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This Easy Meatball Pasta Bake is a hearty, family-friendly dinner that takes minimal prep and bakes up into a bubbly, cheesy pasta dish that’s full of flavor. Tender pasta and flavorful meatballs are baked together in a rich, seasoned marinara sauce and topped with melty mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. This is a great low-effort dinner recipe you’ll want to keep on regular dinner rotation!
Baked Pasta with Meatballs
If you want a delicious, easy dinner recipe that doesn’t involve chopping and lots of measuring, is made in one-pan, and also uses minimal dishes, this Easy Meatball Pasta Bake is the recipe for you!
Everything bakes together in one baking dish, just mix, pour, and bake. Try it with my Creamy Fruit Salad.
Why We Love Meatball Pasta Bake
• Easy, One-pan – no-boil pasta, bake in one pan.
• Simple Ingredients – Uses pantry staples and frozen meatballs.
• Crowd-pleasing – comfort food with tasty, but uncomplicated ingredients most people enjoy.
• Customizable – use your favorite pasta or pasta sauce, or favorite meatballs.
• Perfect for leftovers – it’s nice to have for lunch or dinner the next day.
This one-pan pasta bake with meatballs is a total weeknight winner. You don’t even need to boil the pasta first!
This This Easy Meatball Pasta Bake is the perfect busy weeknight dinner. It is great for when you want something easy, but delicious and filling, without the extra effort (and dishes!).
Ingredients in No-Boil Meatball Pasta Bake
Here’s what you’ll need to make this yummy one-pan, no-boil pasta bake (exact amounts in recipe card below):
• Uncooked Pasta – Rotini, Cavatappi, or Ziti, etc.
• Marinara Sauce – I use a no sugar variety. Use a sauce you like
• Milk – I use a low fat milk
• Beef Broth – or dissolve beef bouillon in water to make 2 ½ cups (I use low sodium)
• Garlic Powder – or use fresh minced garlic cloves, or jarred minced garlic
• Onion Powder
• Italian Seasoning
• Salt, Black Pepper
• Frozen Cooked Meatballs (thawed) – use store-bought or homemade (I like the smaller sized meatballs)
• Chopped Parsley – also, some for garnish
• Grated Parmesan Cheese – you can also use shredded Parmesan
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – use freshly shredded or pre-shredded
• Fresh Basil and Parsley – for garnish
One Dish Baked Meatball Pasta Variations & Substitutions
Different Meat – Swap in browned Italian sausage, ground beef, or other cooked ground meat.
No Marinara? – Use a different sauce like vodka sauce, arrabbiata, or alfredo.
Cheese – Try different cheeses like provolone, Italian blend, or fontina for more depth.
How to Make Dump and Bake Meatball Pasta
• Preheat oven to 425°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• In a large bowl, combine the uncooked pasta, marinara, milk, broth, seasonings, thawed meatballs, and parsley.
• Pour into the prepared baking dish and press pasta down into the liquid.
• Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50–60 minutes.
• Remove foil and check pasta doneness. If needed, re-cover and bake for 5–10 more minutes.
• Top with Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 5–10 minutes until melted and casserole is bubbly.
• Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Broil briefly if you want golden cheese.
Easy Meatball Pasta Bake Tips
• Thaw the meatballs before baking for even cooking.
• Use a deep 9×13 baking dish to avoid spillover.
• If your pasta seems dry, stir in a splash of warm broth before adding cheese.
• Want extra flavor? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a handful of chopped spinach.
Cheesy Meatball Pasta Bake Recipe FAQs
- Can I use homemade meatballs instead of frozen?
Yes! Fully cooked homemade meatballs work great, just make sure they’re fully thawed and cooked before adding to the dish. Turkey, pork, beef or chicken meatballs all work great! - Can I prep this meatball pasta bake ahead of time?
Yes. Mix everything together in the baking dish (minus the cheese topping), cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Add an extra 5–10 minutes to the baking time if cold. - Do I need to boil the pasta first?
Nope! The pasta cooks right in the sauce as it bakes, absorbing all that delicious flavor. - What kind of pasta works best?
Short pasta shapes like rotini, cavatappi, ziti, or penne are ideal. Avoid delicate or quick-cooking pastas like angel hair or egg noodles.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or covered in the oven at 350°F until hot.
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
More Delicious Easy Casserole Recipes
Best Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
Irish Cottage Pie
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes with Kielbasa
One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Cheesy Taco Pasta Casserole
If you make this Lazy Meatball Pasta Casserole recipe, let me know! Just leave a comment with a star rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Easy Meatball Pasta Bake
Equipment
- Deep 9x13-inch Baking Dish
- Large Bowl
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 16 oz Uncooked Pasta (rotini, cavatappi or ziti)
- 2 24-ounce jars Marinara Sauce
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 ½ cups Beef Broth (I use low sodium)
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 pound Frozen Cooked Meatballs, thawed
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
To Finish
- ¾ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 ½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Garnish
- Fresh Basil and Parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray/grease a deep 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix together the uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, milk, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, meatballs, and parsley.
- Add mixture to the prepared baking dish, and press the pasta into the liquid.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foil and stir the casserole. Check to see if the pasta is done, it should be firm but almost fully cooked. If it’s not done, re-cover and bake for 5-10 more minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top and bake uncovered for 5–10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbly.
- Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Optional: Place under the broiler for a few minutes before serving if you want the cheese browned.
Notes
Meatballs
Use any type of cooked meatballs you like. Beef, turkey, chicken, pork, store bought, or homemade. Just thaw them first. I like the smaller size meatballs. Approx. Nutrition Info| Serving Size: ⅛ of recipe | 520 kcal | 24g fat | 9g saturated fat | 55mg cholesterol | 980mg sodium | 54g carbs | 4g fiber | 8g sugars | 26g protein | 280mg calcium | 3.2mg iron | 580mg potassium(Estimated per serving, based on 8 servings)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Alternate Names for This Recipe:
Dump and Bake Meatball Pasta
Lazy Meatball Pasta Casserole
Baked Ziti with Meatballs
One-Pot Meatball Pasta
Cheesy Meatball Casserole
Meatball Marinara Pasta Bake
