Quick And Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole

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This Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole is a delectable, comforting, buttery Italian casserole that your entire family will adore. It requires only a few ingredients and only five minutes to prepare.

dump and bake meatball casserole in casserole dish on countertop.

Is there anyone else who doesn't enjoy preparing dinner every night? I adore cooking, don't get me wrong. But occasionally, after a particularly long workday, after parent-teacher conferences, or when we arrive home late from soccer, the last thing I want to do is spend an hour preparing supper. (Who's with me?)

This simple Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole is the solution for me when seeking a tasty weekday supper without the hassle. I frequently use pasta dinner recipes when I'm looking for something quick and simple, but this dump meal is the best because it's so simple to prepare. This delicious Italian-inspired meal, which requires little preparation and only a few basic ingredients, always relieves the stress of preparing dinner and gives me a dish that my entire family will love.

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

Simple and practical. The pinnacle of simple meal preparation is this dump-and-bake meatball casserole. It's ideal for hectic weeknights when you're pressed for time. All you have to do is put everything together in a casserole dish (it literally only takes five minutes), put it in the oven, and watch it work its magic.
Very little preparation. Pasta, meatballs, and pasta sauce are basic components that don't require a lot of preparation. It's a straightforward dish that produces a hearty, delectable lunch with little effort.
A favorite among the family. This meal recipe is a huge hit with my family. This recipe's cheesy, saucy flavor is usually a winner, and it provides a whole meal in one dish.
adaptable. To fit your tastes, you may easily alter this dish by adding different kinds of meatballs, pasta, sauces, or vegetables.
A tasty dinner for a weeknight. This comfort food casserole's greatest feature is how delicious and simple it is to make. After a tough day, this is the ideal supper to savor.

Main Ingredients

Let's gather the ingredients for this simple meatball casserole before we begin cooking:

ingredients for dump and bake casserole, labeled, on countertop.

As you can see, they are basic items that are readily available at your neighborhood supermarket. The key to this recipe is ease of use and simplicity.

Pasta package. Whatever kind of short pasta you have on hand will work, whether it's penne, ziti, rotini, or bowtie pasta. A short noodle will work better with this recipe and be simpler to toss and mix with the other ingredients, but you could probably even use spaghetti.
water and marinara sauce or pasta in a jar. The items you use are crucial because this cuisine calls for very few components. A tasty pasta sauce will significantly improve the flavor of this dish, so make sure to use one with a lot of flavor. You may either prepare your own sauce or use one from the store! An excellent option would be this simple pink spaghetti sauce.
frozen meatballs. You can use homemade meatballs or purchase frozen, precooked meatballs from the grocery store (I purchased mine from Costco). Just remember to thaw them first. I usually just move them from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before I prepare this meal.
spices. For a little more taste, I added a small pinch of crushed red pepper, but it is completely optional.
mozzarella cheese. Once the pasta is mostly cooked, you will incorporate half of the cheese into it and put some cheese on top of the casserole for a beautiful cheesy garnish.
toppings. Once more, this is optional, but before serving, I like to sprinkle the casserole with shredded Parmesan cheese and a little fresh parsley.

As you can see, they are basic items that are readily available at your neighborhood supermarket. The key to this recipe is ease of use and simplicity.

How to Make A Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole

There are only a few straightforward steps in this recipe for meatball dump casserole:

Warm up the oven. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix the ingredients together. Add the meatballs, pasta sauce, water, uncooked pasta, salt, and red pepper (if desired) to a large baking dish. To blend all the tastes together, thoroughly mix everything.

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.

Cover and bake. Bake the dish for half an hour after covering it with aluminum foil. This will enable the pasta to begin cooking and absorbing the meatball and sauce flavors.
Examine and stir. After half an hour, take off the foil and toss the dish thoroughly. You can proceed if your pasta is al dente, which means it is soft but yet somewhat firm. If not, bake it for ten more minutes with the lid back on. (Keep in mind that the noodles' cooking time may vary depending on the size of pasta you use. Pasta noodles may take longer to absorb the sauce and get al dente if they are larger. Simply exercise your best judgment and keep an eye on it while you're going.)
Add the cheese shreds. After the pasta is perfectly cooked, take the casserole out of the oven and add one cup of mozzarella cheese. Ensure that it is dispersed equally. On top, scatter the remaining cup of cheese.
Back in the oven: Put the casserole back in the oven and bake it for ten more minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.

Rest and serve: Give the dish five minutes to solidify. For extra taste, top it with a dusting of Parmesan cheese and a few parsley leaves.Rest and serve: Give the dish five minutes to solidify. For extra taste, top it with a dusting of Parmesan cheese and a few parsley leaves.

This easy approach produces properly cooked pasta and meatballs with a delicious, cheesy top.

Variations and Substitutions

This meatball casserole's versatility is its greatest asset. It allows us a great deal of creativity! You can try the following substitutions and variations:

Change up the meatballs: Use turkey meatballs rather than beef for a lighter option. For a deeper taste, choose lamb, chicken, or even lamb meatballs. Alternatively, if you want to make this vegetarian, pick a recipe for vegetarian meatballs.
Various pasta shapes: Try different pasta forms, such as bowtie pasta, rotini, or even penne. They all function flawlessly.
Change the sauce. Try using various kinds of sauces for this dish. Traditional spaghetti or marinara sauces are excellent, but consider the type of meat (or meat alternative) you're using and experiment.
Put some spices in there. For a nice taste, add additional spices or Italian seasoning.
Include some vegetables. Perhaps adding extra ingredients isn't in the cards for this recipe because it's all about ease, and that's okay. However, you could include chopped onion, spinach, red peppers, or even zucchini if you want to give the dish a little more nutrition.

dump and bake meatball casserole with one serving removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh meatballs instead of frozen ones?

You may use fresh meatballs, yes. Before putting them in the casserole, just make sure they are cooked through.

How can I make this dish spicier?

Increase the quantity of crushed red pepper or even add some diced chili peppers if you want to add a little spiciness.

Can I make this in the slow cooker?

Indeed! Put everything in the crock pot except the cheese to prepare the dump and bake meatball casserole in the slow cooker. After 4 hours of cooking on low, or when the pasta is soft, add the cheese and continue cooking for another hour.

Can I freeze this casserole?

Yes, but with a disclaimer. You should defrost the meatballs before making this casserole; I usually just leave them in the fridge overnight. Once the meatballs have had a brief period of thawing in the fridge, the casserole can be frozen. However, it's probably best not to refreeze the meatballs in the casserole if they've been in the refrigerator for a long time.

The casserole can be frozen for up to three months by just letting it to room temperature, then putting it in a freezer-safe container.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Indeed! It's easy to reheat this casserole. Just turn the oven up to 400 degrees and reheat the sauce for 30 minutes while covered, or until it begins to bubble.

The epitome of a quick and delectable midweek meal is this meatball pasta dish. It's my go-to for creating a hearty Italian-inspired supper without the effort because it requires little preparation and only requires basic ingredients.

If you tried this Quick and Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!

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