Our Meatball Casserole Recipe is perfect for Italian night and a great low carb friendly recipe, too! I adore easy recipes and this cheesy meatball casserole is always a huge hit with my whole family!
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If you're looking for an easy family dinner, this simple recipe is it!
For this recipe, you can use your own meatball recipe or frozen meatballs from the grocery store. I almost always have some kind of homemade meatballs in my freezer thanks to my Italian mother-in-law!
- Classic Italian Meatballs - traditional ground beef recipe
- Keto Chicken Meatballs - a great low carb meatball recipe
- Italian Chicken Meatballs - always a family favorite
You can use frozen meatballs, just be sure to thaw them first.
🧂 Ingredients
- meatballs
- marinara or tomato sauce
- baby spinach
- parmesan cheese
- ricotta cheese
- zucchini noodles or pasta - optional
This is meant to be a brief overview of this great recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients and how to make meatball casserole, please scroll down to the teal box below.
🔪 Instructions
- In a baking dish, mix the marinara sauce and chopped baby spinach together.
- Add the cooked meatballs on top of the sauce.
- Top with ricotta cheese and shredded cheese. (If you prefer more sauce, add it before the shredded cheese.)
- Bake for 30 minutes at 375-F until the cheese is bubbly.
🥄Equipment
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Here is what you will need to make this easy recipe:
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🍴 Serving Suggestions
Baked meatball casserole is a great addition to any Italian night. Sometimes I like to garnish it with a little bit of fresh basil.
Serve this casserole dish with a big Italian side salad, your favorite pasta, zucchini noodles, or even parmesan risotto. It's totally delicious with breadsticks or garlic bread, too.
Leftover casserole makes a great shortcut meatball sub, too!
🍲 Storage
To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container or a glass baking dish with a cover. (Don't use aluminum foil for storing acidic foods like tomato sauce.)
(These are my favorite airtight containers.)
To Reheat: Microwave individual portions in 30 second intervals until heated throughout.
To Freeze: Assemble the casserole without the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and place into a 2-gallon freezer bag. Be sure to label it!
To Thaw: For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
✏️ Make Ahead
You can assemble your cheesy meatball casserole a day or two ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Be sure to cover it with plastic wrap. Bake as directed, although you may need a few more minutes.
⭐ Tips
✔️ Avoid using aluminum foil when storing tomato dishes. Tomato sauce can interact with aluminum, making the sauce taste bitter.
📖 Variations
The first time you try any new recipe we recommend that you make it just as it is written on the recipe card since that is how the recipe has been tested. However, the next time you make our meatball casserole recipe, you might want to try one of these ideas:
- When I use store-bought pasta sauce, I like to add a little bit of Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
- To make this a keto meatball casserole, use our Keto Chicken Meatballs.
- For a lower calorie dish, substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta. If you're not a fan of ricotta, try cream cheese or mascarpone instead.
Sometimes I make a version of this dish using sweet ot hot Italian sausage instead of pork, chicken, or beef meatballs. (Of course then it's not meatball casserole!)
You can also make this a one pan meal... here's how:
- Mix 1lb uncooked pasta with 24 ounces of tomato sauce, 1 cup of milk, and 2 cups of water in a 9x12 or 9x13 baking dish.
- Add meatballs and seasonings and mix to combine.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Stir and check that the pasta is al dente. If not, return it to the oven and check again in a couple of minutes.
- Top with cheese and bake 5-10 minutes longer until the cheese is melted.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Making this in the slow cooker is a great way to keep it warm for parties.
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Set on LOW for 4 hours.
😋 Similar Recipes
If you love recipes using store-bought or your own meatballs, try one of these delicious recipes next time:
- Meatball Cupcakes - super simple reicpe
- Easy Meatball Sliders - great for game day
- Meatball Calzones - another great way to use leftover meatballs
Not ready to make this Meatball Casserole Recipe yet?
When you do make it, please come back and comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Cheesy Meatball Bake
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Ingredients
- 24 Italian Meatballs not frozen
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups baby spinach finely chopped
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375-F.
- In a baking dish, mix together the tomato sauce and chopped baby spinach.3 cups tomato sauce, 2 cups baby spinach
- Add the meatballs on top of the sauce.24 Italian Meatballs
- Top with ricotta cheese and shredded cheese. (If you prefer more sauce, add it before the shredded cheese.)1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Video
Notes
For best results, be sure to check our Tips and FAQs above with important tips and questions that can help your delicious recipe come out perfectly.
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