Description

This Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole is a quick and easy one-dish meal combining pasta, marinara sauce, and frozen meatballs, all baked together for a comforting and flavorful dinner. Perfect for busy weeknights, this casserole requires minimal prep and delivers a cheesy, hearty meal with customizable seasonings.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 (16 oz) box uncooked rotini or penne pasta
1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
3 cups water
1 (14–16 oz) bag frozen meatballs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Seasonings

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients

½ cup chopped spinach
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the casserole evenly.
Prepare Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13” baking dish with oil or non-stick spray to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
Combine Base Ingredients: Add the uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, and water to the baking dish. Stir everything together gently to ensure the pasta is evenly coated and submerged.
Add Meatballs: Arrange the frozen meatballs evenly on top of the pasta mixture without stirring them in, allowing them to cook thoroughly during baking.
Season: Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper evenly over the entire dish to enhance the flavors.
Bake Covered: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, allowing the pasta to cook and meatballs to heat through.
Add Cheese and Finish Baking: Remove the foil carefully, sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top, and bake uncovered for an additional 5–10 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after baking to set ingredients and cool slightly before serving.

Notes

You can substitute rotini or penne with other similar pasta shapes as desired.
Adding chopped spinach or Parmesan cheese can boost nutritional value and taste.
If you prefer extra heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes before baking or at serving.
This dish is best served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten free.
If using all-beef or turkey meatballs, check ingredient labels to suit dietary needs.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 380 kcal
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 700 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 22 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg

Keywords: meatball casserole, dump and bake, easy pasta casserole, weeknight dinner, baked meatballs, rotini casserole