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This easy dump and bake meatball casserole recipe is the simplest weeknight dinner that you need in your rotation. Toss everything in a baking dish and let the oven do the work. No boiling, no fuss, barely any prep. It’s a cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner that your whole family will love.
This is one of my favorite easy dinner recipes for busy nights when cooking feels like too much. It’s a hearty meal with tender pasta, juicy meatballs, and melty cheese all baked together in rich marinara. It’s cozy, satisfying, and couldn’t be easier. Save this one for the nights when you need dinner to practically make itself.
Why You’ll Love This Dump And Bake Casserole
- Quick and unbelievably easy. No need to boil pasta or dirty extra pans. Just add everything to one dish and bake.
- 5 minutes of easy prep. You can have it in the oven before your kids finish asking what’s for dinner. Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a meal on the dinner table but no time to cook.
- Super simple ingredients. Pasta, marinara, meatballs, and melty cheese. Simple pantry staples you probably already have in your kitchen.
- One dish = less cleanup. Everything cooks together in the oven, so you’re not left with a pile of dishes.
- Balanced and filling. With whole grain pasta, broccoli, and plenty of protein, it’s a complete meal that tastes like comfort food but still keeps you full. If you have a few extra minutes I love serving it with a Caesar salad too or a side of veggies.
If you love a super easy dinner, you’ll love my Philly cheesesteak casserole too!
Ingredients
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Whole grain rotini: This whole grain rotini swap has more fiber and keeps you fuller than traditional pasta. Any uncooked pasta will work, like ziti or penne pasta. Note: Chickpea pasta, unfortunately, doesn’t work.
- Turkey Italian meatballs: I like to use frozen meatballs and defrost them. You can also use my favorite air fryer turkey meatballs.
- Broccoli: Save time by grabbing pre-washed fresh broccoli from the store. Just give them a rough chop from there. You can use frozen broccoli too, just make sure it’s thawed first.
- Jarred tomato sauce: Choose a flavorful, yummy pasta sauce that you love! Rao’s Tomato Basil sauce or Carbone is my favorite, but you can use any that you like or a simple marinara sauce. Or use my favorite homemade sauce, my Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce.
- Shredded cheese: This recipe gets topped with shredded parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese!
Variation Ideas
- Go vegetarian. Skip the meatballs and use legume-based meatballs to keep it plant-based while still getting plenty of protein.
- Use your favorite meatballs. Beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or plant-based—whatever your crew loves, it’ll work here. Just make sure they’re fully cooked if they’re not frozen.
- Swap the veggies. Not into broccoli? Try diced bell peppers, onions, zucchini, or even spinach. This recipe is super flexible with whatever you’ve got on hand.
- Switch up the cheese. Mozzarella makes it classic, but feel free to try shredded sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even a little crumbled feta for a tangy twist.
How to Make Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
- Dump. Add pasta, thawed meatballs, broccoli, tomato sauce, and water to a 9×13″ casserole dish or large baking dish. Gently mix and try to keep the pasta as close to the bottom as possible. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, gently stirring halfway through to promote even pasta cooking. Remember to keep the pasta as close to the bottom of the dish as possible so that the moisture can cook the noodles evenly.
- Add cheese. Remove from oven and carefully remove aluminum foil. Sprinkle cheese on top of the casserole. Note: Sometimes a few straggler noodles will manage to escape the bottom and will be uncooked or crispy! I like to simply remove those before topping with cheese.
- Melt cheese. Broil in oven for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve with additional cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
How To Store
Store leftover dump and bake casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days! It’s just as delicious the next day.
Jamie’s Tips
Recipe Tips
- Thaw your meatballs first. If they’re still frozen, the pasta may overcook before the meatballs heat through.
- Use a large enough baking dish. If it’s too crowded, the casserole won’t bake evenly and could take longer.
- Watch for straggler noodles. Sometimes you’ll get a crunchy noodle or two, so before you add cheese, check for them and remove any that you see.
- Don’t be afraid to add seasonings! It’s still absolutely delicious without and I purposely omitted them to keep this recipe super super simple, but garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning are all delicious additions.
- Finish with toppings and sides. A sprinkle of grated parmesan, a slice of garlic bread, and a simple side salad turn this into a full meal.
- Don’t use chickpea pasta. I’ve tested it and I’m sorry to report, it doesn’t work! The chickpea pasta gets way too mushy, so stick to regular.
More Easy Meals
If you’ve made and loved these Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
Easy dump and bake meatball casserole made with simple healthy ingredients like whole wheat rotini, turkey meatballs, broccoli, sauce and cheese.
Ingredients
- 16 oz whole grain rotini
- 1 lb turkey meatballs
- 4 cups broccoli, chopped
- 32 oz tomato sauce, I prefer Rao's or Carbone jarred pasta sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
- 1.5 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add uncooked pasta to large casserole dish (9×13").
- Add thawed meatballs, chopped broccoli, and tomato sauce on top of the pasta.
- Add 2 cups of water to the casserole dish.
- Gently mix the meatballs, sauce and broccoli. Try to keep the pasta as close to the bottom of the dish as possible. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, gently stirring halfway through to promote even pasta cooking. Remember to keep the pasta as close to the bottom of the dish as possible so that the moisture can cook the noodles evenly.
- Remove from oven, carefully remove aluminum foil. Sprinkle cheese on top of the casserole. Note: Sometimes a few straggler noodles will manage to escape the bottom and will be uncooked or crispy! I like to simply remove those before topping with cheese.
- Broil in oven for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve with additional cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure meatballs are fully thawed before baking or meatballs and pasta may cook unevenly.
- If using frozen broccoli, make sure to thaw or microwave before adding to the bake or it may cook unevenly.
- Ensure your casserole is big enough (at least 9×13″) so that the dish isn’t crowded.
- Chickpea pasta unfortunately does not work for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1144mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1323IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 389mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + star rating below!
This turned out so yummy! I used spicy Otamot sauce from Whole Foods to increase the veggies and vitamins in the dish. My husband, baby, and I ate this all week. This dish is going to be a staple in our house.
So glad you loved it Amanda! One of my favorites too 🙂
We are obsessed with this recipe. I’ve made it twice now and it is so easy. In addition to the broccoli we added spinach (just raw and mixed in) for some extra veg. This is joining our regular rotation.
Adding spinach to this is so smart! Thank you for sharing and I’m so glad you love it!
Can this be frozen after baking it? The leftovers?
I probably wouldn’t freeze this one since it uses thawed frozen meatballs.
Excited to make this!!
Is there a good substitute for the broccoli? (Pls don’t say zucchini 😉) LOVE fresh spinach. Could that work instead?
Spinach would definitely work and would be delicious!
Can I substitute a cup of cottage cheese for me of the cups of water for an added protein punch?
I wouldn’t substitute the water since it’s essential for cooking the noodles, but you could serve it with cottage cheese!