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This meatball casserole gives me pasta, meatballs, and marinara in one dish, and it is the easiest version I make. The dry pasta bakes right in the sauce until it is tender, the meatballs go soft and warm all the way through, and the mozzarella on top turns golden and bubbly. Every bite is saucy, cheesy, and hearty.
On a busy weeknight, this is what gets dinner on the table without a sink full of pots to wash after. I keep a bag of frozen meatballs on hand for it, so I am halfway there before I even start.
The dry pasta goes straight into the dish and cooks in the marinara and beef broth as it bakes. That means it soaks up flavor the whole time instead of getting coated in sauce at the end. It is the difference between pasta that tastes seasoned all the way through and pasta that tastes plain under sauce.
Tested & Perfected
Why I Went Back In and Retested This One From Scratch
I went back into the kitchen because I wanted to know if the pasta really needed to be boiled first. I tested it both ways. Boiling the pasta separately works, but it means an extra pot and more cleanup, and the flavor was flatter. Cooking the dry pasta right in the sauce and broth won on every count, so that is the only way I make it now. I also dialed in low sodium beef broth after a saltier batch, and now it tastes seasoned instead of salty.
This Part Matters
The dry pasta goes into the dish uncooked, and it only cooks through if it is sitting in enough liquid. Stir everything together and press the pasta down so it is mostly covered by the sauce and broth before it goes in the oven.
Then cover the dish tightly with foil for the first 40 minutes. That trapped steam is what actually cooks the pasta. If you lift the foil early or leave the pasta poking out of the liquid, you get crunchy dry bits on top.
Check for al dente before you add the cheese. If it needs a few more minutes, give it that time covered, then move on to the mozzarella.
What You’ll Need
- Dried pasta: Short shapes like ziti, rotini, penne, or rigatoni hold up best because they cook evenly submerged in the liquid. Long pasta like spaghetti does not work here unless you break it up, and even then it clumps.
- Frozen meatballs: Thaw them first so they warm through in the same time the pasta cooks. Italian or chicken meatballs both work, and homemade are great as long as they are already cooked through before they go in.
- Low sodium beef broth: Use low sodium, not regular. The pasta soaks up the broth as it bakes, so regular broth concentrates and the whole dish ends up too salty. If you use chicken meatballs, chicken broth is a natural match.
- Marinara sauce: The sauce flavors everything, so use one you actually like eating on its own. A flat jarred sauce makes a flat casserole.
- Mozzarella: Shred it fresh off the block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking powder that keeps it from melting smoothly, and you can see the difference in the finished top. I shred mine while the casserole bakes so it adds no extra time.
How to Make Meatball Casserole
Step 1: Prep the Dish Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. A well-greased dish keeps the pasta edges from sticking as they bake.
Step 2: Add Everything to the Dish Pour in the dried pasta, thawed meatballs, marinara, beef broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir it together and press the pasta down so it is mostly covered by the liquid.
Step 3: Bake Covered Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Pull it out and check the pasta. If it is not quite al dente, cover it back up and give it another 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add the Cheese Once the pasta is al dente, top the casserole with the shredded mozzarella and return it to the oven uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 5: Serve Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve it warm. A little crusty bread on the side is all it needs.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or cover and reheat in the oven until hot through.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this one. The baked pasta turns mushy when it thaws.
Make ahead: You can assemble the whole thing up to 8 hours in advance. Cover it and keep it in the fridge, then bake when you are ready.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
If dump and bake dinners are your thing, this is one of my favorite easy casserole recipes to keep in the rotation. A few more worth trying:
Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
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
- use low sodium beef broth, because the pasta soaks it up as it bakes and regular broth ends up too salty.
- Shred the mozzarella fresh off the block for a smooth, bubbly top.
- Start checking the pasta at 40 minutes since ovens vary, and use a marinara you enjoy on its own.
- You can halve the recipe in a 9×9 or 10×10 dish.
is the meatballs fresh ie raw or cooked
We used pre-cooked frozen meatballs