BAKED ZITI WITH MEATBALLS
🍝✨ Baked Ziti with Meatballs — Comfort Food Royalty
Cheesy, saucy, meaty, and baked to bubbly perfection — this Baked Ziti with Meatballs is the casserole that rules them all.
Picture this: a bubbling pan of pasta drenched in rich marinara sauce, loaded with juicy meatballs and stretchy mozzarella, all cozy under a golden broiled top. It’s the culinary equivalent of a warm hug from your favorite aunt—if your aunt happens to be a sassy, cheese-obsessed queen.
This Cheesy Baked Ziti Meatball Casserole checks every comfort-food box while flexing some serious flavor muscle.
Whether you’re feeding a hungry crew on game night or impressing your in-laws (without breaking a sweat), this dish has your back. It’s totally customizable, ridiculously forgiving, and makes a perfect “leftovers so good they shouldn’t be allowed” scenario. Ready to dig in? Let’s roll.
Do have a hungry crowd to feed? This is the perfect solution!
This recipe is so easy to make and it will only take you minutes to throw together. You can put it in the oven and you have time to do things around the house while the delicious goodness bakes!
My girls love a good meatball! This is an easy way to give them what they want and please the whole family!
A tossed green salad, crusty bread, are the perfect side dishes. This dish is like a warm hug!
Baked Ziti with Meatballs
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 3/4 pound ground beef ( I used Jimmy Dean’s)
- 3/4 pound ground sausage
- 1/3 cup Panko
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup dry red wine vinegar
- 1 (32-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 8 ounces Mozzarella cheese, torn into large pieces
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente; drain well.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground sausage, Panko, egg yolks, garlic, and oregano; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1-to-1-1/4-inch meatballs, forming about 24 meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned about 2-3 minutes. Return meatballs to the skillet.
- Stir in vinegar, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in marinara sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta.
- Spread pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish; top with Mozzarella.
- Place into oven and bake until bubbly, about 25-30 minutes. Turn oven on high broil, watching closely, crisp up the edges. Let stand 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Calorie Count
This recipe makes 6 generous servings. Each serving packs approximately 820 calories of ooey-gooey goodness.
Nutritional Facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 820 |
| Total Fat | 42 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 185 mg |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 72 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugars | 8 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
Cooking Tips
- Always salt your pasta water like the ocean. It’s the secret to seasoning every bite.
- Browning meatballs in batches gives you that perfect crisp exterior. Don’t crowd the pan!
- Want extra tang? Swap half the red wine vinegar for balsamic. It adds a subtle sweetness that slays.
- Let the casserole rest post-bake. Cutting into it too soon will unleash a lava flow of molten cheese.
Recipe Variations
- Veggie-Packed: Replace half the meat with finely chopped mushrooms and spinach. Earthy and nutrient-dense.
- Spicy Kick: Add 1 finely diced jalapeño or toss in red pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Cheesy Upgrade: Mix ½ cup ricotta into the pasta before baking for creamy, dreamy pockets of cheese.
- Gluten-Free: Swap ziti for GF pasta and use almond flour instead of Panko. It’s just as comforting.
- Meatless Option: Trade meatballs for roasted chickpeas or plant-based sausage for an equally hearty dish.
Final Thoughts
This casserole is the culinary equivalent of a cozy blanket and your favorite sitcom rolled into one plate. It’s forgiving enough for weeknight cooking yet show-stopping enough for casual dinner parties. Plus, leftovers taste even better the next day—because flavors settle in and deepen, giving you major bonus points for meal prep.
If you’re still on the fence, remember that cheese makes everything better. And when life gets messy, you deserve a dish that’s all about comfort, flavor, and zero judgment. Go ahead—embrace the saucy, cheesy chaos.
There you have it: a sassy, cheesy, crowd-pleasing baked ziti meatball casserole that’ll become your go-to comfort dish. It’s bold, it’s forgiving, and it brings joy in every forkful. Now grab an apron, crank up your favorite playlist, and let this recipe transport you to pasta heaven.
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