Mac and Cheese Cheeseburger Cups (Printer View)

Cheesy macaroni and beef filling baked into handheld muffin cups for a flavorful main or party treat.

# Components:

→ Mac and Cheese

01 - 1 cup elbow macaroni
02 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk
03 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheeseburger Filling

09 - 1/2 pound ground beef
10 - 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
11 - 1 tablespoon ketchup
12 - 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
13 - 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Assembly

16 - 12 mini burger buns or 12 slices sandwich bread, crusts trimmed and flattened
17 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
18 - Nonstick cooking spray

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray.
02 - Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, stirring, until thickened slightly, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in cheddar, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth. Fold in cooked macaroni and combine thoroughly. Set aside.
05 - In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion until beef is browned and fully cooked, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
06 - Stir ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into cooked beef mixture. Cook for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat.
07 - Press each bun or bread slice into the muffin tin cups to create bases. Ensure bread covers bottom and sides of each cup if using sandwich bread.
08 - Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon cheeseburger mixture into each bread cup. Top with generous spoonful of mac and cheese.
09 - Sprinkle remaining shredded cheddar evenly over each prepared cup.
10 - Bake in preheated oven for 15–18 minutes, until tops are golden and cheese is bubbly.
11 - Allow cups to cool slightly. Remove from muffin tin and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Easily made with basic pantry and fridge staples
  • Perfectly portioned for parties or family dinners
  • Freezer friendly for make-ahead meals or lunchboxes
  • A great way to use leftover bread or slider buns
02 -
  • Great for using up stale or leftover bread
  • High protein from beef and cheese
  • Crowd pleaser for any party or kid sleepover
03 -
  • Always press the bread or buns into the muffin cups as evenly as possible so filling does not leak around the edges
  • Grate your own cheese whenever you can for the best melt and smoothest sauce
  • Let the baked cups rest five minutes so they stay intact when you lift them out

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