• Home
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • VIDEO SERIES: Learn to Cook on a Budget
    • How-To & Cooking Tutorials
    • Popular Recipes
  • Meal Plans
    • Weekly Meal Plans
    • Freezer Meal Plans
    • The ORIGINAL 20 Meals for $150 Plans
  • Classes
    • Grocery Savings 101 Workshop
    • Freezer Cooking 101 Workshop
    • Meal Planning 101 Workshop
    • Instant Pot Cooking 101 Course
    • My Efficient Kitchen Course
  • Store
    • COOKBOOK: Feeding Teenage Boys on a Budget
    • COOKBOOK: Learn to Cook on a Budget
    • COOKBOOKS & PREP KITS: MyFreezEasy Freezer Meals
    • Whis-Kid Cooking Lessons
    • Erin’s Favorite Gadgets
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • About
    • Press
  • Login

$5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals

Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals and Cooking Tutorials for the Busy Home Chef

Save on Groceries in 2025

Dump & Bake Meatball Casserole

February 7, 2024 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

109 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Sign up to receive FREE weekly emails with recipes, coupons and other money saving tips right into your inbox. Become a friend on Facebook too AND/OR join the $5 Meal Plan Family and get meal plans delivered to you each week!

This Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole will soon be in your regular dinner rotation because it’s so easy to prep to bake, and so scrumptious!

I’ve got another “dump and bake recipe” for you!

This Dump & Bake Meatball Casserole is a perfect hearty dish for a cozy family dinner on a super busy weeknight.

This no-fuss recipe requires minimal preparation, making it an ideal choice for those seeking both convenience and flavor.

It’s a simple layering of ingredients and you’ll let the oven do all the heavy lifting.

It starts with pre-cooked meatballs. These are likely frozen, so you’ll want to thaw them out in the fridge overnight or in the microwave.

Layer in the dry pasta, warm water and marinara sauce. Make sure all of the pasta is ‘underwater’ so that it cooks through properly.

Nestle the thawed meatballs over the pasta and sauce. Cover tightly with foil and bake.

Towards the end of the cooking cycle, add cheese and return to the oven to let it melt.

The end result gives you a casserole with every bite filled with savory goodness.

This amazing and yummy Dump & Bake Meatball Casserole is sure to become a staple for your family dinners!

Enjoy!

Other “Dump and Bake Recipes” from $5 Dinners

  • Dump and Bake Chicken and Rice 
  • Dump and Bake Taco Chicken and Rice
  • Dump and Bake Macaroni & Cheese
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!

Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole

A 5-Ingredient Meatball Casserole that's so easy to prepare, and so so delicious!
Prep Time5 minutes minutes
Cook Time40 minutes minutes
Servings - 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • 16 oz. bag small shell pasta penne, elbow or shell
  • 24 oz. jar marinara sauce
  • 3 cups warm water
  • 36 to 40 pre-cooked meatballs thawed if frozen

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Place the dry pasta into the base of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour the marinara sauce and water over the top. Gently stir to combine and release any bubbles. Press all the pasta into the liquid, so it will cook properly.
  • Place the thawed meatballs into the pasta and sauce combo. Cover tightly with foil.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 32 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully remove the foil and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Return to oven for 5 to 8 minutes so that the cheese can melt.
  • Serve Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole with side salad or favorite veggies. Enjoy!

 

 

109 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Baking, Beef Recipes, Grocery Savings, Pasta Recipes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search $5 Dinners

Favorite Meal Planning & Cooking Resources

Whis-Kid Cooking Lessons Grocery Budget Makeover My Freezeasy Erin Chase Store 5DD Freebie Library 20 Meals for $150 Plans

© 2025 5 Dollar Dinners | Disclosure Policy | Copyright Information | Terms of Service/Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Design & Tech Support by Klong Designs



Copyright © 2025 · 5 Dollar Dinners Genesis Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in