Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs

5 from 3 votes

Made in the oven and full of the best Italian flavors, this baked spaghetti and meatballs is so easy to make and with satisfying results.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked spaghetti and meatballs, baked spaghetti and meatballs recipe

Servings:

Calories: 746kcal

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound Italian ground pork
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
¼ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Pasta

8 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked per package directions
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
32 ounces your favorite red pasta sauce

Casserole Topping

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Italian breadcrumbs, whole milk, minced garlic, Italian seasonings, onion powder, dried parsley, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and lightly beaten eggs. Using your hands, mix all ingredients in the bowl until just combined, being careful not to over mix the meat.
Use a small scoop to form small meatballs or a large scoop to form large meatballs.
Place the meatballs on the foil-lined baking sheet and place them in the oven. Cook at 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes if making small meatballs or 25 minutes if making large meatballs. They should be cooked through at this point and browned on the top. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Cook spaghetti per package directions. Drain water and add noodles back to the pot. Drizzle olive oil over noodles and toss to coat. Add ¾ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Toss pasta to coat with cheese and seasonings.
Turn the heat down on your oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add the noodle mixture to the bottom of the baking dish.
Remove meatballs from the baking sheet and place them on top of the noodle mixture. Nestle each meatball down in the noodles so that only the top half is sticking out.
Add 32 ounces of your favorite pasta sauce to the top of the casserole. Use a fork to spread out the noodles in between the meatballs so the sauce can fall down into the noodles.
Cover the casserole and place it in the oven at 375°F. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining cheese (1¼ cup total) over the top of the casserole.
Place back in the oven at 375°F and continue to cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and the sides are bubbling.

Video

Notes

If you have leftover meatballs from this recipe you can freeze them. They are easy to thaw out and reheat in a casserole when you are ready to use them at a later date.
An ice cream scoop works well but using your hands to form the meatballs will give you the best results.
Al dente is the ideal consistency for pasta. The pasta will be tender and will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your meatballs at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
If you want to brown your cheese slightly, you can turn your broiler on for the last minute of melting the cheese. Make sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.

Nutrition