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Easy Cheesy Meatball Casserole has soft, tender meatballs, gooey cheese and saucy marinara. Serve with pasta or garlic bread – or keep it low carb and serve with spaghetti squash or zoodles!

One meatball being lifted out of a pan of cheesy meatballs - with a gooey cheese pull.

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Cheesy Meatball Casserole

A comforting dinner with the best homemade meatballs, homemade or store bought marinara, and ooey gooey cheese.  These meatballs have 3 kinds of meat – beef, pork and lamb – for the ultimate flavor and texture.  Not only that, it is made in one dish – first the meatballs are baked on their own, then sauce and cheese is added.

Cheesy meatballs in a dish, one is in a spoon.

How to make Cheesy Meatball Casserole

First make the meatballs.  I used three kinds of meat  for these baked meatball – ground beef, ground pork and ground lamb.  I think this gives them the best flavor and texture,  However, you can use any combination of the three that you prefer. For best results, use 80/20 ground beef as the fat in the meat will help make the meatballs moist and flavorful.  A lower fat percentage could result in dry meatballs.

Ingredients for meatballs in a bowl

First, mix together ground beef, pork and lamb with garlic, egg, milk, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, oregano and red pepper flakes.  Mix until well combined but try not to overwork the meat mixture, as that could make your meatballs tough. After mixing the ingredients for the meatballs, shape them into balls. I use a medium sized cookie scoop to do this so that they are all the same size.

2 photos side by side of uncooked meatballs, second photo shows cooked meatballs after baking

How long should I bake meatballs in the oven?

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange meatballs in a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Cooked meatballs should reach an internal tempurature of 165 degrees F using an instant read thermometer.

Side by side photos of meatballs in a dish over sauce, second photo shoes meatballs with cheese on top

Remove meatballs from dish and drain fat from pan. Spread half a cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish.  I use my Easy 20 Minute Marinara sauce for this recipe, but you could also use your favorite jarred marinara.

Return the meatballs to the dish, top with more marinara sauce and then top with shredded cheese.  As always, I recommend grating your own mozzarella cheese for this instead of using pre shredded cheese from a bag.

Cheesy meatball casserole in a dish

Return to oven and bake for 5-10 more minutes, then finish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown in spots.

What to serve with Cheesy Meatball Casserole?

My Easy Garlic Bread is perfect for mopping up the sauce in this meatball bake. It is also great served with pasta and salad.  I also love serving this cheesy meatball bake with spaghetti squash for a low carb meal.

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Cheesy Meatball Casserole

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients 

For Meatballs

  • 1/2 lb Ground Beef 80/20
  • 1/2 lb ground pork*
  • 1/2 lb ground lamb
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
  • 4 Garlic cloves finely minced
  • 2 TBSP milk
  • 1 tsp kosher salt* use only 1/2 tsp if using regular table salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

For Meatball Casserole

  • 1.5 cups Easy Marinara divided. I use my easy marinara sauce here, you can also use store bought sauce.
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella whole milk preferred
  • 1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking dish lightly with cooking spray, set aside.
  • Combine ingredients for meatballs in a large bowl. Mix until well combined but try not to overwork the meat, which may cause tough meatballs.
  • Roll meat mixture into 24 equal sized balls. Using a cookie scoop makes this easier.
  • Arrange meatballs in the baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • Remove from oven, and remove meatballs from baking dish. Pour off extra fat. Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish.
  • Return the meatballs to the dish. Spread the rest of the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Sprinkle cheese evenly over meatballs.
  • Return baking dish to oven. Bake for 5-10 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Finish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes if desired, for cheese that is golden and bubbly.

Notes

I use my Easy 20 Minute Marinara Sauce in this recipe, but you can use store bought if you prefer. 
I think the 3 kinds of meat makes the best meatballs, but you can any combination of the three meats, as long as it equals 1.5 lbs of meat. 
80/20 ground beef is preferred for the best flavor and texture. Using a lower fat meat could result in dry meatballs.
Grating your own mozzarella and parmesan cheese will give you better results than using pre shredded bagged cheese. 
Make ahead - Sauce and meatballs can be made ahead of time. Keep refrigerated for 1-2 days ahead of time.  Meatballs can also be frozen for up to 3 months. 
Leftovers: Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 4meatballs | Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 1190mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 710IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 330mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian
Did you like this recipe?Please comment, rate and share! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @foxandbriar AND #foxandbriar so I can see what you made!

 

Hello! I’m Meghan.

I am so glad that you are here! I am the recipe developer, photographer, and writer here at my blog Fox and Briar. I am a passionate, self-taught home cook and believe that most things are better homemade and that good food doesn’t need to be complicated.

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