Baked Meatball Casserole
A very popular dinner recipe at my place is this delicious Baked Meatball Casserole. It’s creamy and has three parts to it. The creamy pasta base, golden meatballs with the goodness of herbs, and a moist top layer loaded with mozzarella cheese, more herbs, cream, and eggs.
So, its easy to make but quite a process, however, the end result is divine.
About This Easy Dinner Casserole Recipe
Firstly, it has a rich and creamy pasta base . Then coated in white sauce and herbs
Also, contains golden moist meatballs loaded with more herbs
Then topped with a cheesy egg and cream topping and lots of fresh cilantro.
When baked and served hot this dish is divine
Baked Meatball Casserole – The Best Casserole Recipe
Firstly, baking for me is therapeutic. So, I hardly consider this my job. When I’m lazy about discovering cookies and cakes, baking pasta’s, pie’s and casserole’s are my ultimates. So, today’s casserole recipe is easy but quite a process.
Thus, if you making this for dinner, it’s like a one pot meal. Just have some salad to go along, that’s it !!
So, this casserole is my own recipe and is created with all the ingredients I like. The end result is a gorgeous golden baked casserole with mozzarella all over (Ah !! I love mozzarella)
3 Parts To Making This Casserole (Baked Meatball Casserole Recipe)
The Pasta Base
So, the 1st thing that goes into the casserole as its base is a creamy pasta prep. Before you put this layer into a dish make sure to apply some butter at the base of it. Do not overcook the boiled pasta, remember!! we still have to bake it. I used macaroni as my base pasta but you can use penne, spaghetti or any type of pasta available.
Meatballs
Firstly, meatballs are beef or any red meat. However, my family prefers chicken so I use chicken mince to make the meatballs. So, initially cook the meatballs on the gas, before they are baked in the casserole.
Meatballs are delicate so the right way of cooking it on the gas is to cook them on high flame for 3 mins initially and then reduce the flame tossing them carefully till cooked. Thus, this process makes sure that the meatballs don’t break while cooking.
Creamy Egg And Herb Mixture for the Baked Meatball Casserole
The last layer that goes on the top is a combination of egg and cream with lots of herbs and mozzarella. So, this is the layer which keeps the whole casserole moist even after baking. Also, it forms a creamy custard-like coating with the gooey mozzarella all around.
Baked Meatball Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Base layer
For the pasta
2 cups pasta
4 cups water
salt as required
1 tablespoon oil
For the pasta sauce
3 tablespoon butter
6-8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons mixed herbs
1 chicken cube
1 cup water
2 heaped tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup cooking cream
1/4 cup grated (cheese of your choice)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt as required
For the meatballs (Baked Meatball Casserole)
1/2 kg chicken mince
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 cup chopped coriander leaves
salt as required
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 egg
2 -3 tablespoons oil to shallow fry the meatballs
For the top layer
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup cooking cream
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
6 to 8 slices of cut mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
salt as required
chopped coriander, for garnishing
Instructions (Baked Meatball Casserole)
For the pasta
Firstly, put the pasta to boil along with 4 cups of water and some salt. Then, cook the pasta halfway through. Next, once done remove from water and put some oil to it and set aside.
Put 1 cup of water to boil along with 1 chicken cube. Then, mix well till no lumps. Switch off the gas.
For the sauce
Secondly, in a pan, on medium heat put the butter and chopped garlic and mixed herbs. Saute well and add the flour to it. Whisk till no lumps for 2 mins.
Add the chicken cube and water mixture to it a little at a time. Whisk well while adding. You will notice that the mixture begins to thicken. Add the cream and mix well. Let this cook for another 2 mins.
Combining the pasta and sauce (Baked Meatball Casserole)
Add the salt and pepper and mix well. Switch off the gas once this mixture is ready and add the grated mozzarella cheese to it. Set it aside to cool a bit and then combine the boiled pasta in it. Using a spatula mix this white sauce mixture and pasta well. Set aside once done.
For the meatballs (Meatball Recipe)
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix well. Form balls and keep in the fridge for 10 mins. Heat up some oil in the pan and put the meatballs in it.
Let the meatballs cook on high flame for 3 mins and then reduce the heat tossing the meatballs occasionally until cooked. Remove the meatballs and keep aside
For the top layer while making Baked Meatball Casserole
In a bowl, combine the melted butter, cream, eggs, pepper powder, rosemary, chilli flakes and mixed herbs. Beat this mixture well and set aside.
To make the casserole (Meatball Pasta Bake)
Take a bowl greased with some butter. Add the pasta and white sauce mixture to it. Assemble the meatballs all around in the pasta and pour the egg and cream mixture you made ready for the top layer.
In conclusion, put the mozzarella slices all around on top and garnish with chopped coriander.
Bake
Then, bake this casserole in a preheated oven at 170 degrees for 20 to 25 mins. The top mozzarella should melt and the egg layer on top should feel firm. Do not overbake as it may turn dry.
Bake the casserole along with a water bath (water bath: Fill the tray with water below and then place the casserole over it.
Lastly, serve warm.
Baked Meatball Casserole – Easy Casserole Recipes
DON’T FORGET TO PIN THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER.
YOU CAN FIND MORE OF MY RECIPES ON MY BLOG PINTEREST BOARD AND FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST FOR MORE AWESOME RECIPES
Recipe Card – Baked Meatball Casserole
Ingredients
Base layer
For the pasta:
- 2 cups pasta
- 4 cups water
- salt as required
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 6-8 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoons mixed herbs
- 1 chicken cube
- 1 cup water
- 2 heaped tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ cup cooking cream
- ¼ cup grated cheese of your choice
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- salt as required
For the meatballs
- ½ kg chicken mince
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ⅛ cup chopped coriander leaves
- salt as required
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 1 egg
- 2 -3 tablespoons oil to shallow fry the meatballs
For the top layer
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cooking cream
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- ¼ teaspoon pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- 6 to 8 slices of cut mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- salt as required
- chopped coriander for garnishing
Instructions
- Put the pasta to boil along with 4 cups of water and some salt. Cook the pasta halfway through. Once done remove from water and put some oil to it and set aside.
- Put 1 cup of water to boil along with 1 chicken cube. Mix well till no lumps. Switch off the gas.
- In a pan, on medium heat put the butter and chopped garlic and mixed herbs. Saute well and add the flour to it. Whisk till no lumps for 2 mins. Add the chicken cube and water mixture to it a little at a time. Whisk well while adding. You will notice that the mixture begins to thicken. Add the cream and mix well. Let this cook for another 2 mins. Add the salt and pepper and mix well. Switch off the gas once this mixture is ready and add the grated mozzarella cheese to it. Set it aside to cool a bit and then combine the boiled pasta in it. Using a spatula mix this white sauce mixture and pasta well. Set aside once done.
For the meatballs:
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix well. Form balls and keep in the fridge for 10 mins. Heat up some oil in the pan and put the meatballs in it. Let the meatballs cook on high flame for 3 mins and then reduce the heat tossing the meatballs occasionally until cooked. Remove the meatballs and keep aside
For the top layer:
- In a bowl, combine the melted butter, cream, eggs, pepper powder, rosemary,
- chili flakes and mixed herbs. Beat this mixture well and set aside.
To make the casserole:
- Take a bowl greased with some butter. Add the pasta and white sauce mixture to it. Assemble the meatballs all around in the pasta and pour the egg and cream mixture you made ready for the top layer. Put the mozzarella slices all around on top and garnish with chopped coriander.
- Bake this casserole in a preheated oven at 170 degrees for 20 to 25 mins. The top mozzarella should melt and the egg layer on top should feel firm. Do not overbake as it may turn dry. Bake the casserole along with a water bath (water bath: Fill the tray with water below and then place the casserole over it.
- Serve warm.
About Videos – most recipes has two videos – a quick version in the post & longer detailed version on this recipe card. Please do subscribe to my channel if you like my videos
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Easy Breakfast Casserole
