Meatball Casserole

5 from 4 votes

Meatball Casserole with frozen meatballs, marinara, pasta, and cheese—a tasty one-dish dinner

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings (3 meatballs per serving)

Calories: 710kcal

1 pound penne pasta cooked to al dente (according to package directions) and drained
32 ounce jar of tomato & basil marinara sauce MIDS brand
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley divided into 1½ tablespoons and ½ tablespoon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
18 frozen Italian-style meatballs 1½-inch sized, thawed
16 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
Add the cooked and drained penne pasta to the baking dish.
1 pound penne pasta
Add the tomato & basil marinara sauce, grated parmesan cheese, 1½ tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to the pasta. Stir to combine and coat all the pasta with the sauce and parmesan cheese. Be sure that your pasta is spread out into an even layer.
32 ounce jar of tomato & basil marinara sauce, ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt
Place the meatballs in 6 rows of 3 meatballs each into the pasta and sauce. Push the meatballs gently down into the pasta so that they are nestled down but not covered by the pasta.
18 frozen Italian-style meatballs
Top the entire dish of pasta and meatballs with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
16 ounces mozzarella cheese
Sprinkle the remaining ½ tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley over the top and serve while still warm.

Storage:

To Store: Once baked, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze the baked and cooled meatball casserole in a tightly wrapped container for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating. If you plan to freeze this meatball casserole, I suggest making it in a heavy-duty disposable aluminum baking pan.
To Reheat: Reheat in the oven or microwave until heated through.

Tips:

Be sure to use a good quality jarred marinara sauce. You can use a homemade marinara sauce if you prefer.
I really like to use a good quality whole milk mozzarella cheese and shred it by hand. I find that it melts so much better than the pre-bagged shredded cheeses.
The pasta does not need to be fully cooked (cook only to al dente) since it will continue cooking in the sauce when baked in the oven.