Description
A hearty and comforting Meatball Casserole featuring dry pasta baked in a flavorful marinara and chicken broth sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese, perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 500 grams dry pasta (16 ounce)
- 1 jar marinara sauce (24-28 ounce jar)
- 24-30 cooked meatballs
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1.5 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it's hot and ready for baking the casserole.
- Mix Ingredients: In a 9x13-inch baking dish, combine the dry uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, chicken stock, water, milk, olive oil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir thoroughly to evenly distribute all the ingredients.
- Add Meatballs: Arrange the cooked meatballs evenly on top of the pasta and sauce mixture in the baking dish. This ensures even cooking and flavor infusion.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes to allow the pasta to cook and absorb the sauce flavors.
- Check and Stir: Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven using oven mitts as it will be heavy. Remove the foil, gently stir once to check the doneness of the pasta but do not fully mix. This helps in even cooking during the next step.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake Again: Return the uncovered casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned.
- Broil for Color: For a few minutes, switch to the broil setting to get golden brown spots on the cheese, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve hot.
Notes
- Use cooked meatballs for convenience; homemade or store-bought both work well.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, increase the red pepper flakes to taste.
- Substitute dairy milk with a plant-based milk if desired, adjusting seasoning accordingly.
- The dish can be prepared a few hours ahead and baked just before serving for convenience.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
