Dump and Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole Recipe for Busy Days (4 Ingredients) by 30Seconds Food

Pasta casseroles are always a fan favorite on 30Seconds – and there are so many reasons why! Many pasta casserole recipes are easy to make, are filling, easy on the budget and even the pickiest eaters usually love pasta. This fantastic dump-and-bake linguine meatball casserole recipe is one of the easiest to make.

The budget-friendly linguine meatball casserole has just four ingredients plus some water. Here is your shopping list for this high-protein dinner: linguine noodles, a jar of spaghetti sauce, frozen meatballs and mozzarella cheese. The ingredients are put into a baking dish along with 3 cups of water, covered and baked until the pasta is tender. Stir the casserole and continue to bake, then top with the shredded cheese and bake until hot and melty.

Photo credit: all photos under license from Bigstock

Variation: Try shredded provolone cheese instead of mozzarella.

Serve this dump-and-bake casserole recipe with your favorite side dishes. We like a fresh garden salad and hot crusty bread or rolls right out of the oven.

Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 16 ounces linguine, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 25 ounces (1 jar) spaghetti sauce
• 14 ounces (1 bag) frozen meatballs, thawed
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the pasta, spaghetti sauce, 3 cups water and meatballs into a 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir to combine. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. (Be sure the aluminum foil is tight to keep the heat in and help cook the pasta.)
2. Bake in a preheated 425-degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Uncover, stir and continue to bake for about 10 minutes. (Stirring is important! Don't skip this step.)
3. Top with the shredded cheese and bake about 5 to 10 minutes more. (Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese with the mozzarella, if desired.) Serve. 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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