Description
A cheesy, golden-baked comfort dish that combines juicy meatloaf meatballs with tender pasta shells smothered in creamy cheddar sauce.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef 🥩
1 cup breadcrumbs 🍞
1 egg 🥚
1 small onion, finely chopped 🧅
2 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
1 cup tomato sauce 🍅
2 cups medium pasta shells 🍝
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 🧀
1 cup milk 🥛
2 tbsp butter 🧈
2 tbsp all-purpose flour 🌾
1 tsp Italian seasoning 🌿
Salt & pepper to taste 🫙
Fresh parsley, chopped 🌱 (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish.
2. Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, ½ cup tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Form small meatballs and bake 20 minutes.
3. Cook pasta shells in salted water until al dente, drain, and set aside.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute. Slowly add milk, stirring until smooth. Add 1 ½ cups cheddar, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
5. Combine pasta, cheese sauce, and meatballs in the baking dish. Top with remaining tomato sauce and cheddar.
6. Bake for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Tip: Use freshly grated cheddar for the best melt and flavor!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg