When you’re short on time on a busy weeknight, there’s no need to skimp on dinner! Just whip up this quick and easy Meatball Casserole. All you need are a few minutes of prep work to get this easy dinner ready and in the oven to bake.
Made with just four ingredients, this easy casserole recipe comes together quickly. And since it’s made with hearty beef and filling noodles, it’s the perfect comfort food to enjoy year-round.
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Pasta is always a great choice for dinner! And what goes better with pasta than meatballs? Combine those two classic ingredients in one easy-to-make dish with this simple meatball casserole recipe!
Ways To Serve This Casserole
Since this delicious dinner is made with pasta and meatballs, it’s a hearty meal all in one! But that doesn’t mean you can’t whip up a few other sides to serve with your pasta.
A simple garden salad is a great side dish for this casserole. You can also serve it with these Homemade Dinner Rolls or these Pepperoni Breadsticks.
What Is In Meatball Casserole?
Your family will love this rich and filling dinner recipe. And you are going to love the short ingredient list! That’s because you can prepare a full meal tonight using just four simple ingredients - meatballs, pasta sauce, pasta, and cheese.
Ingredient Notes
See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.
To make this simple casserole, you’ll need:
- Frozen meatballs - This recipe uses frozen Italian-style meatballs to save time in the kitchen.
- Pasta sauce - Use your favorite brand pasta sauce.
- Rotini - This twisty pasta is the perfect choice for the pasta sauce to cling to.
- Cheese - You will need shredded mozzarella cheese.
Recipe Variations
- Add some veggies. It’s easy to mix a few vegetables into your casserole to make a more rounded meal. Try adding some fresh spinach, chopped bell peppers, or sliced zucchini before baking.
- Make homemade meatballs. If you have extra time, try making your own meatballs from scratch using your favorite recipe. You can add the homemade meatballs directly to the casserole dish with the pasta and sauce.
- Mix in more cheese. If you want a cheesier pasta casserole, simply mix some extra cheese into the pasta and sauce before adding it to the pan. You can use mozzarella cheese or any other Italian style cheese to take the cheesiness to the next level.
- Add some fresh herbs. Enhance the flavor of your pasta sauce with the help of some fresh herbs. You can mix chopped basil, oregano, or parsley into the sauce before baking. Or simply sprinkle the finely chopped fresh herbs over the top of the dish before serving.
How to Make Meatball Casserole
To get your casserole ready for baking, start by preparing your pasta according to the package instructions. Cook the pasta until it’s slightly underdone to ensure that the noodles don’t get overbaked in the oven.
Once your pasta is ready, drain the water from the pot and stir in the pasta sauce. Then, transfer the pasta to a baking dish and spread it out in an even layer.
Arrange your frozen meatballs around the dish, pressing them down into the pasta and sauce. After that, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top.
Place the dish in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
How to Store and Reheat
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. The leftovers will stay good for up to 3 days.
To reheat the leftovers, warm them up in the microwave or bake in a 350 degree oven until heated through. If your pasta gets dry while you reheat it, add a small amount of marinara sauce or butter to the dish.
Recipe FAQs
You can choose from a variety of different types of pasta when preparing this easy casserole. Some great choices include rotini, rigatoni, spaghetti, bowtie, elbow macaroni, and penne.
Yes you can. This recipe uses frozen meatballs to save time but you can make your own.
Helpful Kitchen Tools (Affiliate links).
- Casserole Dish - This OXO 3 Qt Baking Dish is a great basic casserole dish and it's perfect for taking a casserole to a potluck.
- Liquid Measuring Cups - I have this 3-piece Glass Pyrex set. It includes 1, 2 and 4-Cup glass measuring cups.
- Saucepan - This Cuisinart Stainless saucepan with a lid is one that I use a lot in my kitchen.
- Dish Towels - I love these dish towels and I have them in yellow.
If you need more delicious casserole recipes here are a few of our favorites!
- Chicken Alfredo Casserole
- Ham and Cheese Casserole
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Beef And Noodle Casserole
I hope you enjoy this Meatball Casserole Recipe! If you try it, please come back and rate it and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from you!
Meatball Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta, prepared
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 14 ounce package frozen Italian meatballs
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain.
- Stir together the cooked pasta and pasta sauce.
- Pour the pasta and sauce into the prepared baking dish.
- Press the meatballs into the pasta and sauce.
- Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.