Dinner has never been so easy and so good! This Meatball Casserole combines everyone's favorites, meatballs, pasta, cheese, and tomatoes, into a delicious casserole that goes together quickly and easily. Great for weeknights and delicious enough for company.
Table of contents
Quick and Easy Casseroles
There’s always room in my life for meatballs and pasta. It has been one of my favorite meals ever since I was little. And this Meatball Casserole goes one better, especially as a mom, because it’s so easy to make and is a complete dinner in just one dish.
And easy casseroles take a lot of the work out of getting a quick dinner on the table. Dishes like Tuna Noodle Casserole, Cheesy Chicken Fiesta Casserole, Stuffed Shells, and Dump & Bake Pork Chops Casserole are among my “oh no, it’s 5 o’clock and I haven’t thought of dinner” favorites.
This easy baked pasta with meatballs just might head right to the top of the list. It’s the perfect combination of everything I adore, pasta, meatballs, tomatoes, and cheese. Yep, lots of ooey, gooey cheese - it's everyone's favorite, right?!
Did I mention that I managed to sneak a little veggie in there too? The kids will never notice it but the spinach gives it a little extra healthy dose amongst all that pasta. Don’t like spinach, you can omit it. Want a different cheese, no problem. There are so many delicious variations you can make to this easy dinner. Check them out below.
This meatball casserole is really simple to put together too. Just cook the pasta, precook the meatballs according to the package directions & grate the cheese ahead of time and you are pretty much ready to go.
Variations
- Meatballs - use frozen for easy prep or make your own. Change out the ground beef in homemade meatballs for a ground chicken, turkey, or pork version.
- Pasta - any small-shaped pasta can be exchanged for the penne such as rotini, elbow, or even shells.
- Cheese – I love to use smoked mozzarella in place of regular mozzarella to give this casserole a different and amazing flavor. You can also use gruyere in place of fontina cheese.
- Tomatoes – you can use regular diced tomatoes in place of the fire-roasted tomatoes or sub in your favorite marinara.
- Veggies – omit the spinach altogether or sub in cooked broccoli or cauliflower.
How to make Baked Pasta with Meatballs
- Gather ingredients. Cook pasta and meatballs as directed on the package.
- Saute garlic and red pepper flakes in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add fire-roasted tomatoes with juice to the skillet.
- Sprinkle in Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.
- Add spinach, stirring as you go. Believe it or not, it will all fit in the skillet.
- Cook until wilted.
- If your skillet is large enough, add meatballs and pasta to it and stir. I transferred mine to a large bowl in order to fit it all.
How to assemble casserole
- Place half of the meatball-pasta mixture in greased casserole and level out.
- Toss mozzarella and fontina cheese together. Sprinkle half on top of meatball-pasta mixture.
- Place the remaining meatball-pasta mixture on top of the cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and pop it into the oven.
Out comes a meatball casserole that no one can say no to! You can even make it ahead of time, either the night before or in the morning, and store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake. I like to serve mine with a side salad and my cheesy Parmesan Rolls which always makes it a dinner my family asks for again and again. Enjoy!
More Italian recipe favorites
Barbecue Chicken Bacon Bake lets you BBQ even when the weather isn't cooperating. Chicken is covered with tasty BBQ sauce then topped with bacon and plenty of cheese.
Italian Sausage Tortellini Skillet says it all and it's ready in less than 30 minutes!
Stuffed Pasta Shells (one of my favorites) from Girl With The Iron Cast is a cheesy delight! Giant pasta shells stuffed with 3 cheeses and spinach then smothered with sauce.
Air Fryer Spaghetti and Meatball Muffins are always a kids favorite. Muffins made of pasta are filled with meatballs and covered in sauce and cheese then quickly toasted up in the air fryer. It's one fun Italian dinner.
Find lots of easy family dinners here on 2CM!
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Meatball Casserole
Ingredients
- ¾-1 lb. penne pasta
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin light olive oil
- 1-3 teaspoons minced garlic, depending on your tastes
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cans 14-oz each diced fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
- 1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 8 oz fresh spinach
- 1-½ to 2 bags 16-oz each frozen Angus beef meatballs, thawed & cooked
- 8-12 oz mozzarella, shredded
- 4 oz fontina cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Cook pasta according to package directions to barely al dente. Drain & set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Saute garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes with juice, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and cook for 3 minutes or until wilted.
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in meatballs and pasta.
- In a large bowl, toss cheeses together.
- Pour half of the pasta-meatball mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with remaining pasta-meatball mixture and finish with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbling.
- Serve.
Notes
- Meatballs - use frozen for easy prep or make your own. Change out the ground beef in homemade meatballs for a ground chicken, turkey, or pork version.
- Pasta - any small-shaped pasta can be exchanged for the penne such as rotini, elbow, or even shells.
- Cheese – I love to use smoked mozzarella in place of regular mozzarella to give this casserole a different and amazing flavor. You can also use gruyere in place of fontina cheese.
- Tomatoes – you can use regular diced tomatoes in place of the fire-roasted tomatoes or sub in your favorite marinara.
- Veggies – omit the spinach altogether or sub in cooked broccoli or cauliflower.
Nutrition
This post has been updated with better step-by-step instructions and new photos. It was first published on February 8, 2017.
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