Meatballs, flavoured with herbs and parmesan, are baked with a delicious tomato sauce, pasta, and lashings of cheese. You will love that cheese pull when serving this tasty Baked Cheesy Pasta and Meatballs!

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I love a dish like this that they whole family can enjoy, my Baked Cheesy pasta with Meatballs is a feast for the eyes and the belly! You make the meatballs first, then cook the pasta and tomato sauce then mix them all together and top with cheese. Hello! What a good time!

This recipe is really versatile, to make it easier and faster, use premade pasta sauce and premade meatballs. To make it more cost effective, leave out the parmesan in the meatballs and simply use a cheese like colby to top the pasta with.

Ingredients:

Beef mince, you could also use pork mince
Breadcrumbs, i used homemade breadcrumbs but panko are also lovely
Grated parmesan
Minced garlic
Egg
Chopped parsley, or chopped Rosemary, or dried Italian herbs, if using dried herbs we use a lot less
Salt
Oil
Pasta, I am using penne
Onion
Tomato passata
Sugar or honey
Balsamic vinegar
Grated mozzarella, 100 grams grated, 100 grams sliced1 cup grated parmesan
¼ cup basil leaves, both for the sauce and to garnish

How to make Baked Cheesy Pasta and Meatballs :

Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan bake.

Mix together mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, egg, parsley and salt.

Roll the mixture into meatballs. I like to make them around 2 tablespoons in size and use wet hands when rolling. In a large pan over a medium heat add 1 tablespoon oil, fry the meatballs until golden all over, around 4 minutes. The meatballs will continue to cook in the stovetop so they don’t need to be cooked through now. You may need to do this in batches. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water as per packet directions. Once cooked, drain and reserve ½ cup of cooking water. To make the sauce, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan that you cooked the meatballs. Add the onions and sauté gently until translucent around 4 minutes. Plus the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Then the tomato passata, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Cook stirring for 3 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or sugar if needed.

Add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Turn heat off and add the basil. In the pot you cooked the pasta in, add the pasta, the pasta cooking water, the tomato meatball mix and the grated mozzarella. Gently mix to combine. Transfer to a 10 cup capacity casserole dish. Top with the parmesan and remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

Garnish with basil leaves.

If you are looking for more delicious dinner recipes check out my posts for Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake and Quick Pork Noodles.

Common questions about Baked Cheesy Pasta and Meatballs:

Can I use pork mince? That will be delicious.

Can I make this quicker? Absolutely, use premade meatballs and premade pasta sauce.

What wine would be lovely with the pasta and meatballs? A lovely full bodied red like a cabernet sauvignon or shiraz.

Baked Pasta and Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 kg beef mince
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan *optional
1 teaspoon of minced garlic or 2 cloves
1 egg beaten
3 tablespoons chopped parsley or 2 tablespoons of chopped Rosemary, or 1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs
½ teaspoon salt

Pasta & Sauce

2 tablespoons Oil
500 grams Pasta I am using penne
1 onion diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
700 gram jar Tomato passata
1 teaspoon of sugar or honey
1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
200 grams Grated mozzarella 100 grams grated, 100 grams sliced
1 cup grated parmesan
¼ cup basil leaves sliced

To garnish

Extra basil leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan bake.
In a large bowl mix together mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, egg, parsley and salt.
Roll the mixture into meatballs. I like to make them around 2 tablespoons in size and use wet hands when rolling.
In a large pan over a medium heat add 1 tablespoon oil, fry the meatballs until golden all over, around 4 minutes. The meatballs will continue to cook in the stovetop so they don’t need to be cooked through now. You may need to do this in batches. Remove and set aside.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water as per packet directions. Once cooked, drain and reserve ½ cup of cooking water.
To make the sauce, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan that you cooked the meatballs. Add the onions and sauté gently until translucent around 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
Add tomato passata, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Cook stirring for 3 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or sugar if needed. Add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Turn heat off and add the basil.
In the pot you cooked the pasta in, add the pasta, the pasta cooking water, the tomato meatball mix and the grated mozzarella. Gently mix to combine.
Transfer to a 10 cup capacity casserole dish. Top with the parmesan and remaining mozzarella.
Bake for 20 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Garnish with basil leaves.
Serve.
Happy cooking xx Jana

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