Description
A no-fuss, restaurant-quality casserole combining meatballs, rotini pasta, and gooey mozzarella. Perfect for busy nights, this one-dish meal is easy to assemble and boasts a golden cheese crust. Serves six with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
16 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
24 to 25 ounces marinara sauce
3 cups water
14 ounces fully-cooked miniature meatballs (thawed if frozen)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: grated Parmesan cheese
Optional: fresh chopped herbs (basil, oregano, parsley)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
In a 9×13-inch baking dish, mix rotini pasta, marinara sauce, and 2 of the 3 cups water
Top with meatballs in a single layer
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the meatballs
Pour remaining 1 cup water into the dish
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes
Remove foil and bake 10–15 minutes more until cheese is golden
Garnish with Parmesan and herbs if desired
Notes
Meatballs must be fully thawed before adding
Use a 9×13-inch Pyrex or glass dish for even baking
Leftovers store well for 3–4 days
For a richer flavor, add 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning to the pasta sauce mix
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 65mg