Description
A simple, hearty, and family-friendly casserole featuring juicy meatballs, pasta, and marinara sauce, baked together in one dish for a no-fuss dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 450 g ground beef (or beef/pork mix)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 340 g penne pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190 °C.
- Mix beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper; form into small meatballs.
- Place uncooked pasta in a greased baking dish.
- Add meatballs on top, pour marinara sauce over everything.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Uncover, add mozzarella, and bake 10–15 more minutes until cheese is bubbly.
- Let sit 5 minutes, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Notes
- Use pre-made meatballs to save time.
- Try with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
- Ensure pasta is mostly covered in sauce to cook properly.
- Leftovers reheat well and are great for meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 300 g
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg