🍝 What Makes This Recipe So Good
This recipe is super easy and simple but tastes incredible! I mean pasta and meatballs is always a winner right? You’ll make the delicious fresh meatballs from scratch, add them to a baking dish filled with pasta coated in marinara sauce. After mozzarella cheese is spread all over the top of the dish, the casserole gets baked, resulting in melted cheesy perfection. No one can resist this meatball casserole. It’s a family favorite the kids will absolutely love. This dish is also amazing for entertaining to make for any dinner party, or to bring to a potluck. It’ll be a hit for sure! You can very easily modify this recipe to your preference or dietary needs. Use gluten free pasta if you stay away from wheat, or zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for a lower carb option.
👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips
Try not to over-mix the meatball mixture. Just mix everything until just well combined. When overworked, the meatballs could turn out too dense or a little dry. Then, to shape them, scoop about 2 tablespoons worth of meat mixture for each meatball, and use the palm of your hand to roll them. You’ll want them to be about the same size, so they all cook evenly. This casserole can me prepped ahead of time and stored refrigerated for about 24 hours before baking. Just make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil until ready to bake. When it comes to the cheese, I always like to recommend buying a block and shredding it yourself. Prepackaged cheese is fine on a pinch, but it does contain starches to avoid each string of cheese to stick to each other in the bag, which can keep the cheese to melt well. Freshly shredded is always best! With this meatball casserole, you could even buy fresh mozzarella balls and add slices on top before baking. Cheesy goodness! The pasta shape doesn’t matter that much but I’d stick to short pasta, such as rotini, penne or ziti. Keep in mind too that the pasta will continue cooking while the casserole is baking, so try not to overcook them first. For best results, cook them just al-dente or even 1 or 2 minutes shy of the al-dente recommended directions on the packaging.
🥩 More Ground Meat Recipes To Try
Ground Beef and Gravy Over Mashed Potatoes John Wayne Casserole Baked Chicken Meatballs Healthy Swedish Meatballs (Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free) Greek Chicken Meatballs Keto Meatballs and Tomato Sauce Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup) Homemade Air Fryer Meatballs Fully Loaded Burger Bowl with “Special Sauce”
