Indulge in a comforting Au Gratin Meatball Bake, featuring juicy meatballs smothered in a creamy, cheesy sauce and baked to golden perfection. Perfect for cozy dinners!
Au Gratin Meatball Bake is the epitome of Midwest comfort casseroles. The meatballs are stuffed with onion and cheddar and then baked up in au gratin potatoes. Speed up dinner by using a box mix of au gratin potatoes. This recipe is comforting and delicious. Serve it with a side of your favorite vegetables. This also reheats really well and makes a great leftover meal during the week.
Healthy For The Soul
Au Gratin Meatball Bake is the epitome of Midwest comfort casseroles. The meatballs are stuffed with onion and cheddar and then baked up in au gratin potatoes.
Speed up dinner by using a box mix of au gratin potatoes. This recipe is soul warming and delicious. Serve it with a side of your favorite vegetables.
This also reheats really well and makes a great leftover meal during the week.
Some will comment how unhealthy this is. While I agree this is not the leanest of recipes, it is a comforting meal when someone is need of comfort and deliciousness.
We like to say these recipes are healthy for the soul.
This is also a quick and easy meal busy people can get on the table quickly. I can promise that kids will eat this recipe too.
Any Cheese You Please
This is the cheese that I used for my recipe. You can use any cheese that you prefer.
Remember that the cheese you choose can add some oil to the dish. This is why I use a leaner ground beef.
You may see some of this oil at the top of the casserole when it first comes out of the oven. This is normal and as the casserole rests, it will absorb back into the dish.
This is why it is important to let it rest!
If this will really bother you, you can use a leaner cheese in the meatball recipe. A nice grated parmesan will be nice or a low fat mozzarella.
Grate It Yourself
I think it is important to grate the cheese yourself. This gives the meatballs a better texture when baking.
Shredded cheese does have a perfectly fine plant cellulose coating on it for preservation, but it does not allow the cheese to melt as nicely.
Feel free to experiment with any cheeses that you like.
Let The Meatballs Rest
It is important to let any meatballs rest before cooking them. If you have made my Best Ever Meatballs recipe, you will see that I always let them rest.
This allows the meat and fillings to bind together. This is so they do not fall apart when the meatballs are cooked.
While browning the meatballs, make sure you do not force the meatballs from the pan when you think it is time to turn them. When they are ready to be turned, they will lift easily from the pan.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of lean ground beef, be sure to use the 90/10 mix
- 1 medium sized yellow onion, minced
- 8 ounces of any cheddar cheese of your choice (it is better to grate it yourself)
- 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed finely
- 1 teaspoon of dried dill
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1 Family Size box of Au Gratin Potatoes (7.7 ounce) + milk, water and butter the box calls for. *reduce the butter the package directions call for by half
- 1 tablespoon of butter to brown meatballs
Instructions
- To make the meatballs, combine the beef, crackers, dill, onion and garlic powders, salt, black pepper, mustard, milk and eggs whisked together, mix well but do not overmix.
- Grate your cheese and reserve one cup of the cheese for topping the casserole. Add the rest of the cheese to the meat mixture and combine well but do not over mix.
- For the meat into 3 inch balls, set aside on a baking sheet as you roll them and let them all sit for 15 to 20 minutes before browning.
- Add a tablespoon of butter to a skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides. They cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn occasionally. You will know they are ready to turn when they lift easily from the pan. If they are not lifting easily, they are not ready to turn.
- You may have to brown the meatballs in batches depending on the size of your pan. After the meatballs are browned on all sides, prepare a plate with paper towels and let the meatballs rest on the paper towels.
- While the meatballs rest on the paper towels, prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish by spraying it with non stick spray. Follow the directions on the box of au gratin poatoes for the measurements of water, milk and butter. But reduce the butter by half. Mix the potatoes and seasoning with the water, milk and butter and then pour into the baking dish.
- Add the meatballs to the baking dish and give this all a stir. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Cook time depends on every oven. Keep an eye on this the first time you make this. When it is bubbly and brown, remove from the oven and let rest loosely covered with a piece of foil, It will need to rest a few minutes for all the liquid to absorb into the potatoes.
- Top with some dried dill or chives before serving.
Enjoyed This Au Gratin Meatball Bake?
We hope you loved this cheesy and comforting dish! If you’re looking for more delicious recipes, check out these next:
- Cheesy Herb Bread – The perfect side to soak up all that creamy sauce!
- Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes – A flavorful and crispy companion to your meatball bake.
- Winter Vegetable and Bean Soup with Spicy Sausage – A hearty and warming soup that pairs wonderfully with this dish.
- Recipe adapted from thetipsyhousewife
