Description
A hearty and comforting Meatball Casserole featuring uncooked pasta baked in a flavorful mix of marinara, chicken stock, and seasonings, layered with tender cooked meatballs and topped with melted cheese for a deliciously satisfying 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 (adjust as per taste)
- 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 prepare 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 well to evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Add Meatballs: Arrange the cooked meatballs evenly on top of the pasta mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake Covered: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until the pasta is almost tender.
- Check and Stir: Carefully remove the heavy baking dish from the oven, remove the foil, gently stir the mixture once, and check the pasta doneness. It will bake further in the next step.
- Add Cheese and Bake Again: Sprinkle shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly.
- Broil for Finish: Optionally broil the casserole for a few minutes to develop browned spots on the cheese.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped parsley on top as garnish and serve hot.
Notes
- You can use store-bought or homemade cooked meatballs; about 24-30 meatballs work well for this recipe.
- If you prefer a spicier casserole, increase the red pepper flakes according to your taste.
- Using a mix of chicken stock and water adds flavor while keeping the liquid balanced for pasta cooking.
- Covering the dish with foil during the first baking helps steam the pasta evenly.
- Broiling at the end is optional but adds a nice golden crust on the cheese.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
