This meatball pasta bake is a crowd-pleaser for sure. In this recipe, beef meatballs are cooked in an easy and delicious sauce then combined with pasta and mozzarella cheese.
A combination of fresh and pantry ingredients make a meatball pasta casserole that’s filling and affordable. For more easy pasta bakes try this chicken tetrazzini and this baked spaghetti.
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Ingredients
- Meat – Ground beef that has a little fat (about 15-20%) for flavor.
- Seasoning – Salt (we use kosher salt), garlic powder, black pepper and Italian seasoning make the meatballs simple yet flavorful.
- Oil – You need a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point to fry the meatballs. We use canola oil.
- Pantry – For the meatballs you’ll need and egg, panko breadcrumbs (plain regular breadcrumbs will work too). For the sauce you’ll need canned diced tomatoes and jarred pasta sauce – use your favorite meatless brand and variety.
- Aromatics – onions and garlic add extra flavor and give the sauce homemade taste.
- Pasta – We use ziti but other tube shape or twist pasta (like rotini) will work well too.
- Cheese – We take some help from the market with pre-shredded mozzarella cheese for this baked pasta with meatballs. Try to find the “whole milk” mozzarella if you can, it melts better.
- Garnish – Keep the garnish simple with a little chopped parsley.
You will also need – Large baking dish (approximately 2.7 to 3 quarts) and aluminum foil
Recipe tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta; cook it only to al dente to avoid it getting mushy.
- Use ground beef that is not too lean, a little fat will add flavor and moisture. Good choices include ground chuck (80-85% lean to 15-20% fat) and ground round (85-90% lean to 10-15 % fat).
- If you want to go lean with the meatballs use ground sirloin – 90-92% lean to 8-10% fat.
- When making the meatballs don’t overwork the ground beef. Mix just enough to get the ingredients combined. The same goes when rolling the meatballs, don’t over-handle them. Work with them just enough to form the ball.
- Use a tablespoon size scooper to make portioning the meatballs a breeze.
- Use a non-stick skillet to make sure the meatballs don’t stick to the pan and tear. If you have a trusty large skillet, then use that. If not, use non-stick.
Instructions
Make the meatballs: Place the ground beef, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, egg and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated.
Form the beef mixture into balls; make them about 1¼-1½ inch in diameter. Place them on a sheet pan or plate, preferably lined with parchment paper to minimize sticking. Makes approximately 24 meatballs.
Brown the meatballs
Add enough oil to a large, deep skillet to cover the bottom by ¼ – ½ inch (about 1½ cups).
Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the meatballs. Leave some space in between them so they are not touching. Cook in batches if necessary.
Cook the meatballs for 5-6 minutes until they are browned on all sides. Turn them every 2 minutes or so.
Take the skillet off the heat and remove the meatballs using a slotted spoon or tongs. Set them on a plate or pan. Keep warm by covering loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
Don’t worry that the meatballs are not cooked all the way through. They will finish cooking in the sauce.
Make the sauce
- Let the oil cool for a few minutes, then drain it, but do not wash or wipe the skillet. There should be a thin layer of oil covering the skillet; leave any bits that remain they will flavor the sauce.
- Sauté the onions over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the jarred pasta sauce and diced tomatoes, stir well to combine.
- Gently place the meatballs in the sauce. Raise the heat to medium-high. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower heat to medium-low. Cover and cook the sauce, simmering, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the largest meatball is at least 165°F.
Cook the pasta and build the casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- While the meatballs and sauce cook, prepare the pasta to package directions for al dente. Drain well.
- Add half of the pasta and half of the meatballs and sauce to a large casserole dish. Stir/toss them gently to combine and arrange the meatballs around the dish.
- Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese (4 ounces).
- Then, top with the remaining pasta and the remaining meatballs/sauce (reserve the remaining cheese for the end).
Cover the ziti and meatballs casserole loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly around the edges.
Uncover the dish, top with the remaining cheese and bake 2-5 minutes until melted. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Serve and enjoy.
Storing and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat is in microwave. Cover the plate loosely with a paper towel (or microwave cover if you have one) and cook until hot all the way through.
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Meatball Pasta Bake
Ingredients
Ingredients Meatballs
- 1 pound Ground Beef we use ground chuck
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Egg
- ⅓ cup Panko Breadcrumbs plain breadcrumbs work well too
- Oil for frying – enough to cover the bottom of a large, deep skillet with ¼ – ½ inch of oil (about 1-1½ cups depending on the size of the pan) – choose your favorite cooking oil that’s neutral (flavorless) and has a high smoke point – we use canola oil
Ingredients Sauce
- 1 Small Onion finely diced
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves minced
- 24 ounce Jarred Pasta Sauce use your favorite meatless variety
- 14 ounce can Diced Tomatoes do not drain (we use petit cut)
Ingredients Pasta and Casserole
- 12 ounces Ziti cooked to package directions for al dente
- 8 ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Chopped Fresh Parsley for garnish
Instructions
Make the meatballs
- Place the ground beef, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, egg and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Mix the ground beef until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Form the beef mixture into balls; make them about 1¼-1½ inch in diameter. Place them on a sheet pan or plate, preferably lined with parchment paper to minimize sticking. Makes approximately 24 meatballs.
Brown the meatballs
- Add enough oil to a large, deep skillet to cover the bottom by ¼ – ½ inch (about 1½ cups).
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is hot, but not smoking. Test it by carefully placing one meatball in. If the oil starts gently sizzling around it, it’s ready. Add the rest of meatballs. Leave some space in between them so they are not touching, and you can turn them easily. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Cook the meatballs for 5-6 minutes until they are browned on all sides. Turn them every 2 minutes or so.
- Take the skillet off the heat and remove them using a slotted spoon or tongs. Set on a plate or pan. Keep warm by covering loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Don’t worry that the meatballs are not cooked all the way through. They will finish cooking in the sauce.
Make the sauce
- Let the oil cool for a few minutes, then drain it, but do not wash or wipe the skillet. There should be a thin layer of oil covering the skillet; leave any bits that may remain they will flavor the sauce.
- Place pan over medium heat, when the oil is hot add the onions. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the jarred pasta sauce and diced tomatoes, stir well to combine.
- Gently place the meatballs in the sauce. Raise the heat to medium-high. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower heat to medium-low. Cover and cook the sauce, simmering, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make sure the meatballs are at least 165°F at its thickest part. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure.
Cook the pasta and build the casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- While the meatballs and sauce cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the 1-2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta. Cook the ziti to package directions for al dente. Drain well.
- Add half of the pasta and half of the meatballs and sauce to a large casserole dish. Stir/toss them gently to combine and arrange the meatballs evenly in the dish.
- Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese (4 ounces).
- Then, top with the remaining pasta and the remaining meatballs/sauce (reserve the remaining cheese for the end).
- Cover the casserole loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly around the edges.
- Uncover the dish, top with the remaining cheese and bake 2-5 minutes until melted.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Serve and enjoy.
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