Why We Love Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
What family can resist a yummy, bubbly, gooey, cheesy casserole? We sure can’t! And this Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole recipe has shot to the top of our list of favorites… It’s a simple, yet hearty and super kid-friendly, dinner you can serve any night of the week! With basic ingredients like a box of pasta, a large jar of good-quality marinara, a package of frozen meatballs, a block of cream cheese, and a bag of shredded mozzarella, you can make an amazingly delicious dinner no one will turn down. Bonus: Leftovers are delish and great for lunch meal prepping. From start to finish, the frozen meatball casserole is ready to serve in only 1 hour – but you can even prep or fully make it ahead and freeze for later. Either way, this easy crowd-pleasing favorite will make it to the top of your weekly meal plan rotation immediately!
Meatball Casserole Ingredients
Dried pasta – like rigatoni, penne pasta, ziti, bowtie pasta, or fusilli Jarred pasta sauce – marinara sauce, or whatever spaghetti sauce flavor you prefer Water Frozen meatballs – full-size or mini meatballs Spices – Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper (optional), salt Cream cheese – full fat or light Mozzarella cheese – shredded Chopped fresh parsley – to garnish
Pro Tip: It’s important to remember that the flavor coming from such simple store-bought ingredients means those ingredients need to be good quality. Make sure to buy high-quality marinara for this recipe, as well as better frozen meatballs if you can find them. This will make a big difference in the overall taste and texture of the casserole. You can also experiment with different styles of jarred pasta sauces like vodka sauce, Arrabbiata sauce, or spicy Diablo sauce.
How to Make Dump-and-Bake Meatball Casserole
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Set out a large 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In the baking dish, combine the dried pasta, marinara, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and salt. Then pour the water over the top and gently stir to combine the ingredients. Arrange the frozen meatballs over the top of the pasta. Then cut the cream cheese block into small chunks and arrange the cream cheese pieces over the top of the pasta as well. Cover the top of the pan tightly with foil. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Once the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the top of the pasta and meatballs with shredded mozzarella cheese. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F. Then place the pan back in the oven, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly around the edges. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve warm.
Optional Add-Ins
If you like to “throw a few things in” consider adding…
Parmesan cheese Extra veggies like chopped bell peppers, onions, zucchini, fresh mushrooms, or a bag of frozen mixed vegetables Pork sausage Turkey Meatballs (instead of beef)
Make Ahead Tips
This meatball casserole recipe is a wonderful recipe to prep ahead and bake later in the week. You can even make it in foil freezer pans and freeze it for later use! If prepping ahead to bake later in the week, combine all the ingredients, reserving the water to add right before baking. Cover with foil and keep in the fridge until ready to bake. If planning to freeze, combine all ingredients including the water. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Serving Suggestions
I highly suggest serving this classic Italian-style meatball casserole with a refreshing salad and crusty garlic bread. We love our perfectly simple Steakhouse Caesar Salad or even just a handful of fresh greens with a light vinaigrette. For a salad with an extra bit of healthy goodness and pizzaz try a Crunchy Kale Caesar Salad. And if you’ve got a bit of time, these Homemade Breadsticks are always a big hit and are great to make in bulk!
Looking for More Casserole Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna Casserole Deep Dish Vegetarian Quiche King Ranch Chicken Casserole One-Pot Chicken Noodle Casserole Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake Supreme Pizza Baked Ziti
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