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.
Servings: 6
Equipment
- 1 9x13" Casserole Dish
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 Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1.5 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add uncooked pasta to large casserole dish (9x13").
- 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 9x13") 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
