Rating: 4 stars
4 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 1
  • 4 star values: 2
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  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0

This cheesy meatball casserole is a family favorite, with basil adding flavor to the meatballs and grated onion adding moisture. Melted mozzarella cheese tames the spice, but feel free to cut back or eliminate the crushed red pepper if you prefer a milder dish.

EatingWell.com, June 2022

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

active:
20 mins
total:
1 hr
Servings:
8
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Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add pasta; cook until the center of the pasta is still somewhat firm, about 4 minutes less than package directions. Drain the pasta and transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add half of marinara sauce to the pasta and stir to coat.

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  • Combine ground beef, panko, onion, basil, egg, Italian seasoning, salt and crushed red pepper in a large bowl; gently mix with your hands (do not overmix). Form the mixture into 16 (about 1 1/2-inch) meatballs, nestling the meatballs into the pasta mixture as you work. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the casserole and top with cheese.

  • Bake until a thermometer inserted into the meatballs registers at least 160°F and the cheese is lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 1/2 cups
465 calories; protein 29g; carbohydrates 53g; dietary fiber 7g; sugars 6g; fat 17g; saturated fat 6g; mono fat 4g; poly fat 1g; trans fatty acid 1g; cholesterol 78mg; vitamin a iu 529IU; vitamin b3 niacin 8mg; vitamin b12 2mcg; vitamin c 5mg; vitamin d iu 11IU; vitamin e iu 1IU; folate 56mg; vitamin k 7mg; sodium 607mg; calcium 241mg; iron 5mg; magnesium 94mg; phosphorus 469mg; potassium 505mg; zinc 6mg; omega 6 fatty acid 1g; niacin equivalents 12mg; selenium 63mcg.
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