A cheesy meatball casserole loaded with meatballs, savory marinara, a mixture of Italian spices, and topped with mozzarella!
We are ramping up for Fall this weekend. For today, we’re sharing Kim’s meatball casserole.
It’s a hearty baked pasta loaded with Italian flavors. Kim added a few extra spices to the dish to take it to the next level.
When topped with mozzarella, you have a whole Italian meal in one convenient package.
Add some cheesy stuffed breadsticks and you can feed a crowd!
In regards to kitchen tools, all you need is an oven, aluminum foil, a big spoon, and a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Everything is mixed in one dish, covered, and popped into the oven. Dinner is done in less than an hour. So, shall we get cooking?
How to make meatball casserole?
First, start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F. and prepare a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Next, dump in the uncooked pasta, marinara, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, salt, and meatballs.
Afterward, use a large spoon to stir all the ingredients together.
Be careful when you do this because the liquid can easily slosh out of the pan.
Then, cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it into the oven to bake for about 45-minutes.
Go ahead stir it halfway through the cooking process. Once the timer goes off remove it from the oven.
After that, remove the aluminum foil and check the noodles. If they’re just about done, top the casserole with cheese.
Last, place it back into the oven to bake for about 10-minutes to melt the mozzarella. Turn off the oven and serve.
That’s it, your cheesy meatball casserole recipe is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy it and wish you all the best 🙂
Oh, if you don’t want to use store-bought marinara, then try our marinara sauce recipe instead.
Recipe Tips:
- Now, we clearly made a mozzarella meatball casserole, but you can try any cheese you like better. For example, Parmesan cheese also works really well for this dish. However, it’s not a stringy cheese, so you won’t get a nice cheese pull.
- I don’t recommend using spaghetti noodles unless you purchase “pan-sized,” or break the dry noodles in half before adding them to the casserole dish.
- Feel free to add fresh diced peppers, mushrooms, or even pepperoncinis to the recipe for even more flavor. Also, crushed red pepper on top adds a nice kick to the meal.
- If you need a cheesy, tasty side dish, I recommend our Instant Pot ranch potatoes.
Meatball Casserole
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Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Uncooked Ziti Penne, Cavattapi, or Rigatoni
- 24 Ounce Jar Marinara Sauce
- 3 cups Chicken Broth or Water
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 Ounces Frozen Pre-Cooked Meatballs
- 8 Ounces Mozzarella shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F,
- Place the uncooked noodles, marinara, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, salt, and meatballs in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Stir to combine.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil, so no steam escapes. Bake the casserole for 40 to 50 minutes. Stir halfway through to ensure the pasta cooks evenly.
- Remove from the oven, stir, and check to see if the pasta is cooked to the desired consistency. If the pasta is still too firm, place the casserole back in the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes (add ¼ cup to ½ cup of additional water or broth if the casserole appears dry). If the pasta is cooked to al dente, remove the foil, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and hot.
- Allow the casserole to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.