No boiling, no browning—just dump, bake, and enjoy!
Ingredients
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1 (24–26 oz) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs
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3 cups dry pasta (penne, rotini, or ziti)
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1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
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2½ cups water or chicken broth
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1 tsp Italian seasoning
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1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Optional Add-Ins
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Sliced mushrooms
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Spinach or kale
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Red pepper flakes
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Cooked sausage slices
Instructions
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Heat oven
Preheat to 425°F (220°C). -
Dump & stir
In a 9×13-inch baking dish, combine:-
Dry pasta
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Frozen meatballs
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Marinara sauce
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Water/broth
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Italian seasoning
Stir well so pasta is mostly submerged.
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Bake (covered)
Cover tightly with foil.
Bake 35 minutes. -
Stir & cheese
Remove foil, stir well.
Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over top. -
Bake (uncovered)
Return to oven and bake 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden. -
Rest & serve
Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Texture & Flavor
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Tender pasta cooked in sauce
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Juicy meatballs
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Cheesy, bubbly top
Pro Tips
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Use short pasta only (long noodles don’t cook evenly)
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Stir halfway to prevent sticking
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If pasta looks dry after first bake, add ¼ cup water
Variations
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Alfredo Version: Use Alfredo sauce + mozzarella
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Mexican Twist: Swap marinara for enchilada sauce, add pepper jack
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Low-Carb: Use cauliflower florets instead of pasta
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Spicy: Add chili flakes or hot Italian meatballs
Storage
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Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days
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Freezes well after baking
If you’d like, I can give you a crock-pot version, a keto dump-and-bake, or a kid-friendly pizza-style casserole 🍕