A super simple easy cheesy dump and bake meatball casserole is just what your weeknight dinner rotation needs, a dish the whole family will enjoy.
This Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole only needs 4 ingredients! Quick to make because you ‘dump’ the ingredients into a casserole dish and let it bake. The perfect family-friendly dinner that uses simple ingredients like frozen meatballs and jarred pasta sauce.
Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole Recipe
My oldest daughter loves all the pasta dinner recipes like this dump and bake meatball casserole. The flavors are so satisfying, basically just pour everything in my favorite baking dish.
The oven does the rest of the work. Frozen meatballs, a jar of pasta sauce, and rotini pasta make the prep time a breeze and such an easy delicious recipe to enjoy.
Ingredients Needed to Make a Meatball Casserole
- Rotini Pasta – Just toss in uncooked, how much easier can it get?
- Water
- Pasta Sauce – Use any flavor of pasta sauce, we usually use Ragu or Rao.
- Frozen Pre Cooked Meatballs – Make sure these are thawed out beforehand.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
How To Make Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole with Frozen Meatballs
It’s easy to make this meatball casserole with only 4 ingredients! Everything gets ‘dumped’ into a 9×13 baking dish and you’re ready for the oven.
- Prep : Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Dump and Bake : Dump in the dried pasta, water, pasta sauce, and meatballs.
- Cook : Set the cook time for 35 minutes.
- Cheese : Add mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan with tin foil. Cook an additional 20 minutes.
Dump and Bake Meatball Variations & Substitution Ideas
- Can I Use a Different Pasta In This Dump and Bake Casserole?
- Yes, but make sure that it is about the same size as the rotini pasta. Other pasta shapes that will work are penne pasta or small bow-ties. Rotini is great for red pasta dishes because it holds the sauce in all the grooves.
- Can I Use Homemade Pasta Sauce Instead of Jarred?
- Yes, of course! A 24 ounce jar of pasta sauce is equal to 3 cups.
- Serving Ideas
- Serve with a side salad such as a pre-mixed, ready to use salad or Caesar salad.
- A vegetable would also go great such as corn on the cob or glazed baby carrots.
If you like Meatball Casserole, you may also enjoy Smokies, Green Beans & Potatoes, Roast Beef Manhattan or French Dip Sandwiches.
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Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
A super simple easy cheesy dump and bake meatball casserole is just what your weeknight dinner rotation needs.
Ingredients
- 16 oz rotini
- 24 oz marinara
- 14 oz meatballs (thawed)
- 3 c water
- 2 c shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Add rotini, marinara, meatballs and water together. Stir and cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 425 degrees.
- Add mozzarella cheese, cover and bake for another 20 minutes.
Notes
Frozen Meatballs : To thaw these, place them in the fridge overnight or early in the morning the day of. If you're in a hurry and forgot to set them in the fridge, try thawing them in the microwave. They do need to be thawed completely before adding them to the casserole dish.
If you can't find a 14 oz size meatball package at the store you can use one similar in size (18 ounces) or buy the larger pack (28 ounces) and use half of the bag in the casserole.
Pasta Sauce : With so few ingredients, it's important to use a good-quality, good tasting pasta sauce. I prefer using Rao's homemade pasta sauce when I make this recipe. Another great brand with good flavor is Ragu.
