Italian Meatball Pasta Bake (Printable version)
Tender meatballs and pasta in rich tomato sauce with melted cheese topping.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Meatballs
01 - 1.1 pounds ground beef
02 - 3.5 ounces Italian sausage, casing removed
03 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ For the Pasta and Sauce
11 - 14 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
16 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
17 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
18 - 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
19 - 1 teaspoon sugar
20 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ For Assembly
21 - 7 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
22 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
23 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently until just combined. Form mixture into 1-inch balls and arrange on a baking sheet.
03 - Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches for 5 to 6 minutes, turning to sear all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside (meatballs will finish cooking in the oven).
04 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain well in a colander and set aside.
05 - In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, chili flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Toss the drained pasta with half of the tomato sauce and spread evenly in the prepared baking dish. Arrange browned meatballs over the pasta. Pour remaining sauce over the meatballs and pasta.
07 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pasta and meatballs.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cheese is melted and golden, and sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the bake to set. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The combination of beef and Italian sausage creates meatballs that stay impossibly tender even after baking.
- Everything cooks in one dish, meaning less cleanup and more time with the people you actually want to be eating with.
02 -
- Cooking the pasta 2 minutes less than the package instructions is crucial because it will continue cooking in the sauce while baking.
- Letting the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving seems impossible when it smells this good, but it helps the sauce set slightly so servings hold together better.
03 -
- Use damp hands when rolling meatballs to keep the mixture from sticking to your palms and creating uneven shapes.
- The pinch of sugar in the sauce is not optional, it balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes and makes all the difference.