Meatballs Parmesan Casserole

Name: Meatballs Parmesan Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 5 people (4 meatballs per serving)
Ingredients: 3 lices white bread; 1/2 cup cold milk; 1 lb lean ground beef; 1 lb ground pork; 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese; 1 large egg; 3 garlic cloves; 2 Tbsp parsley; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; oil for frying; 3 cups marinara sauce; 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

User Reviews

4.9

66 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings
5 people (4 meatballs per serving)
Calories
693 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Italian

Meatballs Parmesan Casserole

Nolan Clark

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Juicy tender Italian meatballs baked in a tomato marinara sauce and topped with gooey cheese - this is such a tasty way to serve meatballs! This is a recipe that was created from our love of classic juicy meatballs and beloved Chicken Parmesan. It’s perfect served over spaghetti, or even in a toasted bun as a saucy and cheesy Meatball Sub!

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Ingredients

Servings

3 lices white bread crusts removed, diced
1/2 cup cold milk or water, plus more if needed
1 lb lean ground beef 80/20 or 85/15
1 lb ground pork I used 80/20
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
1 large egg
3 garlic cloves minced
2 Tbsp parsley finely chopped, plus more to garnish
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
oil for frying I use extra light olive oil
3 cups marinara sauce homemade or store-bought
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese 6 oz

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F with a rack in the center of the oven. In a large mixing bowl, add diced bread. Pour milk/water over the bread and soak for 5 minutes then mash with a fork.
Add ground beef and pork, half of the parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt and black pepper. Use your hands to stir until just combined. Do not over-mix. The mixture should feel very moist. If not, add a bit more milk as needed.
Portion into golf-ball-sized meatballs, about 2 Tbsp per meatball. A trigger release scoop makes it easy to portion. Wet your hands and roll into meatballs about 1 1/2” in diameter.
Set a large skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with oil, about 2 Tbsp. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the skillet in batches and turn every 2 minutes to get a good sear on all sides. Each batch will cook for about 8 minutes in total. They don’t need to be fully cooked through at this point, just browned all over.
Add 1 cup marinara to a 9x13 casserole dish. Arrange the browned meatballs over the sauce in a single layer. Pour the remaining marinara over the top and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.* Cover with foil and bake until the meatballs are cooked through to 165 ̊F on an instant-read thermometer, the cheese should be melted and the casserole should be bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Notes

Substitutions: As a shortcut, you can use your favorite store-bought meatballs, preferably ones that are Italian-flavors or a basic meatball. I would avoid meatballs with unusual flavors or ingredients that might not meld well with savory marinara and cheese.
*Make-Ahead Directions-Assemble and Refrigerate the Casserole Ahead - You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead of time, cover it, and refrigerate until ready to bake. If baking the casserole cold from the refrigerator, add an extra 5 minutes of baking time.-Freeze the Casserole - you can assemble the casserole, cover it with plastic wrap, and then aluminum foil for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, make sure to remove the plastic wrap under the foil and bake as directed.-Reheating Leftovers - cover with foil and reheat at 350 ̊F for about 20 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave, but I do recommend a splatter guard to keep the microwave clean.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 4meatballs Calories 693kcal (35%) Carbs 19g Protein 49g (98%) Fat 46g (71%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 19g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 193mg (64%) Sodium 1752mg (73%) Potassium 1097mg (31%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 1116IU (22%) Vitamin C 14mg (16%) Calcium 474mg (47%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5people (4 meatballs per serving)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 693 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	4meatballs
Calories	693kcal	35%
Carbs	19g
Protein	49g	98%
Fat	46g	71%
Saturated Fat	19g	95%
Polyunsaturated Fat	3g	18%
Monounsaturated Fat	19g	95%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	193mg	64%
Sodium	1752mg	73%
Potassium	1097mg	23%
Fiber	3g	12%
Sugar	8g	16%
Vitamin A	1116IU	22%
Vitamin C	14mg	16%
Calcium	474mg	47%
Iron	5mg	28%