Go Back
–+ servings
A white baking dish filled with a baked meatball casserole covered in tomato sauce and melted cheese sits on a cooling rack.
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Meatball Casserole

This quick and easy meatball casserole is a cozy, tasty dish that's perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight. It's brimming with the best Italian flavors.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: beef
Servings: 4
Author: Bella Bucchiotti

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 24 Ounces marinara sauce
  • 2½ Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ Pound lean ground beef
  • ½ Pound Italian sausage mild, ground
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • ¼ Cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • ¼ Cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
  • 1 yellow onion small, finely diced
  • 2 Cloves garlic minced
  • ¾ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
  • cooked pasta to serve

Optional Garnish:

  • 2 Tablespoons fresh basil or Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
  • Stir together the beef, Italian sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese in a large mixing bowl until just combined; don’t overmix.
  • Use a cookie scoop to scoop the meat and roll into 9 evenly-sized meatballs.
  • Arrange the meatballs in the baking dish.
  • Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake covered with foil for 20 to 25 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.
  • Discard the foil and cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
  • Serve over hot pasta, garnished with more parmesan and some chopped fresh herbs if desired.

Notes

Chop finely: Finely dicing the garlic and onions will ensure they integrate into the meatball mixture.
Don't overmix: Stir the meatball ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will result in denser meatballs.
Wine pairing: Chianti, Sangiovese or Valpolicella wine would be really good with this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 2360mg | Potassium: 995mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1392IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 480mg | Iron: 5mg

QR code

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.

qr code