marinara Archives - Family Dinners

Easy Hot Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe

Andrea + Stef — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 00:07:00 +0000

If you are a pizza lover, this cheesy, gooey and absolutely delicious hot pepperoni pizza dip is perfect for you. Mouthwatering layers of seasoned cream cheese, pizza sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and pepperoni combine all your favorite pizza flavors within this oven baked dip.

Served with crusty bread or your favorite crackers, pepperoni pizza dip is an amazing appetizer to an Italian dinner, but can also be served at your next party, movie night or on game days.

You can also easily personalize this dip by adding your favorite pizza toppings instead of slices of pepperoni. Not a meat lover? Make this easy pizza dip vegetarian by topping it with vegetables such as black olives, green bell peppers or red onions.

WHAT IS PIZZA DIP?

This super yummy and addictive oven baked dip starts out with a layer of seasoned cream cheese, that is topped with a layer of tasty pizza or marinara sauce. Then sprinkled with two of Italy’s most popular cheeses: mozzarella and parmesan and finally topped with pepperoni slices. It combines all the flavors of a pepperoni pizza in a mouthwatering dip.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: pizza dip is creamy, cheesy, full of flavor and can easily be personalized with your favorite pizza toppings
Main Ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, pepperoni
Cooking Method: air fryer, oven baked
Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time and 25 minutes cook time
Pairs well with: crusty bread, pita chips, crackers, bagel chips, tortilla chips, garlic bread, french bread, pita bread, fresh bell peppers
Diets: keto friendly, gluten free
Special Equipment Needed: medium bowl, electric hand mixer, air fryer, oven-proof skillet

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this hot cheesy pizza dip recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this pepperoni pizza dip you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Easy Pizza Dip Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese (softened)
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ¼ cup pizza sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
10 pepperoni slices

Optional Garnish

Fresh basil

Substitutions

Pizza Sauce: Use your favorite store bought pizza or marinara sauce or make your own. Check out our recipe for the best, easy to make Marinara Sauce.

Italian Seasoning: You can substitute plain oregano, or make your own Italian seasoning for this easy party dip.

Cheeses: For best results, shred your own cheeses. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives and doesn’t melt as well or taste as good.

Pepperoni: Original or turkey pepperoni work well. You can also use mini pepperoni.

Variations:

Add extra cheese or use less cheese, depending on your preference.
Add different meat options: ham, grilled chicken, bacon, or sausage.
Try making your dip vegetarian by topping it with roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, or sliced black olives.
Make it Hawaiian by topping it with diced ham, bacon bits and pineapple chuncks.
Try a Buffalo twist, top with grilled chicken and crumbled up blue cheese, bake, and then top with just the right amount of Buffalo sauce.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this cheesy dip recipe with pepperoni, try our Rotel Dip with Sausage. You’ll love it because you only need 3 simple ingredients to make this super easy, cheesy and absolutely delicious dip.

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Air Fryer – This recipe requires an air fryer. We have both this Cosori air fryer, which is wonderful, and this Cuisinart Air Fryer, which we also love. The Cuisinart also has convection oven and toaster oven capacity. You can buy an air fryer with a basket with high sides that food goes into or a tray type of machine. The trays are shallow but are usually longer and can accomodate more food in a single layer.

Cast Iron Pan — A cast iron skillet works best for this recipe, because it retains heat for a long time. It therefore keeps the dip warm and gooey till it’s all eaten up. However, any oven safe pan, baking dish or a 9-inch pie plate will work as well.

Electric Mixer – Use an electric hand mixer to make the cream cheese layer for this good pizza dip.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook pepperoni pizza dip in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For printable instructions and nutritional information see the recipe card below.

Prep: Firstly, heat oven to 350ºF. Then grate cheeses and measure ingredients.

Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

Step 2: Using a hand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth.

Step 3: Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a cast iron skillet or pie baking dish.

Step 4: Top cream cheese layer with pizza sauce and sprinkle with the two types of cheese.

Step 5: Then top with pepperoni. You can add some extra pepperoni, but note that pepperoni releases grease when cooked, so too much pepperoni could make your dip extra greasy.

Step 6: Bake uncovered in an 350 f oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Let rest for 5 minutes then serve with chips, crusty bread, pita crackers or thick slices of bell pepper.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love the delicious flavor of easy to make party dips then you’ll love our Million Dollar Dip. This crowd pleaser is full of yummy cheese, crispy bacon and crunchy almonds.

How To Make Pizza Dip Ahead

Hot pizza dip can also easily be made ahead. Simply assemble the dip, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Pull the dip out of the refrigerator and bake when you are ready to serve it. You might have to increase cooking time, because the uncooked dip will be very cold.

How To Make Pizza Dip In The Air Fryer

You can also cook this easy pizza dip recipe in the air fryer if you prefer:

Preheat the air fryer to 325ºF.
In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Then spread cheese mixture into the bottom of a pie tin or cake pan that fits easily into your air fryer.
Top with pizza sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
Top with pepperoni slices.
Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Let the dip rest for 5 minutes, then serve with chips, crusty bread, pita crackers or thick slices of bell pepper.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best baked pizza dip appetizer.

Tip: For best results, use room temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese will not mix together well with the other ingredients.
Tip: Taste the pizza sauce before using if it’s store bought. Not all pizza sauce is equal. Make sure you like it!
Tip: Shred your own mozzarella cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has preservatives and doesn’t melt as well or taste as good.
Tip: Do not add too much pepperoni. Pepperoni releases grease when it’s cooked and your dip will be very greasy if there’s too much pepperoni.

More Amazing Dip Recipes

If you love this hot cheesy pizza dip recipe, then you’ll enjoy these other delicious appetizer recipes:

More Delicious Pizza Recipes

If you love love pepperoni pizza dip you’ll also enjoy Grilled Pizza, Thick Crust Pizza and these easy recipes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: You can store uncooked pepperoni pizza dip in the fridge for up to 24 hours. We recommend eating baked pizza dip immediately. You can store hot pizza dip leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: We do not recommend freezing this dip.

How To Reheat

You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, oven or air fryer. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and bake your dip until heated through, about 10-15 minutes. For the air fryer, put your dip in a pie tin or cake pan and air fry at 325ºF for 5-10 minutes.

Common Questions

Are pizza sauce and marinara sauce the same?

Even though they contain very similar ingredients, there are some slight differences. For example pizza sauce has a thicker consistency and often contains olive oil, while marinara sauce has a lighter consistency and often contains onions or shallots. You can use both sauces in this recipe with similar results.

Can I cook hot pizza dip in the air fryer?

Yes, preheat your air fryer to 325ºF. Prepare the hot pizza dip as described in the recipe. Use a cake pan or pie tin that fits your air fryer instead of a cast iron pan. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes in the air fryer. Let rest for 5 minutes then serve.

Is it possible to add other toppings to this pepperoni dip?

Of course! Prepare the hot pizza dip as instructed in the recipe until the mozzarella and parmesan cheese layer. Now you can get creative and top the dip with your favorite toppings, such as green peppers, black olives or ham, for example.

What to serve with cheesy pizza dip?

You can serve this delicious pizza dip with different types of crusty bread, such as baguette slices, ciabatta, bread sticks or pizza bread. Pizza dip is also a great way to use up stale white bread. Simple cut the bread in slices and toast them in the oven until golden brown and crispy.
Pita chips, bagel chips, crackers, pretzels or thick slices of bell pepper are other great options to serve with this dip.
Oven baked pepperoni dip also makes a perfect appetizer when served with garlic knots and Italian salad.

Easy Hot Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe

This creamy and cheesy hot pizza dip has everything you love in pizza. Enjoy dipping crusty bread, vegetables or crackers in this game day favorite.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked cheese dip, cheesy pepperoni dip, hot pizza dip, pepperoni pizza dip, pizza dip

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 247kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

Medium Bowl
hand mixer
spatula
cast iron pan or other oven safe pan, or baking dish

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese softened
½ cup sour cream
1½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
⅛ tsp garlic powder
1¼ cups pizza sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
10 slices of pepperoni

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Using a hand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth.
Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a cast iron skillet or pie dish.
Spread the pizza sauce over the cream cheese mixture.
Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the top of the pizza sauce.
Top the cheese with pepperoni slices. Add more if you prefer a lot of pepperoni. Note that pepperoni expresses grease when cooked, so too much pepperoni could make your dip extra greasy.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Serve while warm.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES:

Add more or less cheese, depending on your taste.
Optional: Add an ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the cream cheese mixture.
Use any pizza toppings you prefer. Try sliced olives, mushrooms, peppers, or sausage.
To make ahead, prepare the dip up until the point of cooking but do not cook. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cooking time may increase if ingredients are very cold.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Serve with crusty bread, pita chips or crackers.
Serve as an appetizer with Italian Salad and garlic knots.

Nutrition

The post Easy Hot Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

How To Cook Frozen Meatballs in the Air Fryer

Andrea + Stef — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 17:50:19 +0000

Frozen meatballs cooked in the air fryer are the perfect weeknight dinner as they are both convenient and super fast to make. But most important, they are also incredibly delicious and a comfort food favorite with most families. Follow our easy meatball recipe for the best frozen meatballs you have ever made. Then simply toss with your favorite sauce and dinner is ready. Serve these yummy meatballs with marinara sauce, pasta and garlic bread or toss them with barbecue sauce and serve with corn on the cob and coleslaw. Either way, these delicious air fried meatballs will soon be a staple on your dinner menu.

Why Cook Frozen Meatballs In The Air Fryer?

Air fryer frozen meatballs are a great, quick way to add protein to your meal. Frozen meatballs are not raw meatballs. Frozen meatballs are any type of meatball that has been cooked then frozen. You can buy make these yourself and freeze or buy them in your supermarket freezer section. Most frozen meatballs are a variety of Italian meatball. You can find a mixture of beef and pork meatballs or just beef meatballs. Sometimes you can find turkey or chicken meatballs as well. If you want to make your own try our turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs. This is the easiest thing to do with meatballs! If you don’t need a whole baking sheet full of meatballs just pop the amount you need straight from the freezer into your air fryer. You can cook just the amount you need in less cook time than the oven and save energy in the process! Just toss them in BBQ sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or marinara sauce once they’re cooked for an easy meal.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: perfectly cooked, juicy and tender meatballs that are full of flavor and ready to be combined with your favorite sauce for an easy dinner or quick appetizer
Main Ingredients: frozen meatballs, oil spray, BBQ sauce, marinara sauce
Cooking Method: air fryer
Nutrients: 19g of protein per serving
Cooking Time: 2 minutes prep time, 12 minutes cooking time
Pairs well with: marinara sauce, pasta and salad or barbecue sauce, coleslaw and cornbread
Special Equipment Needed: air fryer, high heat thermometer, instant read thermometer, oil mister , air fryer parchment paper

Ingredients

You may have all of these frozen meatball ingredients in your freezer or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe for how to cook frozen meatballs in air fryer.

Pantry Ingredients: oil spray, bbq sauce, marinara sauce
Meat Ingredients: frozen meatballs (use your favorite types of meatballs)

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.

Olive Oil Sprayer – We love this oil mister because it is super easy to use and you can spray oil, vinegar, wine or lemon juice, for example. It dispenses the perfect mist of oil, without making food too oily.

Air Fryer Parchment – This ready made air fryer parchment paper is very convenient and fits perfectly inside the air fryer basket. It prevents your food from sticking to the air fryer basket and has holes to allow the hot air to circulate properly.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook frozen meatballs in air fryer, 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.

PREPARE: Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket or tray with non-stick cooking spray or line with air fryer parchment paper. Then place the meatballs into the air fryer in a single layer. Do not crowd the air fryer and cook the meatballs in batches, if necessary. Spray the meatballs with oil spray and shake to coat.

Andrea says….

The key to good air fryer meatballs is not overcrowding the air fryer basket. Make sure there’s room for the air to circulate around the meatballs.

AIR FRY: Cook the meatballs at 380°F for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs. Shake the air fryer basket once or twice while cooking. At the end of the cooking time, use an instant read meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the meatballs is at least 165°F. Larger meatballs may require additional minutes to cook.

SERVE: Warm your sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. Finally, toss the cooked meatballs with your sauce. Serve.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you want to try making your own meatballs from scratch, then you will love or Italian Meatballs recipe. These classic Italian meatballs are simply the best, and pair well with spaghetti, pizza or meatball sub sandwiches. Or try our Italian Air-Fried Meatballs.

Make Meatballs In The Oven Or Crockpot

OVEN: You can also cook meatballs in the oven at 400ºF for 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your meatballs. Make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.

SLOW COOKER: Frozen meatballs can be cooked in the crockpot for 3 hours on high together with your favorite sauce. We recommend using BBQ or marinara sauce. Before serving, check the internal temperature of the meatballs using an instant read thermometer. They should be at least 165ºF in the middle. See our Crockpot BBQ Meatballs Recipe.

Stef says….

Meatballs aren’t just great for dinner, they also make the perfect party snack, game day food, or appetizer. Easy to make Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are a huge crowd pleaser and every fan of buffalo chicken wings will absolutely love these meatballs.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best frozen meatballs in the air fryer.

Tip: Do not defrost meatballs before cooking.
Tip: Cook meatballs in a single layer. Make sure they aren’t touching. Do not stack them on top of each other.
Tip: Spray meatballs with oil. Use an oil sprayer or basting brush to lightly oil the outsides of the meatballs. This will help them brown up nicely while cooking. They do not need a lot of oil. A fine mist is great.
Tip: Shake the basket once or twice while cooking. This helps the meatballs cook evenly.

How To Serve Meatballs

Our families adore meatballs in all shapes and forms. They are so versatile and incredibly delicious. Our favorite homemade meatballs are: Air Fryer Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, Turkey Meatballs and Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs.

In case there isn’t enough time to make meatballs from scratch, we love turning frozen meatballs into super yummy dinners as well. Have you tried our Swedish Meatballs, Crockpot BBQ Meatballs or Meatball Pasta Casserole.

Or cook your frozen meatballs and make one of these quick meal ideas:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Cooled leftover meatballs can also be frozen in a freezer safe container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: We recommend cooking frozen meatballs while frozen for best results.

How To Reheat

The best way to reheat meatballs that have been refrigerated is by putting them back into the air fryer. You can also reheat meatballs in the microwave, using a microwave safe dish. Preferably use a dish with a cover to avoid splatter inside the microwave and trap the moisture inside the meatballs. Alternatively, you can also reheat leftovers in a saucepan on the stovetop.

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 cook homemade meatballs in the air fryer?

Yes, of course. Try our recipe for the Best Air Fryer Meatballs. These easy homemade meatballs cook to juicy, tender perfection in the air fryer.

What can I make with meatball leftovers?

You can use leftover meatballs for scrumptious sandwiches, sliders or even as a filling for calzones. Additionally you can wrap them in biscuit dough for delicious Meatball Sub Bombs.

How To Cook Frozen Meatballs in The Air Fryer

Frozen meatballs are cooked to perfection in the air fryer. They come out juicy, tender and absolutely delicious.

Course Appetizer, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword frozen air fryer meatballs, frozen meatballs cooked in the air fryer, frozen meatballs in air fryer, how to cook frozen meatballs in the air fryer

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 12

Total Time 14

Servings servings

Calories 298kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

Air Fryer
air fryer parchment paper
oil mister
instant read thermometer

Ingredients

1 lb frozen meatballs
oil spray

Garnish:

BBQ sauce
marinara sauce

Instructions

Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket or tray to prevent meatballs from sticking. Alternatively, use air fryer parchment paper.
Place meatballs into the air fryer in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook in batches.
Spray meatballs with oil spray. Shake to coat.
Cook at 380°F for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of your meatballs.
Shake the air fryer basket once or twice while cooking.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meatballs to make sure they’re fully cooked at 165°F.
Warm your sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. Toss the cooked meatballs with your sauce. Serve.

Notes

Do not defrost meatballs before cooking.
Meatballs come in many sizes. Cook time will vary depending on the size of meatball.
Air fryers come in a wide variety of styles and shapes. Cook time varies depending on the type of air fryer.
Cook meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer. Do not overcrowd them or stack meatballs on top of each other.
Spray the meatballs with olive oil, avocado oil or a vegetable oil spray to help them brown easier.
Remove meatballs from the air fryer and toss meatballs with your favorite sauce after the meatballs are fully cooked.

Nutrition

The post How To Cook Frozen Meatballs in the Air Fryer appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 16:20:36 +0000

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.

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 cheese

Cooking Method: oven baked

Nutrients: good source of protein, 39g per serving

Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 50 minutes hands off baking time

Pairs 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 sauce
Refrigerated/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.

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, 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 or until the pasta is cooked and sauce has thickened. 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.

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:

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.

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.

Dump And Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole Recipe

Easy dump and bake meatball casserole recipe made with frozen meatballs. Mix the ingredients in the baking dish, cover and bake.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword frozen meatballs recipe, meatball casserole, meatball pasta bake, pasta casserole with frozen meatballs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Resting Time 10

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 718kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

9×13-in baking dish
spoon

Ingredients

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 cheese

Optional Garnish:

fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat 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 or until the noodles are cooked and the sauce is thickened. 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.
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

Nutrition

The post Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy Three Meat Calzones

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 19 May 2022 19:08:59 +0000

Switch up pizza night with these delicious homemade three meat calzones. Stuffed full of salami, sausage, pepperoni and melty cheeses inside a puffy golden crust, they are sure to satisfy every pizza and meat lover.

Using store bought-pizza dough makes this recipe come together in a snap, making it a perfect weeknight or game day meal. You can also make your own dough using Andrea’s pizza crust recipe. Fill them with your favorite flavors, bake them up and get ready to dip them in a robust red sauce or creamy ranch. Yum!

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS EASY CALZONE RECIPE

✔️ Use refrigerated pizza crust for a quick pizza night variation.

✔️ Add your favorite pizza fillings. We suggest our favorite 3 meats but you can use your favorite toppings.

✔️ Just 30 minutes to bake these in the oven. No special equipment required.

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS

PEPPERONI CALZONE – Perfect for pepperoni lovers, swap out sausage and salami with more layers of delicious, savory pepperoni or other Italian sliced meats of your choice.
MEATBALL CALZONE – You can use frozen or leftover meatballs for a simple hearty meal.
VEGGIE CALZONE – Use a mix vegetables such as red peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach, fresh basil.
PESTO CHICKEN CALZONE – The combination of chicken and pesto is a favorite around here.

THREE MEAT CALZONES INGREDIENTS

You may have all of the ingredients for three meat calzones in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Pizza dough: Make your own using Andrea’s pizza crust recipe or you can use a canned, refrigerated dough.
Cheeses: We’re using mozzarella, parmesan and/or ricotta can also be added.
Meats: Pepperoni, sliced salami and ground sausage (Italian sausage or regular) but you can also use other meats like capicola or canadian bacon.
Salt: Use a freshly ground sea salt.
Italian seasoning: We love using a premade Italian seasoning but you can also make your own.
Egg: A medium or large sized egg will work.
Water: The water is mixed with the egg to make an egg wash.
Marinara or ranch dipping sauce: Use our red wine marinara recipe to make your own, or use store bought sauce in a pinch. Also ranch dipping sauce goes well with calzones.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

PREHEAT OVEN: Heat oven to 375° and line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the calzones from sticking to your pan.

DIVIDE DOUGH: Divide the pizza dough into two. Roll dough into a ball. Roll out each piece to be about 8 inches in diameter. Or, if you’re using a can of pizza dough, you can unroll into rectangles.

🔴 TIP: Dust your work surface with flour to keep the dough from sticking.

ADD FILLING LAYERS: Layer half the pepperoni, sausage, salami, and mozzarella cheese on each dough. We like to put a little cheese between each meat layer.

TOP WITH CHEESE: Top with half the mozzarella cheese.

KITCHEN TIP

When putting ingredients onto the crust, keep ingredients about 1 inch away from the edges.

FOLD CALZONE: Fold calzone over and pinch edges together. Roll pinched edges up and pinch again. Create a 1-inch border along the edge. You can use a fork to pinch the edges by pressing it down all along the edges before rolling it if you’re having trouble getting the edges to stick together.

APPLY EGG WASH: Make an egg wash in a small mixing bowl by whisking together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash over the top and sides of the calzones.

SEASON: Sprinkle the top of each calzone with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Optional: sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder or red pepper flakes on each calzone.

PLACE ON BAKING SHEET: Transfer both calzones to the parchment paper covered baking sheet.

BAKE: Loosely tent the baking sheet with foil. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust of the calzone is a deep golden brown. Optional: brush finished calzone with olive oil.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat my microwaving or warming in the oven or air fryer.

Freeze: Place the cooled meatball calzones in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

Defrosting: Thaw in the fridge overnight, or cook frozen at 350 degrees in the air fryer or oven until it’s warm all of the way through.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH A CALZONE

Enjoy this great recipe as a great addition to a full meal with these other recipes:

MORE PIZZA RECIPES

While we love Three Meat Calzones we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

PEPPERONI CALZONE – A classic pepperoni calzone is everyone’s favorite.
PESTO CHICKEN CALZONE – Pesto and chicken were made to go together!
MEATBALL CALZONE – Don’t feel like leaving for takeout? This budget friendly calzone is fun and easy to make.
ANTIPASTO TORTELLINI SALAD – If you need a meal you can make ahead then pull out and eat cold, this is the one!
FIG PROSCIUTTO PIZZA – This yummy, buttery pizza is gourmet made easy.
GRILLED PIZZA – Pizza with your favorite toppings done on the grill cooks up perfect every time.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do calzones have sauce inside?

Technically, if a calzone is a traditional Italian recipe, there is no red sauce on the inside but we really like having the sauce on the inside so they aren’t dry.

What’s the difference between a calzone and a stromboli?

Shape is one of the major things that separate a calzone from a stromboli. Calzones are folded into a half moon shape. (Think of them as a pizza taco.) Strombolis, however, are rolled, more like a burrito, and the extra dough is folded over to seal in the contents.

Do calzones taste like pizza?

Our calzones use traditional pizza ingredients, so maybe a little. However, there is a little more dough used in ours compared to other ingredients so the texture is different.

What are the best toppings for calzones?

The options are endless! We recommend using your favorite pizza combo such as all meat, tons of veggies, pepperoni and mushroom, and even sausage and broccoli.

Three Meat Calzone

Switch up pizza night with this simple but delicious recipe for three meat calzones.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword 3 meat calzone, how to make a meat calzone, meat lovers calzone

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings calzones

Calories 1384kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

11 ounce pizza dough
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14-20 slices pepperoni
14-20 slices salami
1 cup cooked sausage, ground
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the calzones from sticking to your pan.
Divide the pizza dough into two. Roll each into a ball. Roll out each piece to be about 8 inches in diameter.
Layer half the pepperoni, sausage, salami, and mozzarella cheese on each dough. We like to put a little cheese between each meat layer.
Top with half the mozzarella cheese.
Fold calzone over and pinch edges together. Roll pinched edges up and pinch again.
Make an egg wash in a small mixing bowl by whisking together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash over the top and sides of the calzones.
Sprinkle the top of each calzone with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Optional: sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder on each calzone.
Transfer both calzones to the parchment paper covered baking sheet.
Loosely tent the baking sheet with foil. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust of the calzone is a deep golden brown.
Serve with an Italian salad and marinara dipping sauce.

Notes

When putting ingredients onto the crust, keep ingredients about 1 inch away from the edges.
You can use a fork to pinch the edges by pressing it down all along the edges before rolling it if you’re having trouble getting the edges to stick together.
Optional: brush finished calzone with olive oil.

Nutrition

The post Easy Three Meat Calzones appeared first on Family Dinners.

Pepperoni Calzone

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 02:12:35 +0000

Piping hot, oven baked pepperoni calzones are a delicious, inexpensive alternative to the same old pizzeria take-out. We’re stuffing our pepperoni calzone with a cheesy ricotta calzone filling made with three cheese and a blend of savory Italian spices. Serve it with a side of marinara for the perfect pizza night delight.

Calzones may seem tricky, but we’ll show you how to make a pepperoni calzone the easy way using store-bought pizza dough. It’s so fun, the kids will want to help! (Want to make your own dough? Try Andrea’s pizza crust recipe.) Speaking of kids, these perfectly portable pizza pockets are also great for school lunches (and work!) so consider making extra.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS PEPPERONI CALZONE

✔️ Quick and easy! Use premade pizza crust.

✔️ The perfect golden outside and cheesy inside!

✔️ Made in the oven, no special appliances or equipment.

✔️ Easy to make different fillings in each one.

PEPPERONI CALZONES INGREDIENTS

You may have all the ingredients for pepperoni calzones in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Pizza Dough: We’re using store bought pizza dough but you can also make your own using Andrea’s pizza crust recipe.
Cheese: Our ricotta calzone filling uses ricotta, shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan.
Pepperoni: Fresh sliced pepperoni from your deli or pre-packaged work great.
Salt
Italian Seasoning
Egg
Water

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

PREHEAT OVEN: Preheat the oven to 375°. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the calzones from sticking to your pan.

ROLL DOUGH: Divide the pizza dough into two. Roll each into a ball. Roll out each piece to be about 8 inches in diameter.

COMBINE CHEESE & SEASONING: In a small mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan cheese and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Stir until well mixed.

SPREAD CHEESE MIXTURE: Spread half the ricotta mixture onto the center of each crust, avoiding the edges of the crust.

ADD PEPPERONI: Place half the pepperoni on top of the ricotta mixture. If you prefer, layer pepperoni, cheese mixture then more pepperoni and cheese mixture.

🔴 TIP: When putting ingredients onto the crust, keep ingredients about 1 inch away from the edges.

TOP WITH CHEESE: Top with half the mozzarella cheese.

FOLD DOUGH: Fold calzone over and pinch edges together. Roll pinched edges up and pinch again. You can use a fork to pinch the edges by pressing it down all along the edges before rolling it if you’re having trouble getting the edges to stick together.

MAKE EGG WASH: Make an egg wash in a small mixing bowl by whisking together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash over the top and sides of the calzones.

SEASON: Sprinkle the top of each calzone with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Optional: sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder on each calzone.

PLACE ON BAKING SHEET: Transfer both calzones to the parchment paper covered baking sheet.

TIPS FOR MAKING CALZONES

✔️ When putting ingredients into your calzone crust, be careful not to get ingredients caught into the edges you’re sealing. Any moisture will prevent the two sides from sealing.

✔️ Cheese melts and shrinks once cooks so don’t be afraid to put a lot of filling and cheese into the inside. If you don’t put much your calzone will be very flat.

✔️ Don’t skip the egg wash on the top of the calzones. This helps give the crust a nice, golden crispy outside.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat my microwaving or warming in the oven or air fryer.

Freeze: Place the cooled meatball calzones in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

Defrosting: Thaw in the fridge overnight, or cook frozen at 350 degrees in the air fryer or oven until it’s warm all of the way through.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH A PEPPERONI CALZONE

Traditionally calzones are served with an Italian Salad and Marinara Sauce for dipping and often with garlic knots as well.

MORE CALZONE RECIPES

Once you learn how easy it is to make calzones you’ll want to make them all the time and will want to make many different versions! Try one of these other great recipes!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do calzones have pizza sauce?

Technically, a traditional calzone has no red sauce on the inside, but if you want to add it, we won’t tell! In this recipe, we recommend serving marinara sauce on the side as a dipping sauce.

Do calzones taste like pizza?

Our calzones use traditional pizza ingredients, so maybe a little. However, there is a little more dough used in ours compared to other ingredients so the texture is different.

What are the best toppings for calzones?

The options are endless! We recommend using your favorite pizza combo such as all meat, tons of veggies, pepperoni and mushroom, or even sausage and broccoli.

Pepperoni Calzone

Piping-hot pepperoni calzones are an easy, delicious replacement for pizzeria take-out.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword homemade calzone, pepperoni calzone

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings calzones

Calories 843kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

11 ounces pizza dough
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
20-30 slices pepperoni
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the calzones from sticking to your pan.
Divide the pizza dough into two. Roll each into a ball. Roll out each piece to be about 8 inches in diameter.
In a small mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan cheese and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Stir until well mixed.
Spread half the ricotta mixture onto the center of each crust, avoiding the edges of the crust.
Place half the pepperoni on top of the ricotta mixture. If you prefer, layer pepperoni, cheese mixture then more pepperoni and cheese mixture.
Top with half the mozzarella cheese.
Fold calzone over and pinch edges together. Roll pinched edges up and pinch again.
Make an egg wash in a small mixing bowl by whisking together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash over the top and sides of the calzones.
Sprinkle the top of each calzone with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Optional: sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder on each calzone.
Transfer both calzones to the parchment paper covered baking sheet.
Loosely tent the baking sheet with foil. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust of the calzone is a deep golden brown. Serve with marinara dipping sauce.

Notes

When putting ingredients onto the crust, keep ingredients about 1 inch away from the edges.
You can use a fork to pinch the edges by pressing it down all along the edges before rolling it if you’re having trouble getting the edges to stick together.
Optional: brush finished calzone with olive oil.

Nutrition

The post Pepperoni Calzone appeared first on Family Dinners.

Baked Ravioli

Andrea + Stef — Sat, 16 Apr 2022 23:27:06 +0000

This saucy, cheesy baked ravioli skillet is pure comfort in a single dish. What we really love, though, is that it’s ready in just 30 minutes and you don’t have to boil pasta! That makes this vegetarian oven-baked ravioli casserole the perfect hectic weeknight dinner.

The flavors in this easy ravioli recipe are so rich, be sure you have garlic bread or cheesy garlic rolls on-hand to sop up the extra marinara pasta sauce. Ready to learn how to bake ravioli and get restaurant-worthy results in 30 minutes or less? Let’s get cookin’!

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BAKED RAVIOLI RECIPE

✔️ You can make it with frozen raviolis!

✔️ Only 5 minutes of prep time.

✔️ Only one dirty dish!

✔️ Delicious, cheesy, and flavorful. The whole family will love this ravioli casserole.

BAKED RAVIOLI INGREDIENTS

You may have all of the ingredients for this baked ravioli recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Ravioli: We’re using fresh or frozen store-bought ravioli.
Water
Heavy Cream: What it does in the recipe or possible substitutions, general info about it or nothing if there’s nothing to say.
Marinara Sauce: Use homemade marinara sauce or store bought sauce.
Cheese: Grated parmesan, fresh mozzarella (cherry size) and shredded.
Herbs: Oregano, thyme and garlic.
Salt & Pepper
Parsley: Optional, for garnish.

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS

MAKE IT SPICY – Mix in a teaspoon of cracked red pepper (or more, depending on your taste).
SWITCH PASTA – No ravioli? No problem! Toss in some tortellini!
ADD VEGETABLES – Mix in chopped vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, spinach and onion.
ADD PROTEIN – The perfect opportunity to use up left-over ground beef, ground turkey, meatballs or Italian sausage. Chop them up and toss it in!

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

PREP: Heat oven to 375°F. Shred cheese and measure spices and cream.

🔴 TIP: No cheese ravioli? You can substitute any type of ravioli or even tortellini for the cheese ravioli.

In a bowl combine marinara, water, oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, parmesan, heavy cream and ravioli. Optional, add a pinch of salt, if you like things salty. If you want to only use one dish for this meal, mix this in the baking dish or skillet then skip the layering step.

LAYER IN BAKING DISH OR SKILLET: Pour half of the ravioli mixture into an oven safe large skillet or casserole dish. Make a single layer. Sprinkle half the grated mozzarella cheese on top of the ravioli. Pour the rest of the ravioli mixture over the cheese and spread out. Top with fresh mozzarella balls and sprinkle the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

COOK: Cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake for 25 minutes, or until the ravioli is cooked al dente and the sauce is bubbling. Remove the lid and broil for 2-4 minutes, until the cheese on top starts to turn golden brown.

GARNISH & SERVE: Garnish with fresh parsley and fresh grated parmesan cheese.

TIPS FOR THE BEST RAVIOLI CASSEROLE

Follow these tips to make the best baked ravioli dish.

✔️ Grate your mozzarella from low moisture mozzarella cheese. Freshly grated cheese is better for you and melts a lot better than the cheese you buy pre-shredded.

✔️ Cover tightly. Especially if your ravioli is frozen, cover tightly when cooking. This will help it cook faster.

✔️ Top with fresh mozzarella. It’s totally optional but we prefer to top with fresh mozzarella.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Allow to cool then store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Cool completely then store in an airtight, freezer safe, container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

SERVE THESE WITH YOUR RAVIOLI

Enjoy the cheesy ravioli with these Mini Chocolate Puff Pastries as well as these other great side dishes:

MORE PASTA RECIPES

We love pasta, especially if they’re easy. You may want to try this Baked Tortellini or our Easy Lasagna recipe.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can you bake ravioli instead of boiling?

Yes, our baked ravioli recipe shows you exactly how to bake ravioli without boiling it first. Refrigerated ravioli takes just 20 minutes to cook in an oven-baked casserole.

Can you bake frozen ravioli?

You absolutely can bake frozen ravioli without thawing and/or boiling! It takes about 30 minutes total in the oven with our oven baked ravioli recipe.

What goes with baked ravioli?

Baked ravioli goes great with roasted vegetables, Italian salad, broccoli, green beans and many other vegetables. Oh, and don’t forget the garlic bread!

Baked Ravioli

This saucy, cheesy baked ravioli skillet is the perfect weeknight meal–ready to serve in just 30 minutes (no boiling pasta!).

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked frozen ravioli, baked italian casserole, cheesy ravioli bake, how to bake ravioli, ravioli casserol, ravioli skillet

Prep Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 616kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

1 oven safe baking dish or skillet

Ingredients

20 ounces cheese ravioli
½ cup water
¼ cup heavy cream
3 cups marinara sauce
1 cup parmesan grated
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cherry size
4 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
1.5 teaspoon oregano dried
1 teaspoon thyme dried or fresh
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 pinch salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a bowl combine marinara, water, oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, parmesan, heavy cream, and ravioli. Optional, add a pinch of salt, if you like things salty.
Pour half of the ravioli mixture into an oven safe skillet or casserole dish. Layer half the grated mozzarella cheese on top of the ravioli.
Pour the rest of the ravioli mixture over the cheese and spread out.
Pour the rest of the ravioli mixture over the cheese and spread out.
Cover tightly with a lid or foil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the ravioli is cooked al dente and the sauce is bubbling.
Remove the lid and broil for 2-4 minutes, until the cheese on top starts to turn golden brown.
Garnish with fresh parsley and fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can use fresh or frozen ravioli. For fresh ravioli, reduce the covered cooking time to about 20 minutes.
Optional: Substitute more shredded mozzarella for the fresh mozzarella.
You can substitute any type of ravioli or even tortellini for the cheese ravioli.

Nutrition

The post Baked Ravioli appeared first on Family Dinners.

Meatball Calzones

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 12:07:00 +0000

This meatball calzone only requires 8 ingredients and is a fun and easy 30 minute meal. We love using this easy calzone recipe when we don’t feel like leaving for takeout and because it’s budget friendly.

In case you were wondering, a meatball stromboli is not the same as this meatball calzone, but they are really similar. Strombolis are longer and thinner in shape. Historically there are other differences, but we are breaking the rules and adding a delicious red wine marinara, and you will be glad we did!

MEATBALL CALZONE INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Meatballs: Choose from our Italian Meatballs, Air Fryer Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, Turkey and Spinach Meatballs or Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs.
Dough: We are using store bought pizza dough but you can also make a homemade pizza crust.
Pizza Sauce: Use store bought sauce or our homemade marinara.
Cheese: shredded mozzarella
Egg.
Spices: Italian seasoning, garlic salt
Water.

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS

Try these popular calzone ideas!

Pepperoni and Mushrooms: Instead of using meatballs, place several pepperonis and sliced mushrooms inside.
Veggie: Go vegetarian and add olives, spinach, onions, and peppers.
Buffalo Chicken: Replace the regular meatballs and skip the marinara. Use buffalo chicken meatballs instead.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Enjoy this great recipe as a great addition to a full meal with these other recipes:

Italian Salad – Balance this Italian favorite with Olive Garden inspired salad.
Red Wine Sangria – This is one of my all time favorite sangria recipes. Use the rest of the wine leftover from your marinara recipe.
Parmesan Roasted Broccoli – A delicious veggie to round out the meal.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES NEEDED:

knife
rolling pin (optional)
parchment paper
baking sheet
whisk
pastry brush
aluminum foil

PREHEAT OVEN: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

DIVIDE THE DOUGH: Split the dough into 2 pieces and roll together into balls.

KITCHEN TIP

If you prefer, make your own pizza dough.

ROLL IT OUT: Using a rolling pin or your hands, roll the dough doll into two large circles. To prevent the dough from sticking, flour your work surface and rolling pin.

ADD MEATBALLS: Transfer the calzone crust to the baking sheet and add 4 meatballs on one half.

KITCHEN TIP

If you are using larger meatballs, slice them in half.

TOP WITH SAUCE: Drizzle the marinara or pizza sauce on top of the meatballs, keeping it away from the edges.

KITCHEN TIP

If pizza sauce gets on the edges it will not seal. Make sure you keep pizza sauce away from the edges or dry it off if it does get on the edge.

ADD CHEESE: Cover the meatballs and sauce with mozzarella cheese.

FOLD THE CALZONE: Fold the dough over to make a semi-circle and press edges together. Fold the sealed edges up towards the calzone and press again.

KITCHEN TIP

Apply the egg wash liberally to the tops of the raw calzones. The egg wash will make the crust crispy and shiny.

MAKE EGG WASH: In a small bowl, whisk the water and egg together. Brush the egg wash using a pastry brush, on the outside of the calzone.

KITCHEN TIP

Substitute your favorite pizza topping for the meatballs.

SEASON: Sprinkle the garlic salt and Italian seasoning on top. Repeat for the other calzone.

COOKING TIME: Cover the calzones with foil so it does not touch the tops. Bake for 15 minutes then remove the foil. Continue baking for another 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat my microwaving or warming in the oven or air fryer.

Freeze: Place the cooled meatball calzones in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

Defrosting: Thaw in the fridge overnight, or cook frozen at 350 degrees in the air fryer or oven until it’s warm all of the way through.

RELATED RECIPES

Pesto Fettuccine and Meatballs: A flavorful twist on a classic pasta recipe.

Chicken Parm Sandwich Bake: All of your favorite Italian flavors packed into one sandwich.

Meatball Sliders: These are filled with gooey mozzarella cheese on a sweet Hawaiian roll.

Meatball Stuffed Biscuits Recipe

Mozzarella meatball biscuit balls are the best appetizer for parties and game days. They are also simple to make, which makes them an easy weeknight dinner idea.

See Recipe

Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders

These chicken meatball sliders are great for game day appetizers or a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

See Recipe

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do calzones have pizza sauce?

Technically, if a calzone is a traditional Italian recipe, there is no red sauce on the inside. But we really like having the sauce on the inside so they aren’t dry.

Does a calzone taste like pizza?

Our calzones use traditional pizza ingredients, so maybe a little. However, there is a little more dough used in ours compared to other ingredients so the texture is different.

What are the best toppings for calzones?

The options are endless! We recommend using your favorite pizza combo such as all meat, tons of veggies, pepperoni and mushroom, or even sausage and broccoli.

marinara, meatballs, mozzarella, pizza

Meatball Calzone

These homemade calzones are so easy to make and ready in no time. Switch up the pizza toppings and you'll never eat the same version twice!

Course Appetizer, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 36

Servings

Calories 760kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

1 can refrigerated pizza dough
8 meatballs cooked
½ cup marinara sauce
½-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Divide the pizza dough into 2 pieces.
Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll out each piece to make a circle. You may need to flour your surface and rolling pin a little to prevent sticking.
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Transfer one calzone crust to the baking sheet to make calzone.
Place 4 meatballs on one side of the pizza crust. Cut up meatballs if they’re large.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of marinara or pizza sauce on the pizza crust in the middle, keeping it away from the edges.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese
Fold over dough to make a half circle shape. Pinch edges together to seal then fold the pressed edges up toward the calzone and press again.
Whisk egg and water together to make an egg wash.
With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on the outside of the calzone.
Sprinkle calzone with /18 teaspoon garlic salt and ¼ teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
Repeat with the next calzone.
Loosely tent calzone with foil so the foil doesn’t touch the tops of the calzones. Please in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the foil then cook for 15 more minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown.

Notes

If pizza sauce gets on the edges it will not seal. Make sure you keep pizza sauce away from the edges or dry it off if it does get on the edge.
Apply the egg wash liberally to the tops of the raw calzones. The egg wash will make the crust crispy and shiny.
Omit the sauce for a traditional calzone. You can dip the calzone in sauce, if you prefer.
Substitute your favorite pizza topping for the meatballs.
If you prefer, make your own pizza dough.

Nutrition

The post Meatball Calzones appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich

Andrea + Stef — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 00:33:59 +0000

This easy baked cheesy meatball sub sandwich is similar to a meatball stromboli except all of the traditional flavors of chicken parm sandwich bake. These are our favorites when we want an easy dinner, but something different. We also serve these on game day or when we have parties, which every one loves!

A mozzarella and meatball baked sandwich may not sound special, but you will quickly change your mind once your teeth sink into that first bite. Plus, it feeds 6 people at a time and you only need 7 simple ingredients.

What is Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich?

This meatball sub recipe combines crispy French bread with juicy meatballs and melty mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Baked to perfection in the oven, these meatball sandwiches are then dipped into flavorful store-bought or homemade marinara sauce. An easy weeknight meal for the whole family to enjoy.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: crispy meatball sandwiches with an amazingly cheesy center dipped in delicious marinara sauce
Main Ingredients: canned French bread dough, cooked meatballs, shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, olive oil, salt and marinara sauce
Cooking Method: oven baked
Nutrients: good source of protein with 14g per serving
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 40 minutes cooking time
Pairs well with: marinara sauce, pesto, fresh green salad, Caprese salad
Special Equipment Needed: sheet pan, mixing bowl, pastry brush

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this meatball marinara sandwich recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the local grocery store! If this is your first time making this meatball sub recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich Ingredients

Canned French bread dough
18 cooked homemade meatballs
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese
½ tsp Italian seasoning
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Marinara sauce for dipping

Variations and Substitutions

Bread: For ease, we are using canned French bread dough, but you can use homemade pizza dough as well.

Cheese: In case you are out of mozzarella, substitute provolone cheese if you like. Moreover, you can use slices of mozzarella or other sliced cheese instead of shredded.

Meatballs: Choose from our Air Fryer Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, Italian Meatballs, Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs, or Turkey and Spinach Meatballs. Or you can use pre-made cooked frozen meatballs for convenience.

Oil: You can use your favorite, we like olive oil.

Dipping Sauce: Make our easy marinara sauce or use a jar of store bought. Additionally, ranch dressing or barbecue sauce also make great dipping sauces.

Try some of these fun variations:

Hawaiian Rolls: Instead of French bread use Hawaiian Sweet Rolls to make sliders or experiment with ciabatta rolls. If you have hamburger buns on hand, those could work too.
Add Veggies: Toss in spinach, olives, and maybe even your favorite kind of peppers.
Chicken Tenders: Use breaded chicken tenders instead of meatballs.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you loved this easy cheesy meatball marinara sub recipe, try our Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole Recipe. This scrumptious combination of noodles, marinara, meatballs and mozzarella cheese comes together in only 10 minutes and bakes to al dente perfection in the oven.

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Sheet Pan — Make sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper, in case any melted cheese oozes out during baking. That way clean up is easy!

Instructions

This section shows how to cook this meatball sub recipe 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.

PREPARE: Firstly, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment, aluminum foil, or spray with cooking spray.

UNROLL THE DOUGH: Find the seam on the french bread and unroll it on the baking sheet into a rectangle. Afterwards add a drizzle of olive oil onto the dough and use a pastry brush to spread it out.

ADD CHEESE AND MEATBALLS: Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on to the bread dough, leaving room around the edges. Afterward, line the meatballs up down the center.

ROLL: Roll the French bread dough over and pinch the edges to seal. Then brush on a little more olive oil on the top and add the Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and salt.

COVER AND COOK: Wrap the pan loosely in aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the foil and cook for another 15-20 minutes until it’s firm to the touch and golden brown. If you like, brush the top with olive oil, butter or garlic butter for the last couple minutes in the oven.

SERVE: Garnish this classic sandwich with fresh Italian parsley or basil leaves and serve with ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, or marinara.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: In case you love the combination of Italian food and tender meatballs then you’ll love our Easy Fettuccine Pesto. This delicious comfort food with meatballs makes a healthy and delicious meal for busy weeknights that the whole family will enjoy.

Andrea says….

We’ve used this method to make a lot of different types of sandwich fillings. Pesto chicken is one of my favorites!

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best meatball sub sandwiches.

Tip: The dough can be very sticky. When folding it over on itself, use the parchment paper to lift the side you are folding. Then carefully peel back the parchment paper away from the dough.
Tip: Do not add sauce to the French bread before cooking. This may make the sandwich soggy inside.
Tip: If needed you can broil to brown the top if you are worried it’s going to over cook.

What To Serve With Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich

We love to eat this meatball marinara sub recipe all by itself. But sometimes you need to serve it as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Sauce: Serve classic cheesy meatball subs with homemade pasta sauce, such as our best Marinara Sauce with Red Wine.

Salad: A great way to serve these juicy meatball subs is with a fresh salad. A green salad like our amazing Italian Salad or Strawberry Avocado Salad. Or even a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil or Antipasto Salad.

Sides: Traditionally, meatball subs are served with onion rings, Fries or Potato Wedges. It would also taste great with a fruit salad, like Stef’s Peach Burrata Salad.

More Meatball Sandwich Recipes

If you also love turning meatballs into scrumptious sandwiches, then our amazing Meatball Calzones, Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders and Meatball Sub Bombs are perfect for you.

How To Store

Refrigerate: Store meatball marinara sub leftovers in an air tight container, ziploc bag, or aluminum foil in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Let the chicken parmesan sandwich leftovers cool completely before slicing into smaller servings. Then freeze in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.

Defrosting: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or reheat from frozen.

How To Reheat

Place frozen meatball sub sandwiches in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees and heat until they are warm all the way through.

Common Questions

How to reheat a meatball marinara sub sandwich?

You can reheat these in the microwave, oven, or air fryer at 350 degrees. If you use the microwave the crust will not be as crispy as it was when it was served fresh.

Can you make cheesy meatball sub sandwiches gluten free?

In this case, you would need to use a gluten free bread and make sure the bread crumbs you use are gluten free.

What else can you put on a chicken parm sub?

Spinach or a spring mix would pair well, along with other veggies like onions and peppers. If you don’t want to add more toppings you can serve them with a simple salad.

What other types of bread can I use to make baked meatball sandwiches?

In case you don’t have canned French bread dough, you can try using French rolls, hoagie rolls, sub rolls, hot dog buns or slider buns.

marinara, meatballs, mozzarella, parmesan

Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich

This meatball stuffed sandwich bake is cheesy and full of flavor. Such an easy and fun meal to make.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Servings

Calories 278kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

Canned French Bread Dough
18 cooked meatballs
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
Marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Find the seam of the french bread dough and carefully unroll the dough. Shape the unrolled dough into a rectangle.
Brush with olive oil.
Spread shredded mozzarella cheese on dough, leaving dough uncovered at the edges.
Place meatballs down the center of the dough.
Carefully roll up the french bread loaf. Pinch edges to secure.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and salt.
Loosely cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15-20 more minutes until the loaf is golden brown and firm to the touch.
Let cool for a couple minutes before slicing into 6-8 pieces. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Nutrition

The post Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy Lasagna

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 17:31:42 +0000

Looking for the easiest way to make a delicious lasagna? This easy lasagna recipe has a great taste and is flavor packed without all of the extra time consuming process of making a classic lasagna recipe.

This simple lasagna recipe is the perfect dish when you’re craving comfort food. Add it to your list of recipes for a special family gathering or a busy weeknight.

EASY LASAGNA INGREDIENTS

The best part of this easy lasagne recipe is that you may have all of these simple ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! Check out the list of substitutions below if you’re missing something.

Herbs + Spices: basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper
Cheese: ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella
Noodles: boil or no boil lasagna noodles
Marinara: jar of marinara sauce (pasta or spaghetti sauce) or use homemade marinara
Other: egg, ground pork, ground beef

SUBSTITUTIONS

Click the tabs to see possible substitutions for each of these ingredients.

GROUND PORK AND BEEF:

The Best Italian Meatballs

Andrea + Stef — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 08:13:46 +0000

You’re in for a treat! Stef’s famous meatball recipe is here! This Italian sausage meatballs recipe makes the best spaghetti and meatballs, ever. They’re large homemade meatballs and they have a couple secret ingredients. These are a mix of ground pork and ground beef and make an amazing cheesy meatball the whole family loves.

Make these with our homemade marinara sauce as an appetizer or spoon them over spaghetti. You can also use these for meatball subs or any of your family favorite quick meals. YUM!

Making these amazing meatballs is easy.

What Are Italian Meatballs?

Italian meatballs are usually ground beef and Italian ground sausage mixed with bread crumbs, cheese and spices then formed into little balls and cooked. Italian meatballs have their origins in the United States. They’re not originally an Italian recipe.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: Stef’s famous classic Italian sausage meatballs are filled with Italian seasonings and just the right amount of spice. They have a little bit of Italian spiciness that’s perfect for any pasta or meatball dish.
Main Ingredients: round beef, ground Italian sausage, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, milk
Cooking Method: Oven Baked
Cooking Time: 25 minutes prep time, 30 minutes cook time
Pairs well with: marinara sauce, pasta, garlic bread, crusty white bread

Famous meatball recipe with marinara and fresh basil.

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this Italian meatball recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making these homemade meatballs and marinara you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Meatball Ingredients

½ lb ground pork
½ lb ground beef
1 tsp onion (minced)
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp coarse black pepper
¼ tsp coarse sea salt (plus more for seasoning pasta water)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
⅓ cup yogurt or buttermilk
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 egg
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)
8 oz. spaghetti noodles
1 recipe Homemade Marinara Sauce (or your favorite jarred sauce)

Optional Garnish

Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley or fresh basil

Variations and Substitutions

Ground Meat: We are using a 1 to 1 ratio of beef and pork. You can substitute pork sausage for the ground pork, or use only beef, if you prefer. You can also substitute ground chicken or ground turkey, in case that is your personal preference.

Breadcrumbs: Regular or panko breadcrumbs will work.

Consider one of our other types of meatballs: air fryer meatballs, chicken meatballs, turkey and spinach meatballs, mozzarella stuffed meatballs.

How To Make Gluten Free (doesn’t apply to all recipes– might also add section about dairy free if that applies)

info.

Gather your meatball ingredients

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Baking Sheet — We recommend lining the sheet pan with parchment paper, that way the meatballs do not stick to the pan and clean up is quick and easy. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can spray the baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with foil.

Cookie Scoop – Using a cookie scoop helps to ensure each meatball is the same size.

I prefer Italian style bread crumbs to panko breadcrumbs in this meatball mixture. Choose pre-seasoned breadcrumbs which add a ton of flavor. Mixing the breadcrumbs with the yogurt or buttermilk prior to adding in the other ingredients really adds a lot of extra moisture to these perfect meatballs.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook Italian meatballs 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.

PREPARE: Firstly, preheat the oven to 400°F. TIP: you can also make these in the air fryer. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt/buttermilk and breadcrumbs. Then, stir together and allow them to sit for a few minutes. This will help make a moister meatball.

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix ground beef and pork together.

FINISH MEATBALL MIXTURE: Afterwards, add ground pork, ground beef, onion flakes, oregano, black pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and ¼ cup parmesan cheese and sugar to the breadcrumb mixture. Use gloved hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Adding the grated cheese inside the meatball will make a cheesy meatball that isn’t overly cheesy.

SHAPE MEATBALLS: Using a 2 tablespoon (or desired size) cookie scoop form large meatballs from the meat mixture. Roll them in your hands for a tighter, more uniform meatball if desired.

Use a scoop to measure meatballs and make them even.

Use your hands to roll meatballs into a ball.

BAKE: Place meatballs on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Then, bake for 13 minutes. (Don’t cook your meatballs all the way through; they will cook the rest of the way while simmering in the pasta sauce.)

Place uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet.

Baked meatballs.

PREPARE MARINARA AND PASTA: Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions to al dente and drain. Prepare marinara sauce or add 1-2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce or tomato sauce into a large skillet. Heat over medium until sauce warms through and begins to simmer. Cover to prevent it from splattering all over your stove.

ADD MEATBALLS AND SERVE: Add enough meatballs (2 large per person or 4-5 small) to the saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Serve meatballs and sauce over cooked spaghetti to make the best spaghetti and meatballs ever. Finally, garnish with parmesan cheese and/or fresh parsley or basil.

Place your cooked meatballs in the marinara sauce.

Top meatballs and marinara with fresh basil.

WAYS TO USE LEFTOVER MEATBALLS

You ate the best spaghetti and meatballs ever and now you have leftovers. Here are some great ideas for these large meatballs.

Appetizer: Serve a cheesy meatball and marinara as an appetizer.
Meatball Subs Using sub rolls, top with meatballs, marinara and mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted. Try these meatball sliders, meatball sandwich bakes or meatball bombs.
Pizza: Make a meatball pizza. Use this pizza dough, our marinara as sauce, some mozzarella cheese and sliced leftover meatballs. Or try our meatball calzone.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH MEATBALLS

Serve your tender meatballs with spaghetti and marinara sauce for classic spaghetti and meatballs. Or serve with your favorite sauce, vegetables and bread.

MORE MEATBALL RECIPES

Make one of our other delicious meatball recipes. Our ground chicken meatballs, ground turkey meatballs with spinach, mozzarella stuffed meatballs or air fryer meatballs are great alternatives to this delicious recipe.

Common Questions

What is the difference between Italian meatballs and Swedish meatballs?

Swedish Meatballs are usually smaller than Italian meatballs. Italian meatballs are usually made with a 50-50 ratio of ground pork and ground beef while Swedish meatballs are usually all ground beef. Swedish Meatballs use spices like allspice and nutmeg for flavoring while Italian meatballs are flavored with garlic, Italian spices and garlic.

How long can you refrigerate meatballs?

Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Can you freeze meatballs?

Yes! You can freeze meatballs either raw or cooked. Either way, arrange meatballs on a baking sheet so they aren’t touching. Place in the freezer. Once they’re frozen transfer to a ziplock bag to store. Raw frozen meatballs can be stored for up to 3 months. Cooked frozen meatballs can be frozen for up to 2 months.

How do you make this Italian sausage meatball recipe dairy free?

Use a dairy free yogurt substitute instead of yogurt and omit the parmesan cheese.

Is it safe to put raw meatballs in marinara sauce?

Yes. You can put raw meatballs in marinara sauce as long as they’re covered by the sauce and the sauces simmers until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. I don’t like this method because it can make the sauce too greasy.

How do you make BBQ meatballs?

We love to make BBQ meatballs. Cook these meatballs, as directed. Toss them with this delicious BBQ sauce, or make them in the crockpot.

Can you make this Italian sausage meatball recipe on the stovetop?

You can! Follow the recipe instructions as written. Form meatballs and set aside. Heat some canola or olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, place the meatballs in the pan, rotating them gently as they cook until they are browned on all sides. Proceed with the recipe instructions to add a simple marinara sauce to the skillet and then simmer until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.

Italian Sausage Meatballs Recipe

Delicious classic recipe for large Italian meatballs. They pair well with spaghetti, pizza or meatball sub sandwiches.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword italian sausage meatballs recipe, meatballs, spaghetti and meatballs

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 30

Servings large meatballs

Calories 66kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground beef
1 teaspoon minced onion
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt plus more for seasoning pasta water
½ cup panko bread crumbs
⅓ cup yogurt or buttermilk
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 egg
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
8 ounces spaghetti noodles
1 recipe Homemade Marinara Sauce (or your favorite jarred sauce)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, combine the yogurt/buttermilk and breadcrumbs. Stir together and allow them to sit for a few minutes. This will help make a moister meatball.
Add ground pork, ground beef, onion flakes, oregano, black pepper, salt, Worchestire sauce, sugar, egg, and ¼ cup parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb mixture. Use gloved hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Use a 2 tablespoon (or desired size) cookie dough scoop to form balls from the meat mixture. You can roll them in your hands for a tighter, more uniform meatball if desired.
Place meatballs on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 13 minutes. (Meatballs do not need to be cooked all the way through; they will cook the rest of the way while simmering in the pasta sauce.)
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions to al dente. Drain.
Prepare marinara sauce or add 1-2 jars of pre-made spaghetti sauce into a large skillet. Heat over medium until sauce warms through and begins to simmer.
Add enough meatballs (2 large per person or 4-5 small) to the saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
Serve meatballs and sauce over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with parmesan cheese and/or fresh parsley or basil.

Notes

Store remaining meatballs in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Meatball recipe makes enough for 2 standard meals.

If you’re going to make a big batch of spaghetti and meatballs, you may want to skip the oven baking part of the instructions and do the initial browning of the meatballs in the skillet (to reduce dishes). Heat a bit of oil in the skillet and brown meatballs on all sides for a few minutes. Work in batches. Continue by adding the sauce to the pan and then adding the meatballs back in to finish cooking.

**Nutritional information is for meatballs only.

Nutrition

The post The Best Italian Meatballs appeared first on Family Dinners.