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Easy Baked Meatballs and Pasta features perfectly seasoned meatballs baked to golden perfection served alongside pasta smothered in sauce. The entire meal is ready in under 30 minutes!
As a mom, I have a list of go-to dinner ideas that I turn to when I need an easy dinner to make that I know, without question, my son will like. Today’s recipe for baked meatballs and pasta is one of them! I start out by boiling a pot of water for the pasta to cook. Next, I prepare this quick and easy recipe for baked meatballs. While the meatballs cook, I simmer a jar of store-bought sauce on the stove. If I’m feeling up to it, I’ll make my own sauce. But when time is short, store-bought pasta sauce is a great time saver. It all comes together in under 30 minutes and is always a favorite. Enjoy!
❤️-Ashley
Ingredients for Easy Baked Meatballs and Pasta
Gather your ingredients for this quick and easy dinner.
- Pasta of choice – 1 pound – cooked according to package directions
- Pasta sauce – 24 ounces of your favorite store-bought pasta sauce
- Milk
- Panko bread crumbs
- Ground beef – 80-85% fat content is recommended. Look for either 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef. The ratio indicates meat to fat.
- Egg
- Parmesan Cheese – finely grated fresh parmesan cheese works best, but you can also use the kind in a jar from the grocery store. I’ve tried both!
- Seasonings: minced onion, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce
Best Ground Beef for Meatballs
It is best to use ground beef with a moderate fat content – somewhere around 15-20 perfect fat. This helps keep the meatballs moist and juicy during cooking. Leaner ground beef can result in dry, less flavorful meatballs. Look for either 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Making Easy Baked Meatballs
Here is a brief overview of the step-by-step instructions to make baked meatballs and pasta.
- Preheat oven– 425 degrees F.
- Boil water – fill a large stockpot with 4-6 quarts of water (16-24 cups) and bring to a boil. Salt the water, then add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
- Make the meatball mixture – while the pasta cooks, prepare the meatballs. In a small bowl combine panko bread crumbs with milk, stir and set aside. In a large bowl mix together ground beef, egg, parmesan cheese, minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Add in bread crumb / milk mixture. Combine well.
- Prepare a baking sheet – line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
- Form the meatballs – use 2 tablespoons of meat mixture per meatball, then arrange the meatballs evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. You will get about 25-28 meatballs.
- Bake meatballs – the meatballs will take about 12-15 minutes to cook. They are done when the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.
- Heat the sauce – while the meatballs bake, heat the sauce in a large deep skillet. You will need about 24 ounces of pasta sauce. Rao’s is my favorite brand. Sometimes I like to make a combination of half alfredo sauce and half marinara sauce.
- Combine meatballs and sauce – when meatballs are done baking them, add them to the sauce and coat them evenly.
- Add the pasta – add the cooked pasta to the skillet and gently toss everything together until the pasta is coated in the sauce and the meatballs are distributed throughout.
FAQ
The general rule of thumb is to use 4-6 quarts of water (about 16-24 cups) for every 16 ounces (1 pound) of pasta.
It is recommended to use about 1-2 tablespoons of salt for every 1 pound (16 ounces) of pasta. This helps flavor the pasta as it cooks. Add the salt in after bring the water to a boil, but before adding the pasta.
Variations
Feel free to get creative and customize this recipe. Here are some suggestions:
- Top the meatballs and pasta with mozzarella cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese is bubbly and melted, about 5 minutes.
- Use alfredo sauce in place of marinara sauce
- Try a combination of alfredo sauce and marinara sauce!
Here are my favorite homemade sauces to use in this recipe when I’m not using a jar of sauce from the grocery store:
Meatball and Pasta Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these easy baked meatballs and pasta with a side of garlic brad and a crisp green salad. Use store-bought garlic bread or try my favorite homemade recipe!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for longer storage.
If you try this recipe for Easy Baked Meatballs and Pasta, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I love to hear from you! Enjoy!
Easy Baked Meatballs and Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta cooked according to package directions
- 24 ounces pasta sauce of choice
- 2.5 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 egg
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cook 1 pound of pasta according to package directions.
- In a small bowl combine milk with panko bread crumbs. Stir to combine.
- In a large bowl mix together ground beef, egg, finely grated parmesan cheese, minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Add in panko bread crumb and milk mixture. Combine well.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Form into balls using 2 tablespoons of meat mixture per meatball. You should get about 22-25 meatballs.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs is 160 degrees F.
- While the meatballs bake, heat the sauce in a large deep skillet.
- When the meatballs are done baking, add the meatballs to the sauce and toss to coat. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the meatballs and sauce and combine well.
