Meatball Casserole
Meatball casserole: Loved by my family, these meatballs, rich tomato sauce, and heaps of cheese create a consistently amazing dish that I make often.
Easy Cheesy Baked Meatball Casserole
Ten years ago, I went all-in on Whole30 recipes, and one of my favorites was a meatball casserole—just like this one, but without the breadcrumbs and, gasp, the cheese. Turns out, living without cheese is a fate worse than overcooked chicken, and my family wasn’t exactly thrilled about the whole “compliance” thing. So, I caved. The breadcrumbs made a comeback (I make my own from day-old bread, thank you very much), and cheese? Oh, it came back too.
Now, I still love that old-school compliant casserole, but let’s be real—this non-compliant version is where it’s at. My Meatball Casserole is loaded with juicy, flavor-packed meatballs (a glorious blend of Italian sausage and ground chicken), swimming in a rich tomato sauce, and buried under a melty, golden blanket of cheese. It’s my go-to comfort food because it’s ridiculously easy to throw together, and I always have the ingredients on hand. Serve it over pasta, eat it straight from the dish with a fork (zero judgment), or pretend you’re still Whole30-ing and just pick the cheese off (but why would you?). Your call!
Here’s why I love this meatball casserole.
- Between the Italian sausage, chipotle (or cayenne) kick, and all those herby, garlicky spices, every bite is loaded with bold, savory goodness. Plus, using a mix of ground chicken or beef with sausage makes the meatballs extra juicy and flavorful.
- With mozzarella and parmesan melting into gooey, golden perfection, this casserole is basically a warm hug in food form. The crispy, cheesy edges? Chef’s kiss!
- Throw it together in no time, and swap ingredients to fit your vibe—chicken or beef, fresh or dried herbs, spicy or mild. And if you’re feeling fancy, serve it over pasta, zucchini noodles, or just grab a fork and dig in straight from the dish. No wrong way to eat this!
I also have this recipe for Sage Meatballs that use fresh sage and are amazing, I think anyway. But Going a completely different direction, away from red sauce, Cherry, Jalapéno and Goat Cheese Meatballs combine tender meat, a spicy-sweet glaze, and goat cheese for a flavor-packed dish!
Visual Process for Making Meatball Casserole
Step 1
Mix the Meatballs
Mix all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl using your hands. It’s honestly the easiest way to make sure everything gets incorporated perfectly.
Step 2
Form the Meatballs
Roll the mixture into meatballs about the size of golf balls. Place those delicious meatballs in a casserole dish, ready for baking.
Step 3
Bake the Meatballs
Preheat your oven to 400°F and bake the meatballs for 20 minutes. You’ll see some juices leach out—drain that off before adding the sauce and cheese. The meatballs will be beautifully browned and cooked through.
Step 4
Add Sauce and Cheese
Top the meatballs with your favorite pasta sauce and a generous layer of cheese. Return the casserole to the oven for another 15 minutes. Make sure the meatballs reach 165°F for safe consumption.
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Easy Cheesy Meatball Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken (or ground beef)
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage (or regular ground sausage)
- ½ yellow onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder (or cayenne pepper)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil (or 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2½ cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, or italian cheese)
- ½ cup parmesan
- 24 ounces pasta sauce (I like Rao's brand)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to combine 1 lb ground chicken, 1 lb ground Italian sausage, ½ yellow onion, ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried basil ½ cup breadcrumbs, and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Form the mixture into 12 equal-sized meatballs and place them in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Top the cooked meatballs with 24 ounces pasta sauce, followed by 2½ cups mozzarella cheese, and finally, ½ cup parmesan.
- Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top has started to brown. You can speed up the browning process by turning on the broiler for 3-5 minutes, but watch it carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve the meatballs over pasta or enjoy them alone with garlic bread and a side salad dressed with your favorite dressing.
Substitutions
- If you’re looking to go keto, feel free to swap the breadcrumbs for ground pork rinds. I’ve tried it both ways, and they turn out fantastic! Just remember that breadcrumbs and pork rinds, both help retain moisture in the meatballs, so I wouldn’t skip them entirely, or they might end up too dry.
- You can also switch up the cheese! I love shredding my own because it melts better without those pesky anti-caking agents. But when I’m in a rush, pre-shredded cheese works just fine and still tastes great. It’s totally up to you!