Cheesy Meatball Pasta Bake
This comforting Cheesy Meatball Pasta Bake is perfect for any night of the week. Made with homemade meatballs and pasta sauce, this pasta bake is a family favorite that is always hits the spot.
When it comes to comfort food, pasta is at the top of my list, right next to Classic Beef Roast. I love just about anything with pasta, and when combined with tender, flavor meatballs and tons of cheese, who can resist.
If it were up to my oldest son, he would put meatballs in just about anything. While meatballs may not fit in every dish, they certainly belong in this cheesy pasta bake.
Ground Beef - I use 80/20 for this recipe, but feel free to use what you prefer.
Breadcrumbs - The breadcrumbs help to "bind" the meatballs so that they do not fall apart.
Cheese - Both parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese are needed for this recipe. Freshly shredded is best.
Egg - The egg also helps "bind" the meatballs.
Tomato Sauce - Plain tomato sauce for the pasta sauce.
Diced Tomatoes - I prefer petite diced tomatoes in my pasta sauces but feel free to use whatever you have.
Onions - For flavoring the pasta sauce.
Garlic - Freshly minced garlic for flavoring the pasta sauce.
Pasta - For this recipe I used mini penne pasta. However, any pasta shape will work. I often use fusilli pasta, regular penne pasta or rotini pasta for this pasta bake.
Herbs & Spices - Oregano, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder for seasoning the meatballs and the pasta sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce - The Worcestershire Sauce is used in flavoring the meatballs.
Customizing Cheesy Meatball Pasta Bake
This recipe is super easy to customize to make it your own. Here are a few suggestions.
•Substitute the homemade meatballs with premade frozen meatballs.
•Use a mixture of pork and beef for the meatballs.
•Use jarred pasta sauce instead of the homemade pasta sauce.
•Add some veggies to your sauce. Mushrooms, zucchini and spinach are all great additions to this pasta bake.
Step 1 Make the meatballs. Mix together the meatball ingredients, portion into 25 equal portions.
Step 2 Cook the meatballs. Brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set on a paper towel lined plate. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
Step 3 Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and set aside until needed.
Step 4 Make pasta sauce. Sauté the onion sin the reserved fat. Once tender add in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the remaining pasta sauce ingredients and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Step 5 Assemble cheesy meatball pasta bake. Add the meatballs and pasta to the pasta sauce. Stir to fully combine. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and top with shredded cheeses.
Step 6 Bake. Place in a 350°F for 30-45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
You can cook the meatballs two different ways.
Stove Top Meatballs - In a skillet over medium heat brown the meatballs on all sides. Don't fully cook the meatballs here, just brown them. They will continue cooking in the oven.
Oven Baked Meatballs - To bake the meatballs in the oven simply place them on a parchment lined baking sheet after rolling them. Place in an 375° F and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and continue with the recipe.
What do you put in meatballs so that they don't fall apart?
Breadcrumbs and eggs are added to the meatball mixture to keep them from falling apart. It is important to add both the breadcrumbs and eggs, so the meatballs don't fall apart.
This comforting Cheesy Meatball Pasta Bake is perfect for any night of the week. Made with homemade meatballs and pasta sauce, this pasta bake is a family favorite that is always hits the spot.
- 1 Pound ground beef
- 1/4 Cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 Cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
- 1 Large egg
- 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp parsley (fresh or dried)
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon pepper
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 Large onion (small diced)
- 3 Cloves garlic (minced)
- 29 oz tomato sauce
- 2 (14 oz.) Cans diced tomatoes
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- To Taste pepper
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 10 oz mini penne pasta (or your choice)
- 1 Cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1/4 Cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
- Meatballs
In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Portion into 25 equal meatballs.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and place on a paper-towel lined plate.
Pour off the fat left in the skillet, reserving about 2 tablespoons. Reduce heat to medium.
Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until tender. Next add in the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
Now pour in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, reduce the heat to low. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and basil. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering cook the pasta to al dente and preheat an oven to 375°F.
Once the pasta sauce is done simmering, mix in the pasta and meatballs. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and cover with the cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
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