Meatball Pasta Casserole
Yield: 6 servings
This Meatball Pasta Casserole recipe is crazy delicious comfort food, with pasta, cheese, and meatballs baked altogether in a rich, flavorful tomato sauce. It's a hearty meal that the whole family will love!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup finely minced yellow onion
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound bulk Italian pork sausage
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Ziti and Sauce
- 12 ounces ziti pasta
- 1 can (28 ounces) Red Gold® Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) Red Gold® Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 12 ounces block mozzarella, cut into ½" cubes
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls (small balls)
Instructions
- In a large skillet with tall sides, over medium to medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add onion and saute, stirring regularly. After 5 minutes, stir in garlic. Saute for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until onion is completely soft and translucent. Transfer onion and garlic to a plate and spread out to cool.
- To a large bowl, add beef, pork, and egg. Sprinkle bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper evenly over the top, followed by the cooled onion and garlic. Mix to combine evenly with your hands. You could also use a wooden spoon or stand mixer, but I prefer using my hands for the most evenly combined mixture.
- Using a 1-1/2 tablespoon measure (I like to use a 1-1/2 tablespoon scoop), portion meat mixture, roll into balls, and then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the same large skillet (no need to wash it) over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Once butter is melted, swirl it around to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add meatballs. Brown meatballs on all sides, and cook for about 20 minutes total. Transfer meatballs to a platter or sheet pan.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. While meatballs are browning, cook ziti in a pot of salted boiling water, until just barely al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Place same large skillet over medium heat (do not wash it). Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and stir them into the tomatoes. Stir in Italian herb mix, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Fold meatballs into tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring a couple times. Stir in chopped parsley and basil, and then remove skillet from heat. Fold in drained ziti.
- Transfer half of ziti/meatball mixture to a large baking dish. Spread block mozzarella pieces over the top. Add remaining ziti/meatball mixture, spreading it out evenly. Top with mozzarella pearls. Cover dish loosely with foil (do not press foil onto the ziti/meatball mixture) and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the dish is hot and bubbling nicely. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes or so. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the top if desired. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 722kcal Carbohydrates: 21g Protein: 54g Fat: 46g Saturated Fat: 23g Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g Cholesterol: 209mg Sodium: 1756mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.