Here’s a comfort-food dream recipe: Macaroni & Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf — juicy meatloaf on the outside, creamy mac & cheese on the inside. Perfect for hearty dinners! 🍝🍖🧀
🍖 Macaroni & Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf
Serves: 6–8
Prep Time: 20–25 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
- 2 lbs (900 g) ground beef (or half beef, half pork)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
For the Macaroni & Cheese
- 1 cup elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (or mix with mozzarella)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Optional Topping
- ½ cup ketchup, BBQ sauce, or a mix, for glaze
Instructions
1. Make the Mac & Cheese
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.
- In a saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour, cook 1 min.
- Whisk in milk until smooth.
- Stir in cheese until melted. Season with salt & pepper.
- Set aside to cool slightly (so it won’t melt meatloaf when assembling).
2. Make the Meatloaf Base
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, mix ground meat, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and Italian seasoning.
- Press half the mixture into a loaf shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a loaf pan.
3. Assemble
- Spoon the mac & cheese over the bottom layer of meat.
- Top with the remaining meat, sealing edges and smoothing top.
- Brush with ketchup or BBQ sauce if desired.
4. Bake
- Bake 55–65 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F (70°C).
- Let rest 10 minutes before slicing — this keeps the mac & cheese inside from spilling out.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overfill with mac & cheese; it can ooze out.
- Cool mac & cheese slightly before layering.
- Optional crust: sprinkle panko or extra cheese on top 10 min before done for crunch.
- Slice carefully with a serrated knife.
Variations
- Spicy version: add diced jalapeños to mac & cheese.
- Bacon version: line the loaf pan with bacon slices before adding meat.
- Cheesy explosion: mix in mozzarella sticks inside the mac & cheese for extra gooeyness.
This dish pairs beautifully with steamed veggies, garlic bread, or a simple side salad.
I can also give you a one-pan mac & cheese meatloaf bake that’s even easier to prep and serve. Do you want that version?
