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Meatball pasta bake in a white casserole dish.

Meatball Pasta Bake


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4.8 from 9 reviews

  • Author: The Cooking Jar
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 8-10 1x

Description

This meatball pasta bake can be made with just 5 simple store-bought ingredients or jazzed up with homemade Parmesan meatballs and marinara sauce.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 oz. ziti/penne/rigatoni pasta
  • 1 jar (24 oz.) marinara sauce
  • 1 lb. frozen, pre-cooked Italian meatballs/homemade meatballs (see notes)
  • 8 oz. mozzarella, fresh/shredded
  • 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta until just before al dente.
  2. Drain and rinse pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process.
  3. Simmer the marinara sauce over medium heat in a skillet. Add the meatballs to the skillet, coat them fully in the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  4. Combine meatballs and sauce with pasta and mix well.
  5. Transfer to a 9×13 casserole dish and top with mozzarella cheese.
  6. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and is bubbly.
  7. Dish and serve hot sprinkled with chopped fresh basil.
  8. Enjoy!

Notes

Homemade Parmesan Meatballs:
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground beef
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup Italian bread crumbs
½ cup Parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands
2. Scoop out about 1 golf ball sized meatball mixture, roll it in your hands to make meatballs. I used an ice cream scoop
3. If pan-frying: Over medium high heat, brown the meatballs in batches in some oil until evenly browned, about 5-8 minutes.
4. Remove meatballs and drain on paper towels.
5. If baking: Bake the meatballs on a sheet pan at 425°F for 10-12 minutes

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
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