Let me blow your mind with this ridiculously easy baked meatballs and pasta recipe. ?
I call it a back pocket pasta because it’s simply a good pasta recipe to have on hand! It has all of your favorite pasta flavors, it’s quick, really easy to make and I’m officially claiming it our new go-to pasta and meatballs recipe!
Plus, I think everyone needs a few back pocket recipes that you can easily whip up and know the whole family will love it. Family dinner win? Yes.Please.
There is nothing better than the smell of pasta, meatballs, red sauce and cheese baking in the oven. It’s a classic comfort and you’re going to love my shortcut hack.
A few other back-pocket pasta favorites you’ll love include this Ground Turkey Shell Pasta , Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta and this nostalgic Hamburger Macaroni .
You’ll love this baked meatballs and pasta because:
- The meatballs get made in one bowl
- Everything is baked in one casserole dish
- No pre-boiling of the rigatoni noodles required
- Makes fabulous leftovers
- Is customizable
- And most importantly…because it’s so delicious!
I hope you this becomes a new favorite for you!
Ingredient Notes
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
- Rigatoni : You’ll add uncooked rigatoni noodles directly into the casserole dish and they cook in the oven! A 12 oz. box (about 4 cups) is all you’ll need.
- Store-bought marinara sauce : Use your favorite sauce! We love using Rao’s. (I use the 28 oz. sauce) Plus more sauce as desired.
- Fresh mozzarella : I recommend using fresh, low moisture mozzarella. It melts (and tastes) much more beautifully in the casserole compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Meatballs : This recipe uses a modified version of these beef meatballs . It’s a straightforward recipe using ground beef, Italian breadcrumbs, an egg, onion and some seasonings. It’s absolutely delicious!
- Garnish ideas: fresh basil and Parmigiano Reggiano
Step by Step Directions
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Combine all ingredients for the meatballs. Roll the mixture into about 20 small balls.
- In a 8×10 inch baking dish (I use this rectangle porcelain baker ), spread half of the uncooked rigatoni in an even layer.
- Arrange half of the meatballs and mozzarella chunks over the pasta.
- Spoon half of the marinara on top.
- Repeat layers with the remaining pasta, meatballs, mozzarella and marinara sauce.
- Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add 2 cups water to the dish, cover with foil and bake until pasta is tender, ~1 hour.
- Uncover and broil until tops are lightly browned and the bake is bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh basil and grated cheese.
Tips and Variations
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the meatballs. This keeps them in uniform size.
- Add extra sauce! One of the main problems with pasta bakes is the dryness since the pasta soaks up a lot of that yummy red sauce. When serving, add more warmed marinara on top. Be generous!
- Doctor up store bought marinara. Elevate the flavor with fresh garlic, fresh or dried herbs, olive oil, red pepper chili flakes, cheese, etc. I recommend using a high quality marinara so you don’t have to add anything to it (our favorite is Rao’s brand!)
- Use ground turkey instead of ground beef for the meatballs.
- I haven’t tested this recipe with a different noodle shape but I bet it would work well! Perhaps a ziti or penne noodle would bake up similarly to rigatoni.
- Feel free to add more flavor when assembling the ingredients in the bake. I find just a little salt and black pepper go a long way but you could add Italian seasoning, oregano, onion powder, dried basil, parsley, chili flakes, etc.
More Recipes You Will Love
Sausage, Peppers, and Rice Skillet
Chicken Fajita Pasta (One Pot)
Easy Eggplant Parmesan Bake
Easy Chicken Caprese Pasta
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Back-Pocket Baked Meatballs and Pasta
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 12 oz. ground beef
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp. white onion, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp. ketchup
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
For the pasta bake
- 12 oz. rigatoni, uncooked (about 4 cups dry pasta)
- 28 oz. store-bought marinara sauce (We love Rao’s)
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, torn or cut into small cubes
- 2 cups water
- salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh basil and Parmigiano reggiano for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, gently mix together all of the ingredients for the meatballs. Work the meat just until combined either with clean hands or a spoon. 12 oz. ground beef, 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp. white onion, finely chopped, 1 large egg, 1 Tbsp. ketchup, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp. dried parsley, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. oregano
- Form into small meatballs: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out some of the meat mixture and roll into a ball ~2 Tbsp. each. Continue shaping until all meat is used and place on the prepared baking sheet, not touching. You will have about ~20 meatballs.
- In a 8x10 inch baking dish spread half of the uncooked rigatoni in an even layer. 12 oz. rigatoni, uncooked (about 4 cups dry pasta)
- Arrange half of the uncooked meatballs and mozzarella chunks over the pasta. 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, torn or cut into small cubes
- Spoon half of the marinara on top. 28 oz. store-bought marinara sauce (We love Rao’s)
- Repeat layers with the remaining pasta, meatballs, mozzarella, marinara sauce. Season the top with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. (Be sure to cover all the noodles with sauce to prevent them from burning or becoming dry).
- Add 2 cups water to the dish, cover with foil and bake until pasta is tender and the meatballs have reached an internal temperature of 165°F. ~1 hour. salt and black pepper to taste, 2 cups water
- Uncover and broil for a few minutes until tops are lightly browned and the bake is bubbly.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm and garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese. Serve with more marinara sauce if desired. fresh basil and Parmigiano reggiano for garnish
Video
Notes
- Add extra sauce! One of the main problems with pasta bakes is the dryness since the pasta soaks up a lot of that yummy red sauce. When serving, add more warmed marinara on top. Be generous!
- Use ground turkey instead of ground beef for the meatballs. I use 12 oz. because I felt the full pound (16 oz.) was just too much meatball to pasta ratio. If you don’t mind extra meatballs, use the full pound of ground meat!
- I haven’t tested this recipe with a different noodle shape but I bet it would work well! Perhaps a ziti or penne noodle would bake up similarly to rigatoni.
- Feel free to add more flavor when assembling the ingredients in the bake. I find just a little salt and black pepper go a long way but you could add Italian seasoning, oregano, onion powder, dried basil, parsley, chili flakes, etc.
- Recipe inspired by Food and Wine.
