Meatball Casserole is the ultimate cozy, family-friendly dinner! Cheesy, saucy, and satisfying, this easy recipe skips the boiling by baking the pasta right in the sauce!
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Meatball casserole is the winter comfort food we all need right now.
If your idea of comfort food is a big plate of spaghetti piled high with meatballs (or this Instant Pot Spaghetti), I’ve got your new favorite dinner recipe right here!
Meatball casserole has spaghetti and meatball vibes, but extra cheesy and extra easy. What more could you ask for?! As someone who could easily dive head-first into a plate of Crockpot Lasagna, I assure you, this recipe is going to knock your socks off.
- Everything Cooks in One Dish. No boiling the pasta or frying the meatballs separately. You just stir it all together and bake. It’s like a dream!
- Comfort Food, Italian-American Style. If you have a weakness for dishes like Manicotti and Stuffed Shells, you’re going to love the flavors here. Zesty marinara, juicy meatballs, creamy and melty cheeses—the gang’s all here.
- Store-Bought Shortcuts. Frozen meatballs + jarred marinara + a box of pasta add up to a tasty, satisfying dinner your whole family will love.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Pasta. I recommend ziti or another short tubular pasta.
- Marinara Sauce. Spring for the good stuff! I like Rao’s, Delallo, or Carbone.
- Tomato Sauce. For extra tomato flavor.
- Water + Milk. The pasta absorbs the liquid as it bakes, making it tender. And milk makes the sauce creamy.
- Cottage Cheese. Makes the casserole creamy and ups the protein factor. (You’ll also love these Marry Me Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups.)
- Parmesan + Mozzarella. A meatball casserole without nutty, salty Parm and melty mozzarella would be a tragedy.
- Seasonings. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Cooked Meatballs. You can use frozen for convenience, go with my favorite Turkey Meatballs (which is what I used here), or try Pork Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, or Lentil Meatballs.
- Fresh Parsley or Basil. Optional, for a pop of color and flavor.
How to Make Meatball Casserole
Combine (photo 1). Stir everything except the mozzarella and fresh herbs in a 9×13 baking dish. I like to position the meatballs so there’s one in the middle of each serving.
Bake (photo 2). Cover and bake at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Cheese It Up (photo 3).Uncover, stir, top with mozzarella, then cover again and bake 15 minutes more.
Rest and Serve (photo 4). When the pasta is tender, your meatball casserole is done! Rest for 10 minutes, then serve with additional Parmesan and herbs. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Make It Meatless. Swap in your favorite plant-based meatballs.
- Make It Spicy. Add crushed red pepper flakes or use arrabbiata sauce. That’s a spicy meatball (casserole)!
- Veg It Up. Stir in chopped baby spinach, Sautéed Mushrooms, or Roasted Broccoli before baking.
What to Serve with Meatball Casserole
- Salad. Add some greens to your dinner plate with this simple Arugula Salad or Mediterranean Salad.
- Bread. Soak up the creamy sauce with Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or Homemade Garlic Bread.
- Vegetables. Roasted Zucchini or Sautéed Broccoli would be fab!
Meatball Casserole
Video
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces uncooked ziti pasta or similar short, tubular pasta
- 24 ounces good quality marinara sauce I like roasted garlic; try Rao’s, Delallo, or Carbone
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 cup milk I used 1%
- 1 (16-ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese (I used Good Culture)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 14 ounces cooked meatballs thawed if frozen (I use my Turkey Meatballs, but store bought is just fine!)
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil optional for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 425°F.
- In a 9×13 inch baking dish, stir together the uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, tomato sauce, water, milk, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir in the meatballs. Reposition the noodles as needed so that they are all covered in liquid.
- Cover the dish snugly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, uncover, and stir. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Recover and bake 15 minutes more.
- Test the pasta for doneness; it should be cooked to al dente (tender but with a bit of chew). If the noodles are too firm, recover and continue baking as needed.
- Let stand for 10 minutes to set up prior to serving. Sprinkle with Parmesan and herbs as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover meatball casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, or microwave individual portions.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze the baked casserole for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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