Mac And Cheese With Meatballs
This baked mac and cheese with meatballs features shells in a Velveeta cheesy sauce baked with beefy meatballs. The mac and cheese casserole is a rich comforting dish that’s sure to become a family favorite!
If you have kids or you’re a big kid at heart like me, chances are that meatballs are a big deal around your house.
My kids go absolutely gaga for these things.
Hands down, their favorite way to enjoy them is slathered in some sort of pasta sauce and piled high on a heaping helping of pasta.
I appreciate a solid plate of spaghetti and meatballs too, but I need variety.
So let’s keep the meatballs, but let’s skip the spaghetti friends.
Don’t worry we’re not going totally off the rails.
We’re just switching spaghetti for creamy mac and cheese with a Velveeta cheese sauce and baking it with meatballs.
Nothing too crazy.
But it is ooey, gooey homemade macaroni and cheese, studded with hearty meatballs, and topped with a crisp, buttery cracker crumble.
It’s real, feel-good food that you can make even on the busiest weeknight.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need a set of ingredients for the mac and cheese casserole and another for the sauce.
For the mac and cheese casserole you’ll need:
- Pasta– Medium shell shaped pasta, uncooked. You could also substitute another similar sized pasta like bowties or elbows.
- Meatballs– Any of your favorite beef meatballs either frozen or homemade. Just make sure they are cooked.
- Crackers– Crushed buttery crackers like Ritz
- Butter– Melted
And for the sauce you’ll need:
- Flour– To thicken the sauce
- Butter– To cook the flour in
- Stock– Beef or chicken stock
- Cheese product– Processed cheese like Velveeta cut up into cubes. You can use our homemade version or the store bought variety.
- Cream of soup– I used cream of mushroom but you can substitute with whatever you have on hand and like.
How to Make
Making baked mac and cheese with meatballs is easy!
To do it, cook the pasta according to the package instructions just until al dente.
Strain it and run it under cold water and stir so that the pasta immediately stops cooking.
Set the pasta aside.
Then melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet, over medium heat.
When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour until it’s a smooth, paste-y consistency.
Once the roux is golden and smooth, whisk the broth in a little at a time, stirring constantly until it’s evenly combined and smooth.
Let it keep cooking, stirring frequently, until it thickens.
Turn the heat down to low and stir in the cubed cheese until the cheese melts.
Transfer the cheese sauce to a large bowl and stir in the can of condensed soup.
Then stir in the pasta and meatballs until the cheese sauce coats everything.
Pour the pasta and meatballs mixture into a large baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray, using a spatula to scrape the bowl for any missed sauce into the baking dish.
Mix 1 tablespoon of melted butter with the crushed cracker crumbs, stirring well to even coat the cracker crumbs.
Sprinkle the buttery cracker crumbs evenly over the casserole dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and the cracker crumbs are golden brown.
Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Top with fresh, chopped parsley, if desired and enjoy.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in the baking dish in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a hot oven or individual portions in the microwave until the cheese remelts and the casserole is warmed through.
What meat goes well with mac and cheese?
Almost any meat goes well with mac and cheese.
You can have:
Plus you’ll find it on the table as a side with ham or turkey!
So it’s no surprise that mac and cheese with meatballs is so good!
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t substitute the processed cheese product for other cheese. Cheese doesn’t incorporate as well into this sauce or get as creamy.
- We often have a bag of homemade meatballs in our freezer. If this is you, just thaw them prior to making this casserole.
- You could top the crackers with some shredded cheese if you want an extra cheesy crust!
Other Mac and Cheese Recipes
Baked mac and cheese with meatballs is an old fashioned cozy casserole your family will love.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other mac and cheese recipes?
Try these:
- Chick Fil A Mac And Cheese
- Pepper Jack Mac And Cheese With Chicken
- Pimento Cheese Macaroni & Cheese
- BLT Macaroni & Cheese
If you’ve tried this MAC AND CHEESE WITH MEATBALLS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Mac And Cheese With Meatballs
Ingredients
For The Casserole
- 2 cups medium shell-shaped pasta uncooked
- 1½ lbs beef meatballs cooked
- 1 cup velveeta cheese cubed
- ½ sleeve buttery crackers crushed
- 1 tbs butter melted
For The Sauce
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until al dente. Strain and run under cold water and stir so that the pasta immediately stops cooking.2 cups medium shell-shaped pasta
- Melt the 2 tbs butter in a medium skillet, over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth, and let it cook for a minute to get rid of any flour taste.2 tbs butter, ¼ cup flour
- Whisk in the broth a little at a time, and stirring constantly until the evenly combined and smooth. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the roux has thickened. Reduce the heat to low, add the cubed cheese,and cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted; about 4-5 minutes.2 cups beef stock, 1 cup velveeta cheese
- Transfer the cheese sauce to a large bowl. Stir in the condensed soup until evenly incorporated.1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
- Add the pasta and meatballs, stirring to evenly incorporate/distribute.1½ lbs beef meatballs
- Lightly spray a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer the pasta and meatballs into the baking dish, using a spatula to scrape the bowl for any missed sauce.
- Mix the 1 tbs melted butter with the crushed cracker crumbs. Stir well to evenly coat, and sprinkle the buttered crumbs evenly out over the top of casserole.½ sleeve buttery crackers, 1 tbs butter
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and the cracker crumbs are golden brown.
- Let it rest for one minute. Top with fresh, chopped parsley, if desired and enjoy.
Notes
- Don't substitute the processed cheese product for other cheese. Cheese doesn't incorporate as well into this sauce or get as creamy.
- We often have a bag of homemade meatballs in our freezer. If this is you, just thaw them prior to making this casserole.
- You could top the crackers with some shredded cheese if you want an extra cheesy crust!
Nutrition
recipe adapted from The Midnight Baker
