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat 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 - Combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until combined. Form into 1-inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
04 - Bake meatballs for 12 to 15 minutes until browned and cooked through.
05 - Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until thickened, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in cheddar, mozzarella, Dijon mustard, salt, and nutmeg until smooth.
06 - Mix cooked pasta, meatballs, and cheese sauce in prepared baking dish.
07 - Combine panko, Parmesan, and melted butter; sprinkle evenly over casserole.
08 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until topping is golden and sauce bubbles.
09 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with parsley and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish where you can prep everything while the oven preheats, making it genuinely doable on a busy weeknight.
  • The crispy panko topping over creamy sauce and tender meatballs creates this textural contrast that keeps people coming back for seconds.
  • It feeds six generously and actually tastes better the next day if there are leftovers, though there usually aren't.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period on the pasta after draining; slightly undercooked pasta is non-negotiable here since it continues cooking in the oven.
  • The sauce should be smooth and lump-free, so whisk that flour in slowly with the milk—this is where patience actually changes the outcome.
  • Overworking the meatball mixture makes them dense and heavy, so mix just until combined and move on.
03 -
  • Make your cheese sauce in a separate pot and let the pasta cool slightly before combining, which prevents the mozzarella from becoming too stretchy and gluey.
  • If your sauce seems too thick before combining with pasta, thin it with a splash more milk rather than guessing at the consistency.
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