Italian Meatball Pasta Bake (Printer-friendly)
Hearty bake with tender meatballs, pasta, and tomato sauce under melted cheese
# What You'll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef
02 - 3.5 oz 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 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Pasta and Sauce
11 - 14 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
16 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
17 - 1 tsp dried basil
18 - 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
19 - 1 tsp sugar
20 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Assembly
21 - 7 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
22 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
23 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
# How to Prepare:
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, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until just combined. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a tray.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of olive oil. Brown meatballs in batches for 5-6 minutes, turning to color all sides. They do not need to be fully cooked. Set aside.
04 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
05 - In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, chili flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Toss drained pasta with half the tomato sauce and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Arrange browned meatballs over the pasta, then pour remaining sauce over the top.
07 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
08 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combo of beef and Italian sausage creates meatballs with so much flavor depth
- Everything cooks in one dish leaving you with minimal cleanup and maximum comfort
02 -
- Overmixing the meatballs makes them tough so handle them as little as possible
- Undercook the pasta now or it will turn mushy after baking
03 -
- Crushing canned tomatoes by hand gives you the perfect chunky texture
- Room temperature meat mixes more evenly for tender meatballs