One Pan Meatball Casserole is one of those dump it and forget it family favorites that everyone loves. It makes a great freezer meal and I’ve adapted it for the slow cooker and instant pot.
One pan dishes are the kind of recipes that motivate me to make dinner. I love the thought of few dishes and easy prep! Some of my favorite one pan meals include Easy Beef Stroganoff, Cottage Pie, and One Pan Jambalaya.
This is one of those magical dinners where uncooked noodles, sauce, and meatballs are all added to a casserole dish and baked together in the same pan! It doesn’t get much easier then that, and it’s the type of warm and comforting meal that everyone in your family will love!
Ingredients you’ll Need:
- Uncooked ziti pasta: or penne noodles
- Marinara sauce: homemade or store-bought
- Milk: makes it creamy, but additional water or broth can be substituted.
- Water
- Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and salt
- Cooked meatballs: I like to use my homemade chicken meatballs.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Optional toppings: parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs (such as basil, oregano, and parsley for garnish)
How to Make Meatball Casserole:
- Mix. In a large baking dish stir together uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water, milk, spices and meatballs.
- Bake. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 40 minutes.
- Stir and check. Check the pasta—we want it to be al dente (firm, but almost perfectly cooked). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven for a few minutes.
- Add cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top and bake uncovered at 425 degrees F. for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving, to allow the sauce to thicken up.
Want to make a smaller batch? Cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8’’ or similar size dish.
Can I use frozen meatballs? I suggest thawing the meatballs first, so that everything bakes in as quick of time as possible. If you bake the dish with frozen meatballs it will take longer to bake.
Slow Cooker: Prepare as directed, but leave out the milk and add an additional 24 oz jar of marinara sauce. Be sure the ziti noodles are covered with sauce. Cook on HIGH for 2 – 2 ½ hours, or LOW for 3 ⅓ -4 hours or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top during the last few minutes of cooking and return the lid to allow the cheese to melt. Optional: place under broiler for a few minutes to toast the cheesy top.
Instant Pot: Here is my very similar Instant Pot version. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/instant-pot-penne-pasta-with-meatballs/
Make Ahead Instructions: This meatball casserole can be assembled completely the night before, but I wouldn’t do it any sooner than that or the noodles may have a mushy texture after baking.
Freezing Instructions: Prepare the meatball casserole up until baking. Cover with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking, or to bake from froze, baked covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, and uncovered for 15-20 minutes longer.
CONSIDER TRYING THESE POPULAR DINNER RECIPES:
- Beef Stroganoff
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas
- Italian Grilled Cheese
- Gourmet Baked Mac N Cheese with Bacon
- Crispy BBQ Chicken Wraps
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Recipe
One Pan Meatball Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 oz. package uncooked ziti pasta
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Meatballs , fully cooked, thawed
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella (or Italian blend cheese)
- Optional: Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs (such as basil , oregano, and parsley for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a 9x13 inch baking dish stir together uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water, milk, spices and meatballs.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover; stir. Check the pasta for doneness. We want it to be al dente (firm, but almost perfectly cooked). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven for a few minutes.
- Sprinkle mozzarella over the top and bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving, to allow the sauce to thicken up.
Notes
Nutrition
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Very rare I write reviews but this was perfect. I just switched out marinara for vodka sauce and whole wheat penne. I think the milk and additional spices makes all the difference. Thank you!
This was terrific! I’m a disabled mom & wife so finding a recipe that don’t involve a lot of prep work makes dinnertime & cleanup so much easier for me. I used elbow macaroni & baked for the suggested 40 minutes and the noodles were perfect. I also added a can of diced Italian tomatoes & a frozen pepper blend for extra veggies. It’s such a flexible recipe and I’ll definitely make it again!
I have made this several times and tastes excellent! So easy to make and easy ingredients to have on hand when needing to make an easy dinner. Have made for relatives when visiting for a meal on nights we do not want to eat out too. I usually pair with garlic bread and sometimes salad for a great family meal!
I tried this tonight with mixed pasta baked in my cast iron dutch oven. It was wonderful! Also I prepared home made garlic toast from whole wheat sourdough bread I bake this morning
The meatball casserole was easy to put together. Your instructions were simple as well. Even my picky 5 yr old ate it. Thank you
Made it just now, and smells good.
Used ikea meatballs in it, in Holland we don’t have that much frozen meatballs so Italian meatballs is a bit hard to get.
Consistency of the pasta seems to be perfect al dente. It is now in the oven with the cheese melt.
Used a jar of Lidl pasta saus and the the seasoning mentioned. Instead of ziti pasta I used fusilli pasta, which seems to work as well..
It smells good, but o think this is a great easy meal to make if you have a lazy Sunday like I have today.
Next time I’ll make my own meatballs and marinara sauce, it would probably have a much better flavour than the generic ‘supermarket bought meatballs and pasta sauce’ taste..
Will make this again
I’ve made this twice. I made it using thawed frozen meatballs, which I never buy. It really was very good. I made it a second time using my own meatballs and sauce. Delicious! My suggestion would be to add the amount of meatballs you use. I just winged it really, but would like a ball park, I don’t know if one person added twice the amount you might use, if that would create a drier dish or not. Thanks for the great meal! It will be a staple for us.
Thanks for answering my question 😊
Would I need to adjust the cooking time if I’m using pre-cooked turkey meatballs? Can’t wait to try this 🙂
The time was perfect and no left overs, and was asked to make it again
This needs much more liquid. Took 20 minutes longer. If I make it again I’ll cook the pasta for about 15 minutes before baking.
Loved the idea of small number ingredients, quick to put together, one pan dish. Made ahead of baking time except for adding pasta (did that just before baking). Used Simek frozen Italian meatballs ( yummy), thawed and slightly browned. Added chopped onion and diced red/green peppers, and garlic to tomato/basil Botticelli sauce. Did add bit more sauce than called for. Cut back slightly on pasta amount and added 1 cup milk and 1 1/3 cup water. Cooked 375 for 30 minutes, stirred, 425 for another 30, topped with cheese for 5 minutes. Was huge hit for family. Will make again. Thanks for recipe and tips.
I’m going to make this it looks so delicious 😋
Oh my God this was the best meatball casserole I’ve ever had we had Jessica formicola’s cheesy meatball casserole and it was the worst thing I’ve ever eaten what a waste of money yours is so much better thank you for such a wonderful recipe
Made this and added some crushed tomatoes and green onion. Used Italian seasoning and Basil in addition to salt and pepper. Was really good and easy! Used frozen meatballs with no problem. Did cook a few minutes longer.
Great recipe. Easy to make and family was satisfied!
This was the easiest and best recipe I’ve made in a long time. There were only 4 of us and we ate almost the whole thing. Served a salad on the side. This is definitely a 5-star recipe.
This was not good. No flavor. Why 2 cups of water? Should have more marina sauce. Thought about it while I was making it but, followed the recipe. Do not us this recipe.!!!!!! Make or buy a good sauce. Put in crockpot with your meatballs couple hours . Make pasta separately. Put in oven 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Top with Mozzarella cheese and cook another 10 minutes. Done. Enjoy!
When I came across this recipe, I was happy that it came together quick and I had all of the ingredients. I halved the recipe as my family can be picky when it comes to one dish pasta dinners. The only thing they were upset about was me not making enough of it! They requested me to make it again during that same week! Now a few weeks later,it’s been a long day, and I have come right back to this recipe! The full size is in the oven baking now! Happy family coming right up soon!
Very easy to make and quite delicious! Didn’t adjust time, used penne, 23 small size pre-cooked frozen meatballs, and only had a tex Mex shredded cheese blend, turned out great and the family enjoyed 🙂 will make again.
Turned out perfectly. I used penne.
Not understanding how people ended up with hard pasta noodles? I baked it for 40 minutes and the noodles were perfect. Definitely saving this recipe for something quick, easy and delicious!
How many meatballs did you use?
This is my second time making this casserole….the first time the noodles weren’t cooked. So this time I’ve partially boiled them for 8 min. then stirred them in with the rest of the ingredients, minus one cup of water. Anxiously awaiting the final product.
Thank you very much! As an old
widower this is just the kind of
recipe I love. Came out just as
you described. Delicious! You
are a wonderful cook!🙋♂️
This was so easy to make, I couldn’t believe it. Most importantly, it tasted amazing and all three of our kids loved it (a rare happening). I’m so glad I came across this recipe.
This was a total fail. The pasta did not cook at all. I had to finish on the stove in the hopes the pasta would cook.
Very good! My family loves it. I switched the milk to coconut milk, for my lactose intolerant members. They love it. Great job!
I followed your recipe for the marinara sauce in a round enameled cast iron pan (fabulous!) and then proceeded by adding the rest of the ingredients and baked (with matching covered lid) at 450°F for 40 minutes. Stirred and topped with the mozzarella cheese uncovered for 10 minutes. Let it rest and then……Yummers! The family enjoyed every bite! ♡♡♡
Love this recipe, it turned out perfectly. My family really enjoyed it! 5 stars!
Desperate for a new dinner idea, I tried this one with homemade (simpler, versatile) meatballs. They were frozen but I defrosted most of the way before using them. I’m using TJs Roasted Garlic Marinara. Betting the sauce makes a huge difference. My husband and I have a pretty high bar for good food, but it’s cold and rainy out…fingers crossed that this becomes a new answer to “Aaack! What’s for dinner tonight?”
My pasta is still underdone (15 minutes extra so far). I used penne rigate instead of ziti and I’m wondering if the slight difference in pasta thickness is affecting my bake time. I also felt I needed to add about a cup more liquid/wine/tomato sauce to make sure there was enough liquid for the pasta to absorb.
Just tried this tonight and WOW!!! This is delicious and a keeper for sure! I definitely want it a little more saucy. But the fl is great and I had no problem with the pasta cooking. It was per. Great recipe!! Thank you!
I tried this today with the half measurements and my husband loved it! I do have some questions, though:
– I personally prefer a more liquid-y sauce, and this one is thick (nothing wrong, my personal taste) so if I added more liquid at the beginning of the recipe, would the pasta just keep absorbing it? In other words, would it be better to just add more sauce at the end (which I did)? I notice some comments are about par-boiling the pasta.
– Also, I make my own meatballs and freeze with just some basic seasoning like garlic powder and seasoning salt because I also use them in dishes that aren’t Italian. They seemed sort of bland in this Italian dish, so would it be best to add Italian seasonings to the meatballs before freezing or would that be too much?
Thanks in advance! I’m probably old enough to be your grandmother, but trying new recipes for us empty-nesters!
Yikes! I must have done something wrong. Followed the directions exactly, but noodles were crunchy when served 🙁 (AND I had even baked it for 15 extra minutes….
Could you use zucchini noodles instead and adjust the cooking time
Sure, but I haven’t tested it so I can’t say the cook time. I’d thaw the meatballs first so the zucchini noodles don’t get overcooked before the meatballs are warm. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Yes! Or spaghetti squash noodles.
So simple and yummy. I veganized it by using beyond meatballs, almond milk and vegan parm. I used brown rice pasta and should have cooked it only 35 minutes, pasta was a little mushy but still very edible!
Thanks for leaving this comment! I bought beyond meatballs, and you inspired me to try this recipe! I used beyond meatballs as a sub for meatballs, oat milk as a sub for dairy milk, and an oat milk bechamel mixed with violife mozzarella as a sub for the mozzarella cheese. Oh, and I also mixed quite a bit of nutritional yeast into the tomato sauce, which I strongly recommend to anyone, vegan or not. And this recipe was soooo good. I will definitely be making this again.
Oh my goodness this is good and easy!! I did have a problem with my pasta being hard…. any suggestions?
Par boil the pasta first a few minutes before adding to the pan. I did and it turned out great. I boiled them for about 5 minutes.
After the 40 minutes my past was still quite hard. I think I will par boil the pasta. Other wise I need to make a double recipe next time. It’s fantastic.
I made this casserole exactly by the instructions and it was delicious. I used a 1 pound package of Italian meatballs. There were eight meatballs in the package, but I split them up and made 16 meatballs. If I make this again, I will create even smaller meatballs, just to make sure there is some meat in every bite. My only suggestion is to use a little more sauce. I suggest a jar and a half of marinara. Otherwise it’s great!
Use ground meat then that would give you enough meat. 🙂
Its was great the whole family loved it.
I wish the recipe would say how many meatballs approximately.
Can you use uncooked meatballs
I would cook the meatballs in a skillet first.
This is my family’s new favorite. We love it so much, I always have the ingredients handy in case visitors showed up unexpectedly. It’s super easy and delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Really great and easy recipe! It was the delicious comfort food I was looking for, although because my husband isn’t a huge fan of marinara sauce I replaced it with alfredo sauce which still worked great. Thanks for your recipes!
So yummy!!! This was super easy to make, super delicious and since it’s just me and my husband we had leftovers for daysss! Haha, literally this recipe made enough for us to each have 5 servings.
The cooking time seems appropriate for raw meatballs. Can you do that? Doesn’t using pre-cooked meatballs make them dry out?
I was wondering the same thing
I like to make my own meatballs fresh
We just made this last night. It was so delicious! A family favorite! We will make it again soon!
so easy!
Approximately how many meatballs are needed for the recipe?
Yes, I’m curious about this too!
I’m using about 30 frozen meatballs tonight!
I’d like to know too! In the photo and video I count 18-20. But I’m not sure if they’re the 1/2 oz. or 1 oz. size meatballs. They appear big though so maybe 1 oz. balls!
If you can’t use milk, would you use 3 cups water total? (I noticed there were already 2 cups of water in the recipe. Thanks for the help.
Yes 🙂