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    Home » Recipes » Casseroles

    Penne Meatball Casserole

    Published on August 17, 2022 - Updated on January 7, 2023 by Chef Rodney - 1 Comment - This post may contain affiliate links.

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    penne meatball casserole
    This Penne Meatball Casserole is one of my absolute favorites. Just like a Lasagna but a little easier to make. Love the Gooey cheese.
     
    penne meatball casserole

    I love a good casserole. Especially when it has pasta, meat and a bunch of gooey cheese. And this Penne Meatball Casserole does not disappoint!

    pasta sauce in dish
    penne pasta on pasta sauce in dish

    One of the primary things I like about this casserole recipe is how easy it is to make. If you can boil water then you can make this meatball casserole. Since this casserole uses frozen meatballs, it really is simple to make.

    ricotta cheese mixture
    Ricotta Cheese Mixture
    ricotta cheese mixture

    I wanted to make this casserole as Italian as I could which is why I used Italian Style Meatballs but you can basically use what kind you want. Use what you got on hand.

    meatballs and penne in dish
    penne meatball casserole
    fresh basil leaves
    Fresh Basil Leaves

    💭 What is Al Dente

    When making pasta, it's important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term "al dente", it means cooking the pasta so it's still chewy and firm and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.

    penne meatball casserole

    If there was one ingredient you could leave out without changing the overall flavor of this casserole would be the red pepper. While I like the flavor it adds to this dish, in a pinch you could skip that ingredient.

    penne meatball casserole

    For more great recipes with Penne Pasta, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • Copycat Applebee’s Three-Cheese Chicken Penne
    • Penne with Vodka Sauce
    • Pumpkin Penne Pasta
    • Sloppy Joe Casserole

    📋 What Ingredients do I need

    You will need the following ingredients to make this Penne Meatball Casserole recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Olive Oil, Garlic Cloves, Fennel Seeds, Pasta Sauce, Fresh Basil, Tomato Paste, Ricotta Cheese, Red Bell Pepper, Parmesan Cheese, Eggs, Kosher Salt, Penne Pasta, Frozen Italian Style Meatballs and Mozzarella Cheese.

    🥣 How to make Penne Meatball Casserole

    Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
    In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
    Stir in the pasta sauce, ¼ cup fresh basil and tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes.
    In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, roasted peppers, Parmesan, eggs, salt, and remaining ½ cup basil.
    Cook the penne pasta al dente according to the directions on the package.
    Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the cooked pasta, half of the remaining tomato sauce, all of the ricotta mixture, the remaining pasta, all the meatballs and the remaining sauce.
    Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
    Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
    Optionally garnish with fresh basil.

    penne meatball casserole

    Penne Meatball Casserole

    This Penne Meatball Casserole is one of my absolute favorites. Just like a Lasagna but a little easier to make. Love the Gooey cheese.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Resting Time 10 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 538 kcal

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Baking Dish
    • Skillet
    • Bowl for Mixing

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
    • ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
    • 48 oz Pasta Sauce
    • ¾ Cup Fresh Basil, chopped
    • ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
    • 15 oz Ricotta Cheese
    • 1 Cup Red Bell Pepper, roasted and finely chopped
    • 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
    • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
    • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • 16 oz Penne Pasta
    • 14 oz Frozen Italian Style Meatballs, thawed
    • 2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

    Garnish (Optional)

    • Fresh Basil
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
    • In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
      2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 3 Garlic Cloves, ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
    • Stir in the pasta sauce, ¼ cup fresh basil and tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes.
      48 oz Pasta Sauce, ¾ Cup Fresh Basil, ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
    • In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, roasted peppers, Parmesan, eggs, salt, and remaining ½ cup basil.
      15 oz Ricotta Cheese, 1 Cup Red Bell Pepper, 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, 2 Eggs, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, ¾ Cup Fresh Basil
    • Cook the penne pasta al dente according to the directions on the package.
      16 oz Penne Pasta
    • Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the cooked pasta, half of remaining tomato sauce, all of the ricotta mixture, the remaining pasta, all the meatballs and the remaining sauce.
      14 oz Frozen Italian Style Meatballs
    • Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
      2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese
    • Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
    • Optionally garnish with fresh basil.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 28gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 1602mgPotassium: 871mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2146IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 453mgIron: 3mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    More Casserole Recipes

    • Weight Watchers Turkey and Ziti Casserole
    • Traditional Pate Chinois (Shepherd’s Pie)
    • Turkey No Yolks Pasta Casserole
    • Super Easy Corn Casserole
    hot rods recipes

    Reader Interactions

    1 Comment

    1. Mac

      August 24, 2022 at 8:56 am

      This meatball casserole is to die for. I am not a fan of ricotta cheese, but decided to make it as my family loves ricotta cheese. It turned out excellent and had a great flavour.

      Reply

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