Baked Meatball Penne Casserole
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Frozen meatballs teamed with penne and marinara for a no-fuss baked meal. Pasta cooks in sauce and water, soaking up the tang and spice while meatballs add dense, savory bites. Mozzarella melts on top, browns lightly. One dish, minimal cleanup. Garage dinner winner. Cook times flexible, based on bubbling sauce and pasta texture. Easy swap: ground sausage or vegan balls, chunky tomato salsa for sauce. Keep water close for timing tweaks. Casserole thickens up while cooling, so avoid dry edges by stirring midway and watching cheese melt golden. Reliable crowd pleaser, fast prep, forgiving oven time. Savory, hearty, just right for a hectic weeknight.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
62 min
Servings:
6 servings
#Italian-American
#baked pasta
#comfort food
#fast dinner
#savory casserole
Ever tossed frozen meatballs into pasta sauce and hoped for the best? Been there, got chewy disasters. Learned quick: letting meatballs fully defrost, then nestling them on top of penne mixed with sauce and water in a baking pan is easier and more reliable. The pasta soaks up flavor while steaming in the foil-covered dish. Cheese on top melts and crisps ups everything. Timing’s not a chill concept either — listen for bubbling sound, peek for sauce thickness and cheese color. No need to slavishly track minutes. Pro tip: a bit less water than package says keeps casserole creamy, not soupy. Mix, match meat or tomato sauce textures, throw in a pinch of chili flakes or fresh basil for a twist. This one’s saved plenty of rushed weeknights without fuss.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces frozen meatballs (approx 32 pieces)
- 12 ounces penne pasta (about 3 cups)
- 20 ounces marinara sauce (chunky or smooth)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 7 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- non-stick cooking spray
About the ingredients
Frozen meatballs are life-savers but avoid super-thick or pre-cooked smushed ones; choose best quality for flavor. Default penne around 12 oz works well; too much pasta means dry edges needing extra water, so test water amounts. Marinara sauce with bite—chunky plums or herby sweetness balances meatballs’ richness. Water critical here — don’t skip or pasta dries out. Mozzarella should be shredded, not block-sliced for easy melting and golden patches. For vegan twist, use plant-based balls and vegan shredded cheese. If no microwave, thaw meatballs in warm water bath or overnight fridge. Don’t double dish or trick sauce consistency; extra deep pan might trap too much moisture. Spray pan with olive oil spray, not heavy sprays to avoid plastic residues.
Method
- Preheat oven to 435°F; higher temp speeds sauce bubbling but watch edges so pasta doesn’t scorch.
- Spray a 9x13” casserole dish lightly with non-stick spray; prevents glue-on mess.
- Place frozen meatballs in large microwave-safe bowl. Defrost on low for 6 minutes, checking midway; aim for fully thawed but cool, no cooking yet.
- Pour penne into dish first, then spoon in marinara and water. Use rubber spatula to stir thoroughly, coating pasta and opening channels for water absorption.
- Add thawed meatballs on top. No need to mix them in right away; they’ll nestle and infuse flavor during bake.
- Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil, tent so it doesn’t touch sauce — traps steam, helps pasta cook evenly.
- Bake 33 minutes, pulling out once around halfway to stir gently. Listen for sauce bubbling steadily through foil; indicates pasta hydration progress.
- Remove foil carefully (steam’s hot), sprinkle cheese across top evenly, pressing lightly to melt deep, not just surface.
- Return casserole to oven uncovered, bake 7 to 12 minutes. Look for mozzarella turning golden, some spots toasted and bubbling. Odor will shift savory, thick tomato notes.
- Let rest 8 minutes after baking. Sauce thickens, cheese firms up slightly, making serving less sloppy with better texture.
- If saucy seems thin after baking, broil briefly but watch closely — browning fast can dry edges or burn cheese.
Cooking tips
Preheating to 435°F helps jumpstart boiling so sauce bubbles before pasta’s fully done; watch foil tent to avoid steam escape which dries mussels. Stir halfway isn’t random — it avoids pasta sticking bottom and distributes heat evenly, plus avoids drying edges. When stirring, be gentle so meatballs don’t break apart; they’re dense but need tender coaxing. Cheese on top traps steam and adds texture; sprinkle evenly, pressing slightly prevents hot spots. Resting time post bake is crucial: sauce settles and thickens while cooling; serving immediately risks runny mess. Visual cues beat timers here—watch sauce bubbling, cheese browning, pasta softness via toothpick or fork. If cheese browns too quickly but pasta underdone, lower oven temp next try.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Preheat oven high, 435°F jumps sauce bubbling but watch edges. Sauce bubbling steady means pasta’s absorbing. Stir halfway prevents sticking and uneven cooking. Avoid stirring too harsh — meatballs dense, can crumble if poked too much.
- 💡 Thaw frozen meatballs fully first or they stay cold in bake, disrupt cooking rhythm. Microwave low or warm water bath works. If skipped, bake longer with foil tent to gently defrost then cook through, but timing gets tricky.
- 💡 Water critical — too little and pasta dries on edges, too much and sauce gets soupy. Start with 2 1/2 cups, adjust halfway if sauce too thin. Visual cues beat timers. Sauce texture matters more than set minutes.
- 💡 Cheese on top traps steam, melts and crisps. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly, press lightly so heat reaches deeper. Block cheese shreds unevenly and melts poorly. Watch for golden to toasted spots to signal done.
- 💡 Swaps work: ground sausage instead of meatballs, chunky tomato salsa for marinara, vegan balls and shredded vegan cheese. Adjust water if tomato salsa watery. Baking times flex with swap ingredients; rely on bubbling and cheese color cues.
Common questions
Can I bake without thawing meatballs?
Yes, but bake lower temp longer with foil tent to steam-defrost. Timing shifts, check bubbling. Risk cold cores in meatballs if rushed.
What if sauce too runny after baking?
Broil briefly but watch fast browning. Stir halfway next bake to even thickness. Add less water next time or more thick marinara. Also possible to simmer before baking.
How to stop pasta drying on edges?
Enough water key. Stir halfway during bake to redistribute moisture. Use a deeper pan for more even cook. Cover tightly with foil tent; steam helps keep moisture in.
How store leftovers?
Fridge in airtight container, reheats fine in microwave or oven with splash water added before warming. Avoid drying by reheating covered. Frozen leftovers work but reheat gently.
