Cheesy Mac and Meatballs

⏱ 75 mins 🍽 ['6', '6 portions'] 🌶 american 🏷 Main course

This comforting dish combines macaroni in a creamy cauliflower cheese sauce with homemade pork and courgette meatballs. Topped with Cheddar and cherry tomatoes, it's baked until golden. It's a family-friendly American dinner that cleverly incorporates vegetables for a healthier, satisfying meal. The recipe serves 6 portions and takes about 75 minutes to prepare and cook.

Cheesy Mac and Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 400 g 5% fat lean pork mince
  • 1 small courgette (grated)
  • 25 g panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 small egg
  • 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
  • 1 cauliflower (cut into florets)
  • 1 small onion (chopped)
  • 1 chicken stockpot (or stock cube)
  • 90 g reduced fat cheese spread
  • 60 g reduced fat mature Cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 tsp mustard powder
  • 300 g macaroni
  • 8 cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • low calorie cooking spray

Method

  1. Begin by preparing the sauce. Use low calorie cooking spray in a pan and cook the chopped onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the cauliflower florets and the chicken stockpot. Cover the ingredients with boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.
  2. As the cauliflower simmers, heat your oven to 180ºC. You can now make the meatball mixture.
  3. Take the grated courgette and wrap it tightly in a clean tea towel to remove all the excess moisture.
  4. Combine the squeezed courgette, 400 g 5% fat lean pork mince, 25 g panko breadcrumbs, 1 small egg, 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence, and seasoning in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands and form the mixture into 30 equal balls.
  5. Arrange the meatballs on a baking tray coated with low calorie spray and bake them for 10 minutes.
  6. Once the cauliflower is soft, drain it but keep the cooking water. Put the cauliflower into a blender with 90 g reduced fat cheese spread, half of the 60 g reduced fat mature Cheddar, and 1/4 tsp mustard powder.
  7. Blend the ingredients to a smooth purée, gradually pouring in some of the reserved cooking liquid until you achieve a thick cheese sauce texture.
  8. Transfer the finished sauce into a large bowl and set it aside for now.
  9. Clean your saucepan and cook 300 g macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water, following the packet directions which typically suggest 9-12 minutes.
  10. Take the cooked meatballs from the oven and fold them gently into the waiting cheese sauce.
  11. Drain the cooked pasta and mix it thoroughly with the sauce and meatballs. Spoon the complete mixture into a large ovenproof dish.
  12. Sprinkle the rest of the grated Cheddar cheese over the top and arrange 8 halved cherry tomatoes on the surface.
  13. Bake the assembled dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese topping is melted and has turned a golden brown colour.
  14. This cheesy mac and meatballs is best enjoyed hot, accompanied by a fresh mixed salad.

Nutrition (per serving)

Nutrition data not available.

Recipe details

CategoryMain course
Cuisineamerican
AuthorPinch of Nom