Italian Meatball Pasta Bake (Printable)
Homemade meatballs, pasta, and cheese baked in tomato sauce
# What You Need:
→ For the Meatballs
01 - 1.1 pounds ground beef or beef and pork mix
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1/4 cup milk
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ For the Pasta Bake
11 - 12.3 ounces dried penne or rigatoni
12 - 2 cups marinara or tomato pasta sauce
13 - 1 cup water
14 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ For Garnish
17 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, milk, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined—avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.
03 - Roll mixture into 24 small meatballs, using approximately 1 tablespoon of mixture per meatball.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and transfer to a plate—meatballs will finish cooking in the oven.
05 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than package directions to achieve al dente texture. Drain well in a colander.
06 - In the prepared baking dish, combine the partially cooked pasta, marinara sauce, and water. Stir thoroughly to ensure pasta is evenly coated with sauce.
07 - Nestle browned meatballs evenly throughout the pasta. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese generously over the entire surface.
08 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes to allow flavors to meld and pasta to finish cooking.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around the edges.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to set and make serving easier. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The meatballs stay impossibly tender because they cook directly in the sauce, absorbing all that tomato goodness while the pasta steams underneath them
- Everything happens in one dish, so you get that satisfying bubbling cheese situation without washing every pot in the kitchen
02 -
- Don't skip the water in the baking dish, it's what finishes cooking the pasta without drying everything out
- Meatballs will continue cooking in the oven, so don't worry if they're still slightly pink in the center after browning
03 -
- Use wet hands when rolling meatballs to prevent sticking and keep the mixture from warming up from your palms
- Letting the dish rest for 10 minutes seems impossible when it smells this good, but it helps the sauce set slightly so portions hold their shape