Quick And Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole

Name: Quick And Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 16 oz uncooked pasta (choose a short variety, like ziti, bowtie, or rotini pasta); 3 cups water; 24 oz jar of pasta sauce; 14 oz frozen, precooked meatballs ((thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using)); 1 tsp salt ((optional)); 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper ((optional)); 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; parsley (optional, for serving); shredded Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)

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This Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole has only a handful of ingredients, takes 5 minutes to prep, and results in a delicious, comforting, cheesy Italian casserole that your entire family will love.

dump and bake meatball casserole in casserole dish on countertop.

Question: Does anyone else ever just feel NOT into making dinner every night? Don't get me wrong, I love to cook. But sometimes - when we get home late from soccer, after parent teacher conferences, or when the work day has been especially long - the last thing I want to do is spend an hour making dinner. (Who's with me?)

When life gets busy, and I'm craving a delicious weeknight dinner without the fuss, this easy Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole is the answer. I often turn to pasta dinner recipes for something quick and easy (this Creamy Seafood Tetrazzini, Lazy Lasagna, Instant Pot Lasagna Soup, simple chicken pasta, and Cajun Shrimp Pasta, and these 5 Eazy Ways to Make Frozen Ravioli are all in rotation), but this dump meal takes first place for its easy prep. With minimal preparation and simple ingredients, this mouthwatering Italian-inspired meal is always something that takes the pressure off of making dinner and leaves me with a dish I know my whole family will devour.

In This Post

Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
How to Make A Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
Variations and Substitutions
Frequently Asked Questions
More Easy Weeknight Meals
Recipe
Comments

Why This Recipe Works

Easy and convenient. This dump-and-bake meatball casserole is the epitome of easy meal preparation. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you don't have much time to spare. You simply combine all the ingredients in a casserole dish (this literally takes 5 minutes) pop it in the oven, and let it do its magic.
Minimal prep. With simple ingredients like pasta, meatballs, and pasta sauce, there's no need for extensive preparation. It's a simple recipe that takes almost no effort, but results in a comforting delicious meal.
Family favorite. My family LOVES this dinner recipe. This recipe offers a complete meal in one dish, and the cheesy, saucy goodness is always a big hit.
Versatile. You can easily customize this casserole with different types of pasta, meatball varieties, sauces or added veggies to suit your taste.
Delicious weeknight dinner. The best part of this comfort food casserole is that it's not only easy but also incredibly delicious. It's the perfect meal to enjoy after a long day.

Ingredients

Before we start cooking, let's gather all the necessary ingredients for this easy meatball casserole:

Package of pasta. You can use whatever type of short pasta you have on hand - bowtie pasta, rotini, ziti or penne pasta would all work. While you could probably even use spaghetti, a short pasta will work better with this recipe and be easier to stir and combine with the other ingredients.
Jarred pasta or marinara sauce plus water. Since there are so few ingredients in this dish, the ingredients you use really matter. Be sure to use a really flavorful sauce for this dish - a good-tasting pasta sauce will really elevate the taste. You can use a store-bought sauce, or make your own! This easy pink pasta sauce would be a great choice.
Frozen meatballs. You can buy frozen, precooked meatballs from the grocery store (I got mine from Costco), or you could use meatballs that you've made yourself. Just be sure to remember to thaw them in advance (I typically just transfer them from the freezer to the fridge the night before I'm going to make this dish.)
Spices. I added just a little bit of crushed red pepper here for some extra flavor a bit, but this is totally optional.
Shredded mozzarella cheese. You'll be mixing half the cheese into the pasta once it's mostly done cooking and adding a sprinkle of cheese to the top of the casserole for a nice cheesy topping.
Toppings. Again, this is optional, but I like adding a bit of fresh parsley and shredded parmesan Cheese to the top of the casserole before serving.

As you can see, these are simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. This recipe is all about simplicity and ease.

How to Make A Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole

This meatball dump casserole is such an easy recipe, and has just a few simple steps:

Preheat the oven. Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine ingredients. In a large baking dish, add the uncooked pasta, water, pasta sauce, meatballs, salt, and red pepper (if you want a little kick). Mix everything well to combine all the flavors.

meatballs and uncooked pasta in baking dish.

meatballs, uncooked pasta and pasta sauce in baking dish on countertop.

dump and bake casserole, uncooked, in baking dish on countertop.

Bake covered. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. This will allow the pasta to start cooking and absorb the flavors of the sauce and meatballs.
Check and stir. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and give the casserole a good stir. If your pasta is al dente (soft, but still sort of firm), you're good to go. If not, cover it again and bake for an additional 10 minutes. (Note the size of pasta you use can impact the time it will take for the noodles to cook. The bigger the pasta noodles, the longer it may take them to soak up the sauce and become al dente. Just use your best judgement and check on it as you go.)
Add the shredded cheese. Once the pasta is cooked to perfection, remove the casserole from the oven and stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Make sure it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top.
Return to oven: Place the casserole back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown and bubbling.

Rest and serve: Allow the casserole to sit for 5 minutes to set. Serve it up with a sprinkle of parsley and a dusting of Parmesan cheese for added flavor.

This method is simple and delivers a flavorful, cheesy top with perfectly cooked pasta and meatballs.

Variations and Substitutions

The beauty of this meatball casserole is its adaptability. You can really get creative with it! Here are some variations and substitutions you can try:

Vary the meatballs: For a lighter option, use turkey meatballs instead of beef. Try pork meatballs, chicken, or even lamb for a richer flavor. Or, if you're looking to make this vegetarian, choose a vegetarian meatball recipe.
Different pasta shapes: Feel free to experiment with other pasta shapes like penne, rotini, or even bowtie pasta. They all work beautifully.
Sauce swap. Experiment with different types of sauces for this dish. A classic marinara or spaghetti sauce works great, but think about the meat (or meat substitute) you're using and change it up.
Add some spices. Add some Italian seasoning or other spices for some good flavor.
Add some veggies. I know this recipe is all about ease, so maybe adding in more ingredients isn't in the cards, and that's ok. BUT, if you did want to add a bit more nutrients to the dish, adding in things like chopped onion, some spinach, red peppers, or even zucchini could be an option.

dump and bake meatball casserole with one serving removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh meatballs instead of frozen ones?

Yes, fresh meatballs can be used. Just make sure they're fully cooked before adding them to the casserole.

How can I make this dish spicier?

If you want to add a little heat, increase the amount of crushed red pepper or even add some diced chili peppers.

Can I make this in the slow cooker?

Yes! To make the dump and bake meatball casserole in the slow cooker, add everything but the cheese to the crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until the pasta is tender, then add the cheese and cook for an additional hour.

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with your favorite cheese or a blend of cheeses for a unique flavor.

What's the best way to store leftovers?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze them for a future quick meal.

Can I freeze this casserole?

Yes, with a caveat. To make this casserole, you should thaw the meatballs in advance - I typically just do it overnight in the refrigerator. Freezing the casserole after a short thawing time for the meatballs in the refrigerator is fine. However, if the meatballs have been sitting in the fridge for a while, it's probably better to not refreeze them in the casserole.

To freeze, simply allow the casserole to come to room temperature, place it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! This casserole reheats well. Simply heat the oven to 400 degrees and reheat for 30 minutes, covered, or until the sauce is bubbling.

How can I make this even easier?

Here's a trick to make this even simpler on a weeknight. Because this recipe is so simple to prepare, you can add the jar of marinara sauce, water, noodles, spices, and meatballs to a casserole dish first thing in the morning, cover it, and pop it in the fridge. Then, when you're ready to cook it at night, your meatballs should be fully thawed and your casserole will be ready to put right into the oven.

What should I serve with this casserole?

The beauty of this meatball casserole recipe is that takes minimal prep time, it all comes together in one dish and serves as a great main course (or only course!) for dinner. But you can add to this to make it a complete meal - a simple side salad and some garlic bread would complement this casserole beautifully.

forkful of dump and bake meatball casserole.

This meatball pasta casserole is the perfect embodiment of an easy, delicious weeknight dinner. With its minimal prep and simple ingredients, it's my go-to for whipping up a comforting Italian-inspired meal without the hassle.

If you try this Quick And Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole, let me know what you think in the comments below. And don't forget to tag me with a pic @frontrangefed on Instagram - I love to see your creations!

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