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This one-pan Meatball Casserole is one of my favorite family favorites when I want something simple, comforting, and completely hands-off. Made with pasta, meatballs, and marinara, it turns simple ingredients into a quick, easy dump and bake dinner. Cheesy, hearty, and satisfying, it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This Meatball Casserole Recipe
I love this Meatball Casserole because it turns a classic family favorite into a no-fuss, one-pan meal that’s just as comforting as it is easy to make.
- All the comfort of pasta and meatballs without extra pots or pans
- Everything bakes together in one dish for easy prep and cleanup
- Cheesy, hearty, and satisfying for busy weeknights
- Simple to customize with your favorite sauce, cheese, or veggies
And if you’re craving more easy recipes, try baking your meatballs into my homemade Garlic Bread Meatball Bombs, making hearty Meatball Subs, or going low-carb with Meatball Parmesan served over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or alongside cauliflower breadsticks.
Ingredients Notes
- Pasta: Penne pasta, ziti, rotini, or rigatoni work best. Long pasta, like fettuccine or spaghetti, can be broken into small pieces before cooking or left long, like in my Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs.
- Meatballs: Italian meatballs or chicken meatballs (frozen or homemade meatballs, fully cooked) are perfect.
- Sauce: Use your favorite pasta sauce, store-bought or homemade. Tomato basil is especially flavorful.
- Broth: Low-sodium beef, chicken, or vegetable broth, depending on the meatballs.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Cheese: Mozzarella works best; provolone or part-skim mozzarella can be substituted.
- Garnish: Herbs like fresh parsley or fresh basil, optional.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Variations
- Swedish Meatball Casserole: Swap marinara for cream of mushroom soup and sour cream.
- Spicy Meatball Casserole: Use hot Italian sausage meatballs or add extra red pepper flakes.
- Vegetarian Meatball Casserole: Use meatless meatballs, vegetable broth, and dairy-free cheese.
- Low-Carb Version: Substitute zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for pasta.
- White Sauce Meatball Casserole: Replace marinara with Alfredo sauce for a creamy twist.
- Tex-Mex Meatball Casserole: Swap marinara for salsa, use Monterey Jack cheese, and add fresh cilantro.
How to Make Meatball Casserole
- Mix the ingredients: Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, then add uncooked pasta, meatballs, marinara sauce, broth, and seasonings. Stir until the pasta is mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Bake covered: Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake at 400°F for 40 minutes. Check the pasta; if it isn’t al dente, bake an additional 5 minutes.
- Add cheese: Remove foil and sprinkle mozzarella cheese (and a little Parmesan cheese, if desired) on top. Bake uncovered for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Garnish with parsley and serve warm with garlic bread or a side salad.
Recipe Tips
- Use low-sodium broth to avoid excess salt.
- Shred mozzarella fresh for the best melt and cheesy texture.
- Choose a high-quality spaghetti sauce or for maximum flavor.
- Check pasta at 40 minutes, as baking times can vary by oven.
- Let the casserole rest 5 minutes before serving to let flavors meld and cheese set.
- You can halve this recipe and make it in a 9×9 or 10×10 baking dish.
Storage instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave or oven until heated through.
- Freeze: This casserole is not freezer-friendly, as the pasta can become mushy.
- Make Ahead: Assemble up to 8 hours in advance, cover, and store in the refrigerator. Bake when ready.
More Easy Casserole Recipes to Try
If you’ve tried this Meatball Casserole Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Meatball Casserole
Serves — 6
Dump and bake Meatball Casserole is a cheesy, one-pan family dinner with pasta, marinara, and melty mozzarella. It’s cozy comfort food and your new favorite recipe for busy weeknights.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta like ziti, rotini, penne, etc
- 28 ounce bag frozen meatballs thawed
- 24 ounce marinara sauce
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2½ cups mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
- Fresh parsley chopped for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Pour the dried noodles, meatballs, pasta sauce, broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes into the dish. Stir around and try to push the pasta down so it’s mostly covered by the sauce/liquid.1 pound dried pasta, 28 ounce bag frozen meatballs, 24 ounce marinara sauce, 3 cups low sodium beef broth, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Tightly cover in foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and see if the pasta is cooked to al dente. If it isn’t, cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Once the pasta reaches al dente, top with the mozzarella cheese and return to the oven, uncovered, for about 5-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted.2½ cups mozzarella cheese
- Serve warm topped with parsley and a crusty bread, if desired.Fresh parsley
Jenn’s Notes
Storage :
- Store: Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in microwave or oven until hot.
- Freeze: This recipe does not freeze well because the pasta gets mushy.
- Make Ahead: Assemble up to 8 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready.
- Use low-sodium broth to avoid excess salt.
- Shred mozzarella fresh for the best melt.
- Choose a high-quality spaghetti sauce.
- Always check pasta at 40 minutes-ovens vary.
- Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 806kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1130mg | Potassium: 1172mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 846IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 292mg | Iron: 4mg
