Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole

This easy Meatball Casserole Recipe is a hearty and delicious one-pan pasta casserole consisting of juicy cooked meatballs and pasta, baked in a rich and creamy mixture of marinara sauce, heavy cream, chicken broth, and melted cheese. It’s the ultimate weeknight dinner.

Easy Meatball Casserole Recipe

If you love hearty one-pan casserole recipes like this Chicken Noodle Casserole and this Philly Cheesesteak Casserole, then you’re in for a real treat with this dump and bake meatball casserole!

Gooey, cheesy, and super easy to make, it’s the ultimate dump-and-bake casserole and a delicious alternative to classic spaghetti and meatballs.

My favorite part of this dish is that it calls for frozen (thawed) meatballs (although homemade meatballs can also be used). You guys, it’s the strangest thing – the older I get, the lazier I find myself. Making homemade meatballs on a random Wednesday night just isn’t that important. Lucky for us, Italian flavored frozen meatballs are everywhere these days and in different sizes! So, unless I have to make my meatballs homemade, I won’t. And I’m ok with it.

Anyway, the whole family is going to love this easy amazing dinner. Mine did!

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

• Marinara sauce – Use store-bought or homemade marinara sauce.
• Chicken broth – I prefer to use low-sodium broth to keep the salt content down. Chicken stock could be used instead. 
• Meatballs – Use fully cooked meatballs for this casserole, either homemade cooked and frozen meatballs or store-bought frozen meatballs. In both cases, the meatballs need to be thawed completely before adding to the dish. Turkey meatballs or beef meatballs are delicious in the recipe. You can also use or make mini meatballs.
• Pasta – Ziti, rotini, or penne pasta are great options for this meatball casserole. 
• Heavy cream – Adds flavor and thickens the sauce. Feel free to use half-and-half or omit the heavy cream and replace it with additional marinara sauce.
• Italian seasoning – Use store-bought Italian seasoning or this homemade version.
• Salt and pepper – There’s a ton of flavor in this casserole already, but you could also include other spices, such as smoked paprika or cayenne pepper for a kick of heat.
• Mozzarella cheese – Always use freshly grated mozzarella cheese for the best flavor. Grated white cheddar cheese, provolone, gruyere, or parmesan can be used instead.

How to Make Meatball Casserole Recipe

1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and assemble the ingredients. 

2. Combine the casserole ingredients: Add the marinara sauce, chicken broth, meatballs, pasta, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to a large casserole dish or a 9×13-inch baking pan and stir to combine. 

3. Bake: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, stir the casserole ingredients, and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes. 

4. Add cheese: Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in half of the grated cheese until fully melted. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, sprinkling evenly all over. 

5. Brown the top of the casserole: Add the casserole back to the oven to bake for another 5-10 minutes so that the cheese topping is golden brown, bubbly, and melted. 

6. Cool and serve: Allow the meatball casserole to cool for 5 minutes before serving with a sprinkle of fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

Cooking Tips

• Be sure to use fully-cooked meatballs for this casserole. This guarantees that all the meatballs are cooked through and safe to eat. 
• Remember to thaw the frozen meatballs in the refrigerator before adding them to the casserole.
• Stir halfway through cooking. This prevents the meatballs and pasta from drying out and ensures that everything cooks evenly.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Add the marinara sauce, chicken broth, meatballs, pasta, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the bowl of a large slow cooker. Add an additional 16-24 ounces of marinara sauce and mix well to cover the ziti with sauce.

• Note: Wait to add the heavy cream (or half and half) until 30 minutes before the end of cooking.

Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for approximately 3½-4 hours, or until the pasta is tender. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk, and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Return the lid and allow the meatball casserole to cook for an additional 15-30 minutes.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead Instructions: You can prepare this meatball casserole up to a few hours before baking, but I wouldn’t do it much sooner than this as the noodles may have a mushy and grainy texture after baking.

Freezing Instructions: Prepare the casserole until it’s ready to be baked. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap followed by a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking, or to bake from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, and uncovered for 15-30 minutes.

Leftovers: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Meatball Recipes

• Air Fryer Meatballs
• Greek Meatballs
• Lamb Meatballs Recipe
• Swedish Meatballs
• Porcupine Meatballs
• Hawaiian Meatballs Recipe