Here’s the thing. I love meatballs…but they have to be good meatballs.
And I don’t like to brag, but I make some of the best Italian meatballs around. My meatball recipe is so good. If you don’t believe me, you should see how many meatballs I make every week at Mortadella Head.
Sometimes, even Sebby helps me make the meatballs!
We use them for meatball subs, meatball pizza and our famous Sunday Sauce with pasta. I even started freezing my meatballs so I can ship them to people all over the United States!
One of my favorite things to do with my homemade meatballs are to make a big tray of meatball parmesan. It’s an Italian-American classic that the whole family will love.
It’s perfect for a slow Sunday afternoon or it’s a great freezer meal for those busy days when you get home from work late.
The ways the sauce, cheese and meatballs come together is really something beautiful. There aren’t many things better than a big tray of parmesan meatballs drenched in a really good tomato sauce.
So get ready. I’m going to share my meatball parmesan recipe with you so you can make it the new family dinner in your house.
HERE’S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS DISH
It’s something that everyone likes. Good meatballs, tomato sauce and lots of cheese is a no brainer.
It can be made ahead and stored in the freezer. It’s the perfect dinner for a weeknight after work.
There are lots of things you can do with a meatball parm casserole. Serve it with pasta, make meatball sandwiches or just serve it with a nice side salad.
INGREDIENTS FOR MEATBALL PARMESAN CASSEROLE
The list of ingredients is pretty simple. You’ll find them all at the grocery store. I’ll put exact measurements in the recipe card, but how much you use is going to depend on how many people you’re feeding.
Meatballs: When I make my meatball parmesan casserole I use cooked meatballs. I make my meatballs in advance with a few simple ingredients.
I use ground ground beef, ground pork and a few other simple ingredients. It’s a really good meatball recipe.
Tomato Sauce: A really delicious marinara sauce is key. Make your own or buy a good pasta sauce at the supermarket.
Cheese: I like using a mix of cheeses on my meatball parmesan. I suggest parmesan cheese and a low moisture mozzarella cheese. I also switch it up sometimes and use Pecorino Romano and provolone.
Basil: I like using fresh basil when I cool. It adds a really nice aroma and flavor to just about every Italian dish.
THE BASICS ON HOW TO MAKE MEATBALL PARMESAN CASSEROLE
When I make my meatball parm for a crowd at home, I use a deep baking dish or an oven safe casserole dish.
The first step is to coat the bottom of the baking dish with tomato sauce. I make sure the sauce is evenly distributed.
I then place meatballs on top of the sauce in a single layer.
The next step is to ladle more tomato sauce on top of the meatballs.
After that I sprinkle mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese over the sauced up meatballs.
Cover the baking sheet in aluminum foil and pop it in a preheated oven set at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes so the cheese gets a little browned.
Heat up any remaining marinara sauce and serve it on the side.
WHAT I LIKE TO DO WITH MEATBALL PARMESAN CASSEROLE
Like I said, I like making this dish because it’s really versatile. Here are some ways I put this cheesy, saucy meatball bake to use.
-Serve it up with some ziti, spaghetti or fettuccine noodles.
-Make a delicious meatball sub sandwich. If you’re from Philadelphia you probably call them hoagies, so get to a bakery and buy some good hoagie buns. There’s nothing better than a meatball parmesan sub.
-If you’re trying to cut the carbs, serve the meatballs with a side salad and sauteed green beans.
-These Italian-style meatballs also make a great appetizer with some garlic bread on the side.
IF HOMEMADE MEATBALLS ARE NOT AN OPTION
Honestly, don’t sweat it. If you don’t want to make your own meatballs, this hearty meatball parmesan bake can be made with frozen meatballs from the supermarket. As long as you use a good tomato sauce and the right cheese, it will still be the perfect delicious dinner for busy weeknights.
IF I’M NOT COOKING FOR A CROWD
If I’m just cooking for one or two people I still make this easy meal in a pinch. Instead of using a large baking dish, I follow the same recipe with an oven safe frying pan or cast iron pan.
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Print
Meatball Parmesan Casserole Recipe
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
Ingredients
16 previously cooked meatballs
1 quart of tomato sauce
1 pints of shredded low moisture mozzarella
½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
3–4 fresh basil leaves finely sliced
Instructions
- Get a deep baking dish or an oven safe casserole dish.
- Coat the bottom of the baking dish with tomato sauce. Make sure the sauce is evenly distributed.
- Place meatballs on top of the sauce in a single layer.
- Ladle more tomato sauce on top of the meatballs.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese over the sauced up meatballs.
- Cover the baking sheet in aluminum foil. Place it in a preheated oven set at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes so the cheese gets a little browned.
- Heat up any remaining marinara sauce and serve it on the side.
- Enjoy!
