Description
Hearty Meatball Pasta Bake brings Italian comfort straight to your dinner table, blending rich marinara sauce with tender meatballs and melted cheese. Each forkful promises a delightful journey through classic Mediterranean flavors you’ll savor down to the last bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
- 1 large egg
Cheese and Breadcrumbs:
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) breadcrumbs
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) ricotta cheese (optional)
Seasonings and Sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) marinara sauce
- 12 ounces (340 grams) penne or rigatoni pasta
Instructions
- Craft meatballs by gently mixing ground beef with breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until just incorporated.
- Form mixture into uniform 1-inch spherical meatballs, ensuring consistent size for even cooking.
- Warm a skillet over medium heat with olive oil, then carefully brown meatballs in batches, rotating to achieve golden exterior (approximately 5-7 minutes).
- Remove meatballs and set aside while maintaining their warmth.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to rolling boil and cook pasta until perfectly al dente, then drain thoroughly.
- Return pasta to pot and generously coat with marinara sauce, tenderly incorporating browned meatballs.
- Strategically distribute ricotta across pasta mixture in gentle dollops.
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish with light grease.
- Layer first half of pasta and meatball mixture into baking dish, sprinkle with half the mozzarella.
- Add remaining pasta and top with final layer of mozzarella cheese.
- Shield dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Uncover and continue baking 10-15 minutes until cheese transforms into bubbling, golden perfection.
- Allow dish to rest briefly before serving, optionally garnishing with fresh herbs for aromatic finish.
Notes
- Achieve tender meatballs by avoiding overmixing the meat mixture, which can make them tough and dense.
- Create gluten-free alternatives by substituting breadcrumbs with almond flour or crushed gluten-free crackers for a lighter texture.
- Enhance flavor complexity by incorporating a blend of ground meats like beef, pork, and veal for richer, more nuanced meatballs.
- Meal prep hack: Prepare meatballs and sauce in advance, then assemble and bake when ready to serve for maximum convenience and minimal day-of cooking stress.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg