Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole Recipe

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This dump and bake meatball casserole uses just 5 ingredients and no boiling the pasta first! With minimal prep, you will have a hearty and cheese pasta and meatball bake the whole family will love.

Making a meal that the whole family will enjoy doesn’t get simpler than this meatball casserole. Using handy ingredients like frozen meatballs and jarred pasta sauce makes this a must for busy weeknights.

It’s so fast to put together because all you do is dump the ingredients into a casserole dish and let the oven do its magic.

And the recipe doesn’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets, so it’s great for beginner cooks or to whip up for your next holiday.

Cover it and let it bake in the oven while you take care of laundry, help with homework, feed the dog, and tackle the mountain of other tasks on your “To Do” list.

Topped off with tons of gooey mozzarella cheese, it’s such a hit that you will make this every week without fail.

Check out my lasagna casserole, garlic bread casserole, and my slow cooker pizza casserole for more family friendly dinner ideas!

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ingredients for an Italian casserole in individual bowls with a text overlay labeling them.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Pasta – Uncooked rotini pasta works best but use any shape other than long pasta noodles. They make it a little hard to eat without breaking up the noodles first.
Spaghetti sauce – Use your favorite marinara sauce. I like to use a spicy one like arrabbiata. You can also make this homemade Neapolitan sauce that is super delicious!
Meatballs – Fully-cooked miniature meatballs work the best. I have a recipe for homemade meatballs that you can make in a large batch and keep on hand in the freezer to make this meal even easier.
Seasoning – Homemade Italian seasoning or your favorite spice blend. Something as simple as a little oregano and basil works just fine.

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How To Make Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole

frozen meatballs and uncooked pasta noodles in a casserole dish

Preheat the oven to 425F. Spread the meatballs and uncooked pasta noodles in the bottom of a deep 9×13 pan or large baking dish.

spaghetti sauce on top of uncooked pasta noodles in a white baking dish

Pour in the water and tomato sauce. stir to combine. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake casserole for 40-45 minutes.

hand sprinkling spices over spaghetti sauce

Uncover and check that the pasta is tender. If not, cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover.

unbaked meatball casserole with shredded cheese on top

Sprinkle cheese over the top and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.

For the full recipe and detailed cooking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

dump and bake meatball casserole is one of my favorite recipes for a weeknight meal

Serving Suggestions

Serve this easy recipe with a fresh Italian salad and some toasted garlic bread to round out your meal!

For dessert, I recommend this cannoli dip. Serve it with waffle cone chips and the kids will love it.

easy dump and bake meatball casserole in a spoon

How long does it last?

If you have leftovers, they’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The pasta can dry out a little over time, so you might want to mix in some extra marinara sauce when you warm up the dish.

Can I make it ahead of time?

You can put the casserole together a few hours ahead of time, or even let it sit covered in the fridge overnight before it goes into the oven. The pasta will start to soften and soak up some of the liquid as it rests, so you might need to cut down the baking time a bit.

fork of pasta and meatball casserole with parsley

Tips For The Best Casserole

After making this dozens of times, I find that rotini or penne pasta work best for this recipe. I tried it once with spaghetti noodles but it’s hard to eat the meatballs and long strands of noodles. Stick with a bite sized noodle.
Frozen meatballs are super easy or you can use homemade meatballs. Substitute turkey meatballs for ground beef and pork ones.
Leave out the Italian seasoning if you prefer or sprinkle in a mix of garlic powder and onion powder.
I find using hot to boiling water and mixing it with the sauce before pouring over the noodles works best. If the noodles stick together, you can always add the meatballs last.
The pasta should be cooked al dente but tender. You don’t want to cook the casserole too much or your pasta will turn out sticky and overdone.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!

pinterest pin image for dump and bake meatball casserole

This dump and bake casserole is a simple recipe that makes a delicious meal for when life gets super busy. I love that it’s just 5 ingredients and a one pan meal!