Meatball Mac and Cheese
Our Mexican Macaroni and Cheese proved so popular that we decided that we needed another. When we asked ourselves how do we make mac n cheese better? it wasn’t long before we came up with meatballs. It really did taste as good as it looks.
For this meatball mac and cheese recipe, we used a little of our Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste in both the meatballs and the cheese sauce giving a beautiful smoky flavour throughout the dish.
-
Prep time
45 mins
-
Cook time
45 mins
-
Total time
1 hour 30 mins
-
Ideal for
Dinner -
Make it
Mexican -
Serves
5
Nutrition: Per serving
kcal 213 fat 8.6g saturates 4.4g carbs 20.6g sugars 2.1g fibre 1.6g protein 12g salt 0.68g
Found in the
Mexican Section
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 150ml / 5 fl. oz Milk
- 100g / 1 1/2 oz Panko breadcrumbs
- 300g / 10 oz Minced beef
- 200g / 7 oz Minced pork
- 1 Onion
- 1 Garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste
- 2 tablespoons Water
- 1 Handful parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 65g / 2 oz Pancetta/bacon lardons
- Salt
- Pepper
The Rest
- 500g / 1.1 lb Dried macaroni
- 70g / 2 1/2 oz Butter
- 70g / 2 1/2 oz Flour
- 1 heaped tablespoon Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste
- 150g / 5 oz Grated mature cheddar cheese
- 150g / 5 oz Mozzarella
- 500ml / 4 cups of full fat milk
- 2 Spring onions
- Salt
- Pepper
How to make it
Meatballs
- Firstly, combine the breadcrumbs with the milk and stir. Leave to soak in while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Cook pancetta until cooked through. Place on a chopping board and chop finely before returning to the pan. Lower the heat.
- Add the onion and garlic to a food processor (alternatively just grate them).
- Add onion and garlic to the pancetta, along with oregano and Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste. Stir and cook for about 7-8 mins.
- Add a splash of water, stir and continue to cook until evaporated (5-6 mins). Leave to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the pancetta mixture with the soaked breadcrumbs, the minced beef and pork, parsley and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Mix well (with your hands preferably) and form into small balls (approx. 2.5cm / 1 inch in diameter). Pile on a plate and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
- Griddle, fry or roast the meatballs to give them some colour (they don’t need to be completely cooked through as they’ll be in the oven later).
Mac ‘n’ Cheese
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until slightly undercooked (it will finish in the oven). Drain and add a drizzle of olive oil to prevent from sticking together.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C / 350F.
- Meanwhile, add butter to a frying pan over a medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir until it forms a paste. Continue to stir well for about 5 mins (this will cook the flour and avoid the sauce having a raw flour flavour).
- Add the Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste and stir in.
- Add the milk and whisk continuously, bringing it to the boil slowly. It will begin to thicken. At this point, add the grated cheese (hold back a small handful of cheddar for the top) and stir in until melted.
- Taste a little and season to taste.
- Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce and add to oven-proof dish. Add the meatballs and push them into the pasta, leaving the tops poking out. Top with the roughly sliced spring onion and extra cheddar cheese.
- Bake for about 30mins. Finish off with a blast under the grill to get the top crispy (don’t burn it!)
Subscribe now for a free copy of the Gran Luchito e-cookbook filled with delicious, authentic Mexican recipes and join our mailing list for all the latest recipes, news and blog updates.
