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This Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole only needs 6 ingredients and you don’t even have to boil the pasta before! Quick to make because you ‘dump’ the ingredients into a casserole dish and let it bake. Family-friendly dinners don’t get any easier than this meatball casserole that uses convenient ingredients like frozen meatballs and jarred pasta sauce. 

For more of my family favorite meatball recipes (that also use convenient frozen meatballs) be sure and try my Slow Cooker Spaghetti & Meatballs, Crock Pot Sweet & Sour Meatballs, and Easy Swedish Meatballs

A serving fork inside the casserole with cheese pulls showing.

Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole Recipe

All my kids just adore pasta dinner recipes like this easy dump and bake meatball casserole! The flavors are mild enough, the prep time is less than 5 minutes, and it’s always a kid-favorite at the dinner table. Can’t ask for much more than that 😉

This meatball casserole literally gets ‘dumped’ into one baking dish and then the oven does the rest of the work for you. Frozen meatballs, jarred pasta sauce, and dried pasta make the prep time minimal and easy enough for anyone to do. 

My family can’t get enough of simple pasta dinner recipes like this Easy Garlic Parmesan Pasta or my Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta. Pasta + Cheese is always a favorite!

A serving of this casserole inside a bowl with a plate of bread beside it and a fork.

Ingredients Needed to Make a Meatball Casserole

  • Rotini Pasta – No need to boil this before preparing this casserole! This is what makes the prep so minimal because you simply dump the dry, uncooked pasta into the baking dish. 
  • Water
  • Pasta Sauce – Use any flavor of pasta sauce you want! I usually stick with the classic tomato & basil but there are tons of options like garden vegetable, parmesan, spicy vodka, roasted garlic, three cheese, etc. You can even use up leftover pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce from a previous dinner. 
  • Frozen Pre Cooked Meatballs – These need to be completely thawed before preparing the casserole. I put the bag of frozen meatballs into the fridge the night before, or morning of, and they’re ready to use by dinnertime. 
  • Kosher Salt
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • Optional Garnishes – If wanted, you can sprinkle on some freshly grated parmesan cheese and/or chopped fresh parsley on top of the casserole before serving.

Ingredients for this easy meatball casserole with each one labeled with a text box with what it is.

How To Make Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole with Frozen Meatballs

It’s easy to make this meatball casserole with only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time! Everything literally gets ‘dumped’ into a 9×13 baking dish and you’re ready for the oven.

  • Prep : Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. I use a ceramic baking dish, but you can also use a glass one or nonstick one. 
  • Dump and Bake : Dump in the dried pasta, water, pasta sauce, meatballs, and kosher salt. Cover the pan with tin foil. 
  • Cook : Set the cook time for 35 minutes. Stir everything together at the halfway point of the cook time (at about 18 minutes).
  • Cheese : Once the original cook time is done, stir the casserole together again, and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over top. Cook for an additional 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted. 

How to make this easy dump and go meatball casserole with step by step directions with pictures in this collage.

How to make this easy dump and go meatball casserole with step by step directions with pictures in this collage.

How to make this easy dump and go meatball casserole with step by step directions with pictures in this collage.

How to make this easy dump and go meatball casserole with step by step directions with pictures in this collage.

How to make this easy dump and go meatball casserole with step by step directions with pictures in this collage.

Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole FAQ’s

  • Variations & Substitution Ideas

    • Meatballs : Use any variety of frozen meatballs in this recipe. Homestyle, Italian, etc are all great choices. Make sure that you use the 14 oz package that is called for in the recipe below. 
    • Pasta Sauce : Again, as long as you use a 24 oz jar, you can use any variety of pasta sauce that you prefer. For even more meatball goodness use a ‘mini meatball’ pasta sauce, or a garden vegetable pasta sauce, or my personal favorite is the classic tomato & basil. 
    • Dried Seasonings : The purpose of this meatball casserole is to be an easy, dump & go type recipe, that requires very little effort on your part. Of course, you can spice this thing up as much as you prefer. Add some garlic powder, onion powder, basil, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, etc. I prefer the simplicity of the kosher salt because it’s easy, so simple to make, and it’s kid-friendly. 
    • Cheese : Try adding more cheesy goodness to this casserole. Lay some slices of provolone cheese, or another variety of cheese, before you sprinkle the shredded cheese over top. You can even add some parmesan cheese as well. 
  • Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

    • Yes you can! Make this recipe even easier by preparing it ahead of time. Prepare the casserole as called for in the recipe and wrap it tightly in tin foil. Let it refrigerate until you’re ready to bake it that evening for dinner. 
    • I do not recommend preparing this the night before and letting it sit in the water all night. 
    • This recipe is really so simple to make that all you need is a few minutes prep time to put it together. I recommend assembling it right before baking it, but it can be prepared and refrigerated in the morning. 
  • Do I Need To Stir It Halfway Through?

    • I highly recommend making this dinner when you are able to stir it halfway through. Stirring the casserole allows all the pasta to be mixed into the water and soften during the cook time.
    • If you’re not able to stir it halfway through the cook time, that is ok, but just realize that there will be some parts and bits of the pasta noodles that will have a crunchy texture due to them not being stirred into the water halfway through. 
  • Can I Use a Different Pasta In This Dump and Bake Casserole?

    • Yes you can, but make sure that it is about the same size as the spiral rotini pasta. 
    • Other pasta shapes that will work are penne pasta or the mini sized bow-ties. You can also try using medium shell pasta noodles. I have only ever made this casserole with rotini noodles so that is what I recommend. The bake time could be slightly different if using a larger or different pasta rather than rotini. 
    • I prefer rotini because it’s the perfect sized shape and it has all those grooves and spirals that hold in the pasta sauce. 
  • Can I Use Homemade Pasta Sauce Instead of Jarred?

  • Serving Suggestions

Casserole inside a dish, side view picture of the baked casserole.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few of my helpful tips so that you can have success recreating this recipe in your own kitchen ♥

  • Stir Halfway Through : This casserole turns out best when you stir it all together halfway through the cook time. This allows for all the pasta to be covered in the sauce and water mixture, which prevents the ends from drying out and having a crunchy texture when eating. 
  • Use a Good Quality Pasta Sauce : Because this recipe has so few ingredients, it’s important to use good quality ingredients that taste yummy. I like to use Classico pasta sauce or Rao’s Homemade pasta sauce. Rao’s is hands down the best pastas sauce, but it is pretty pricey. When I make this recipe I like to stick with the classic tomato basil pasta sauce, but you can use whatever you prefer.
  • Kosher Salt : I recommend using kosher salt because it elevates the flavors of the ingredients without making the overall dish taste salty. Other salts can be used, like sea salt or table salt, but you may need less of it. Start at 1/2 teaspoon or 3/4 teaspoon and then add more if necessary. 
  • Thaw The Meatballs : This recipe does call for frozen meatballs but make sure they are thawed before adding them into the casserole dish. I just put the bag of frozen meatballs into the fridge that morning, and then take them out when it’s time to prepare dinner. If the meatballs are frozen, they will not cook and get hot in the amount of time the casserole cooks for.
  • Meatball Size : You will need a 14 ounce bag of frozen meatballs. You can find this size at the grocery store. If you are using the larger meatballs, like what you get at Coctso, make sure they are thawed before use and you may want to cut them in half.  

A fork pulling up some cheesy casserole inside the dish.

A bowl of pasta, meatballs, and cheese.

More Casserole Recipes You’ll Love

 

A serving fork inside the casserole with cheese pulls showing.
Together As Family Logo

Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole


Author Jessica - Together as Family
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
This Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole only needs 6 ingredients and you don't even have to boil the pasta before! Quick to make because you 'dump' the ingredients into a casserole dish and let it bake. Easy, family-friendly dinners don't get any easier than this meatball casserole that uses frozen meatballs. 

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box (16 oz) rotini pasta uncooked
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 jar (24 oz) pasta sauce
  • 1 bag (14 oz) frozen precooked meatballs thawed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425° F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Dump the uncooked pasta into the baking dish, then add the water, pasta sauce, meatballs and salt. Cover the pan with tin foil.
  • Bake for 35 minutes, stirring everything together hallway through.
  • Once done, stir the pasta again and top it with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5-8 minutes until the cheese has melted.
  • Serve with a garnish of parmesan cheese or chopped fresh parsley if wanted.

Notes

Frozen Meatballs : To thaw these, place them in the fridge overnight or early in the morning the day of. If you're in a hurry and forgot to set them in the fridge, try thawing them in the microwave. They do need to be thawed completely before adding them to the casserole dish. 
If you can't find a 14 oz size meatball package at the store you can use one similar in size (18 ounces) or buy the larger pack (28 ounces) and use half of the bag in the casserole. I believe that 14 ounces of frozen meatballs is equal to approximately 3 cups. If using the larger sized meatballs (like the kind you find at Costco) you may want to cut the meatballs in half so they're similar in size to the store bought ones. 
Pasta Sauce : With so few ingredients, it's important to use a good-quality, good tasting pasta sauce. I prefer using Rao's homemade pasta sauce when I make this recipe. Another great brand with good flavor is Classico. You can use any variety/flavor of pasta sauce that you want. I stick with classic tomato & basil, but you can use a garden vegetable sauce, mini meatball pasta sauce, spicy vodka pasta sauce, cheese pasta sauce, parmesan, roasted garlic, etc.
Dried Seasonings : The purpose of this recipe is an easy, dump & go recipe, but you can definitely spice this casserole up as you prefer. Try adding dried garlic powder, dried basil, Italian seasoning. You can add any dried seasonings you want in this casserole. 
Why Do I Need To Stir It Halfway Through Cook Time? : It's important to stir everything together to help all the pasta get covered in the water and pasta sauce. This will also prevent any bits of the pasta noodles from becoming hard with a crunchy texture. 
Cheese : For best melting texture and taste, shred the mozzarella cheese from a block rather than buying it pre-shredded in the bag. You can also add more cheesy goodness by adding a layer of sliced cheese before you sprinkle on the shredded cheese. If using sliced cheese try using provolone, muenster, or mozzarella cheese. You can also add some parmesan cheese over top the casserole before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 905mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 561IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 2mg

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4.86 from 14 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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25 Comments

  1. Stephanie says:

    Can you make your own meatballs?

    1. Together as Family says:

      I’ve never used my own meatballs but it should work, just make sure to precook them. Let me know how it turns out!

  2. To jazz this recipe up a bit, I sauted diced onion and fresh sliced mushrooms in with all other ingredients….very good!

    1. Together as Family says:

      I love that idea! Thanks for sharing!

  3. Can I use whole wheat pasta?

  4. Anjanette says:

    4 stars
    I was concerned after the first 20 minutes when I went to stir, noodles were still uncooked. Another 15, noodles were cooked and watery sauce was thick. I enjoyed it, but it makes too much for a single person, I’ll be eating it for a week.

    1. Together as Family says:

      Glad you enjoyed it!

  5. 5 stars
    A+ kids and I loved it.

    1. Together as Family says:

      Thank you! I’m glad you liked it, and always a bonus when the kids like it too!

  6. Have you tried it with pizza sauce? I’m thinking it would be very similar? My son doesn’t like spaghetti sauce because of the “chunks”, but would eat it with pizza sauce.

    1. Together as Family says:

      I haven’t personally, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work out just the same. Let me know how you like it!

      1. I tried it tonight with pizza sauce and it was delicious! If I had more adventurous kids, I could toss in some of our favorite pizza toppings too. Thanks for the recipe!

  7. Can I use bone broth in place of water for this recipe?

    1. Together as Family says:

      Definitely! Just be aware of the sodium levels if you’re sensitive to that.

  8. So I screwed up and forgot to thaw the meatballs. I salvaged it by baking an additional 17 mins without the cheese. At this point the sauce was simmering. I added the cheese, covered, and let it sit on the counter for 5 mins. The heat from the sauce melted the cheese without returning to the oven allowing it to cook down. I made a big bold note to thaw the meatballs for next time, but my solution was still good, it just took longer to bake.

    1. Together as Family says:

      Few things drive me crazier than forgetting to thaw something for dinner! I’m so glad the recipe still worked and your meal was salvaged!

  9. 4 stars
    I am currently making this and am so excited! I know my babies will love it! What brand is that casserole dish? It’s beautiful 😍

    1. Together as Family says:

      Thank you! I don’t know the exact brand but I usually get my dishes from Home Goods, they have the best stuff 🤗

  10. Savanna F says:

    5 stars
    Can I use a 5 qt rectangular baking dish if I don’t have a 9×13?

    1. Together as Family says:

      That should work!

  11. Caroline Rabb says:

    Can I use the 1/2 size meatballs?

    1. Together as Family says:

      That should work!

  12. 5 stars
    Wish I could post a picture – this was super easy, pretty, snd my grands all wanted seconds – a winner❤️

    1. Together as Family says:

      Thank you! Glad the kids loved it 😊