This Italian Meatball Casserole Recipe Is Something Special (35 Minutes) by Chef Gigi
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Meatball casseroles are always a popular choice for dinner. The hot Italian sausage in this meatball casserole recipe provides a little extra kick. This easy cheesy ground beef meatball casserole is one of my all-time favorite recipes to make.
The easy meatballs are a combination of ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, garlic, carrot, parsley, Parmesan cheese, seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, eggs and dried Italian seasoning. You could use homemade marinara sauce, but I opted for a good-quality jarred sauce. There are so many good brands out there these days! Top with shredded mozzarella, bake and you have a winning Italian dinner. (Try this meatball casserole recipe with ground turkey instead of ground beef.)
Don't forget to make extra for meatball sandwiches the next day or the day after. Serve this easy meatball casserole recipe with crunchy Italian bread or garlic bread and a side salad. Poof! Dinner is done!
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Servings: 8 (makes about 20 meatballs)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage (you can substitute sweet or regular Italian sausage)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, rough chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and rough chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, stems removed
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 24 ounces of your favorite marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Here's how to make it:
- In the bowl of your food processor, add onion, garlic, carrot and parsley. Blitz to small bits.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, Italian sausage, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, breadcrumbs, eggs and the blitzed vegetables. With your clean hands, mix until everything comes together. Roll into 4- to 5-ounce meatballs. (I use a medium-sized ice cream scoop for consistency. If you're not a fan of heat, use sweet, mild or regular Italian sausage.)
- Over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan. Brown the meatballs on both sides for about 2 to 3 minutes or until you create a nice crispy brown sear. Cook about halfway through (they will finish in the oven).
- Spread a few tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. Place the meatballs in the dish and add the remaining marinara sauce. Top with the mozzarella cheese. (To reduce the sodium, use low-sodium marinara sauce.)
- Cover with foil that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 425-degree F oven until the cheese is fully melted and the meatballs are fully cooked to 165 degrees F. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
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