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Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole

Cheesy Dump-and-Bake Meatball Casserole Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 570
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb frozen meatballs
  • 12 oz uncooked short pasta (penne, rotini, or rigatoni)
  • 24 oz jar marinara sauce
  • 2 cups water or chicken broth
  • 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder (optional)

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a 9x13 baking dish, stir together the frozen meatballs, uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water or broth, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until combined.
  2. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. The pasta should be nearly tender.
  3. Remove the foil, stir the casserole, and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for 5 more minutes.
  4. Switch the oven to broil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Let it rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

The dish will look quite saucy when it first comes out of the oven, but the pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it sits. For a crispier cheese top, broil an extra minute, just stay right by the oven because it can burn quickly.