Home » Blog » Course » Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Pasta CasseroleEasy Dump And Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole Pin RecipeRate RecipePublished: Sep 23, 2022 by Marlene Wallace · This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details. Easy dump and bake meatball casserole recipe made with frozen meatballs. Mix the ingredients in the baking dish, cover and bake. Jump to Recipe Nothing says comfort family dinner like casseroles. This delicious and saucy meatball pasta casserole comes together in only 10 minutes and bakes to al dente perfection in the oven. It is an easy to make one dish dinner that combines noodles, marinara, meatballs and mozzarella cheese. For speed and convenience we use frozen cooked meatballs and our favorite store bought tomato sauce. This meatball pasta bake recipe does not require any special equipment and is therefore also great for young cooks or to make during your next self-catered vacation. Just dump and bake this meatball casserole. Table of Contents What Is A Meatball Pasta Bake? Why You’ll Love This Ingredients Recommended ToolsInstructionsAndrea says….What To Serve With Dump And Bake Meatball CasseroleMake Ahead Recipe Tips More Italian RecipesHow To StoreHow To ReheatStef says….Common QuestionsDump And Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole Recipe What Is A Meatball Pasta Bake? A meatball pasta bake is an easy casserole dish that requires no hands on cooking time. This is the perfect meal for busy weeknights when you don’t have much time to prep dinner. It results in delicious pasta and juicy meatballs covered in cheese. The simple recipe is a good choice for a fussy eater. With simple ingredients and easy prep this recipe is a big hit for a family dinner. Another name for a meatball pasta bake that we’ve seen around the internet is “dump and bake meatball casserole”. That describes the dish exactly! Why You’ll Love This Notable: One pan meal the whole family will love. No need to pre-boil the pasta noodles or heat up the meatballs. It’s a good idea for a busy night.Main Ingredients: frozen cooked meatballs, penne pasta, marinara sauce, water, mozzarella cheeseCooking Method: oven bakedNutrients: good source of protein, 39g per servingCooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 50 minutes hands off baking timePairs well with: garlic French bread, crunchy saladSpecial Equipment Needed: 9×13-inch baking dish, aluminum foil Ingredients You may have all of these meatball casserole ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe. Pantry Ingredients: penne pasta, marinara sauceRefrigerated/Frozen Ingredients: mozzarella cheese (low moisture not fresh mozzarella)Produce Ingredients: fresh parsley (optional)Meat Ingredients: (frozen or heated) cooked meatballs – Use ground beef meatballs, Italian sausage meatballs, pork meatballs, chicken meatballs or turkey meatballs. Variations For Easy Pasta Bakes: More easy meatball pasta bake recipe variations you might enjoy. Frozen Turkey Meatball Pasta Bake: Use frozen turkey meatballs.Mozzarella Chicken Meatball Pasta Bake: Use frozen chicken meatballs for a comforting chicken pasta bake.Chicken Parmesan Meatball Pasta Bake: Add grated parmesan cheese on top of the mozzarella cheese. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you enjoy turning frozen meatballs into delicious family dinners, the you’ll love our amazing Swedish Meatballs. They are smothered in a rich and creamy sauce. This mouthwatering comfort food is done in only 30 minutes. Recommended Tools Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale. Baking Dish — This recipe requires a 9x13inch baking dish. We love this glass baking dish as it evenly conducts heat, does not absorb odors and makes it possible to easily check on food while cooking in the oven. Instructions This section shows how to cook meatball pasta casserole in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below. You can print the recipe with or without photos. EASY PREP: Firstly, preheat the oven to 425°F. Then add pasta to the bottom of the pan, marinara and 3 cups water to a 9×13-inch casserole dish and stir to combine. Add meatballs on top of pasta. There is no need to brown meatballs or heat the meatballs if they’re pre-cooked. Do not stir anymore. Optional: sprinkle ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon of onion powder over the sauce if your pasta sauce is bland and needs a little bit of extra flavor. BAKE: Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Then place on the middle rack of the oven and bake meatball casserole for 40 minutes. Afterwards remove from the oven and uncover. NOTE: Do not use cooked pasta with this recipe. ADD CHEESE AND FINISH: Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of the meatballs. (Feel free to add in some parmesan cheese here as well.) Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes to melt the cheese. Cover if you do not want the cheese to brown. Do not cover if you want a golden brown cheesy top. Finally, let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving the comforting meatball pasta bake. Andrea says…. My pasta loving 11 year old son gave this a 10/10! It’s easy enough he can make a smaller version for himself as well. What To Serve With Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole An easy casserole deserves an easy side dish. These low effort sides taste delicious with this pasta and red sauce. Salad: This easy comfort food pairs well with a healthy side salad. If you’re low on time, grab a bagged salad at the grocery store. If you have a little more time, make an easy Italian Salad or a Chopped Asparagus Salad. Vegetable Sides: Use the Instant Pot or air fryer to make some easy vegetable side dishes. Try Instant Pot Broccoli or Air Fryer Broccoli. Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus is one of our favorite recipes. And don’t discount Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts. Crusty Bread: A dump and bake meatball casserole pairs perfectly with any kind of crusty bread. Buy a loaf of french bread and turn it into this delicious Garlic French Bread. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT TIME: If you love making your own meatballs then you’ll love our Air Fryer Meatballs recipe. These are the best homemade meatballs, they are easy to make and cook to juicy, tender perfection in the air fryer. Or try our oven baked Italian Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs or Turkey Meatballs. Make Ahead Due to the nature of this dish, it isn’t advised to assemble and save in the refrigerator before cooking. If you want to make this pasta bake ahead of time, cook it completely in a microwave safe dish then store in the fridge and reheat in the microwave when needed. Recipe Tips Follow these tips to make the best pasta casserole with frozen meatballs. Top Tip: Do not add too much water. Try pushing the pasta down with a spoon to cover with sauce before baking. Adding too much liquid causes overcooked and mushy pasta and excess liquid when the dish is done baking.Tip: Use high quality meatballs. Use your favorite frozen meatballs or make your own. Tip: Shred your own cheese. For best results, shred your own mozzarella cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives and doesn’t melt as well or taste as good. More Italian Recipes We love serving this wonderful meatball pasta bake with Garlic French Bread and a nutritious Easy Italian Salad Try one of these easy dinner recipes: The Best Italian Meatballs Easy Lasagna Baked Ravioli Easy Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Meatballs How To Store Refrigerate: Let the casserole leftovers cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container or ziploc bag. Alternatively you can simply cover the baking dish with cling wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze: You can freeze leftover pasta casserole with frozen meatballs in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Label your leftovers with the date! Defrosting: Thaw pasta leftovers overnight in the refrigerator for a day or reheat from frozen. How To Reheat Reheat leftovers in the microwave using a microwave safe dish. Cover to prevent splatter all over the microwave. Cook time depends on how much you are making and the power of your microwave. Stef says…. Bakes and casseroles are convenient family favorites. So if you are in the mood for comfort food, you’ll want to make my Sour Cream Noodle Bake. It’s a one pan meal that’s ready in 40 minutes and family friendly. Common Questions How do you know when meatballs are fully cooked? Meatballs are fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Insert a meat thermometer into one or more of the meatballs after cooking to read the temperature. Is it possible to use homemade meatballs for this recipe? Of course! After preparing and frying your favorite homemade meatballs, keep them warm on a foil covered plate. Then add the meatballs right before adding the mozzarella cheese and follow the additional steps of our recipe. Have you tried our amazing Air Fryer Meatballs? You can even make your own marinara sauce as well. We love our Marinara Sauce with Red Wine. Can I make this pasta casserole without meatballs? Yes, you can. Just leave out the meatballs and prepare the recipe as described. 5 from 95 votes Dump And Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole Recipe Author Andrea + Stef Course Main Dish Cuisine American, Italian Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Cook Time 50 minutes minutes Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes Print Pin Rate 6 servings Easy dump and bake meatball casserole recipe made with frozen meatballs. Mix the ingredients in the baking dish, cover and bake. Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark Equipment9×13-in baking dishspoon Ingredients 1x2x3x▢ 1.5-2 lbs frozen cooked meatballs about 24-30 meatballs▢ 16 oz penne pasta▢ 1 jar marinara sauce (44-48 ounces)▢ 3 cups water▢ 2 cups grated low-moisture mozzarella cheeseOptional Garnish:▢ fresh parsley InstructionsPreheat oven to 425°F.Add pasta, marinara and water to a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Stir to combine. Add meatballs on top of pasta. Do NOT stir. Cover with aluminum foil. Place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of the meatballs. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes to melt the cheese. Cover if you do not want the cheese to brown. Do not cover if you want a golden brown cheesy top. Let rest for 5-10 minutes then serve. Notes If your pasta is sticking up above the sauce level it isn’t going to cook. Get all the pasta down under the liquid. Add a little more water, if necessary. Do not stir the meatballs and pasta together before cooking. You want the pasta to be below the meatballs, fully submerged in the cooking liquid. The finished dish also looks better with meatballs on top. Serve with garlic french bread and an Italian salad NutritionCalories: 718kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 845mg | Potassium: 859mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 751IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 3mg Did you create this? Share it on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest for more cleverly simply recipes. Email Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe PinShareTweet