Meatball Casserole

Why You’ll Love It

Authentic Italian flavors: Marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, garlic, and Italian sausage are just some of the traditional Italian flavors in this cozy comfort food recipe.
Quick and easy to make: You just need to make the meatballs and add them to a baking dish with the other ingredients. All that’s left to do is pop it in the oven – easy!
A crowd-pleasing dish: Whether you’re making something hearty for a family dinner or you have friends coming over, this is the kind of recipe everyone always enjoys.

Baked Meatballs Casserole Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Marinara sauce: As this is a main ingredient, it’s worth choosing good-quality marinara sauce (or make your own marinara sauce recipe!)
Italian sausage: Mild Italian sausage is good, or you can use spicy!
Ground beef: Choose lean ground beef. Fatty ground beef will release a lots of liquid into the casserole.
Egg: To bind the meatballs.
Dried breadcrumbs: Also to bind the meatballs.
Mozzarella and parmesan cheese: Cheese pairs so well with beef and marinara.
Garlic: Add extra if you love it.
Basil or flat-leaf parsley: An optional garnish.

How to Make Cheesy Meatball Casserole

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Make the meatballs: Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese. Use a cookie scoop to scoop the mixture into meatballs.
Assemble the casserole: Pour some of the marinara sauce into a casserole dish and add the meatballs. Pour over the rest of the marinara sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake it: Cover with foil and bake until the meatballs are cooked through. Discard the foil and cook for another few minutes until the cheese on top is bubbling. Serve hot.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and double-check your Italian sausage ingredients.
Ground beef: Ground chicken, ground turkey or hot Italian sausage would also work. You can mix and match different proteins.
Vegetarian version: Swap the ground meat for your preferred vegetarian protein.
Dried breadcrumbs: If you only have plain breadcrumbs, you can use those plus a pinch of Italian seasoning.
Low carb meatball casserole: Serve the casserole over cauliflower rice instead of pasta. Use sugar-free marinara sauce.
Vegetables: Add some grated zucchini, spinach or kale for a vegetable boost.
Marinara sauce: Swap the marinara sauce with roasted garlic, three cheese, vodka, or arrabbiata sauce.
Garlic and onions: Don’t have garlic and onions on hand? Skip the chopping and add a teaspoon of garlic powder and a teaspoon of onion powder instead.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Begin your delicious Italian meal with focaccia and peperonata.
Side dishes: Serve meatball casserole with cooked pasta or garlic bread, and maybe a lemon parmesan salad.
Desserts: Finish up with tiramisu cookies or pistachio biscotti and perhaps an espresso.

How to Store Meatball Casserole

Store: Leftover meatballs and sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze meatball casserole in an airtight container for a freezer meal that’s good for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost frozen meatballs in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed through. In a hurry? You can also reheat the meatballs in the microwave.