This homemade Meatballs Parmesan Casserole makes for the best weeknight meal, with homemade Parmesan meatballs bubbling away in savory marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. It’s similar to Chicken Parmesan but with meatballs! Serve over pasta or as a meatball sub for a satisfying Italian dish any night of the week.
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Helpful Reader Review
“We loved this. So juicy and flavorful. Definitely will prepare it again and again.“ – Lorraine ★★★★★
Meatball Parmesan Video
A meatball casserole in under an hour? Yes! See how Natasha makes this flavorful Italian Meatballs Parmesan recipe.
Easy Parmesan Meatballs Recipe
My family loves a good Italian dish, especially classic favorites like Spaghetti and Meatballs, Baked Ziti, and Lasagna. This Meatballs Parmesan Casserole quickly became a favorite at my house because it’s a crowd-pleaser (my husband and kids love this dish!) and so easy to make, reheat, and double.
My Meatball Parm Casserole comes as a mash-up of the best parts of my favorite Italian dishes: Homemade Juicy Meatballs, savory sauce from my Easy Marinara Sauce, and casserole-style cooking so it’s easy to make and serve.
You’ll love how simple it is to make the most flavorful meatballs, and it’s easy to share with a large group or make as meal prep. See my tips below on making ahead and freezing this Meatball Casserole.
Meatball Parm Ingredients
With just a few meatball ingredients and your favorite marinara sauce, you can whip up my baked Meatball Parmesan recipe. I know many of you are wondering if you can use store-bought meatballs and/or sauce as a shortcut—the answer is yes, and I’ve included variations below, but I promise these flavors are worth the extra few steps!
- White bread – We use sliced sandwich bread, but you can use the inside of soft Italian or French bread as well, but remove the crust. Gluten-free bread will also work.
- Milk – Using milk is best to create tender and juicy meatballs, but you can substitute it with cold water
- Ground Meat – a pound each of ground beef and ground pork. Use 80/20 or 85/15 beef for the best flavor. See substitution options below.
- Egg – this helps to bind the meatball
- Seasonings – garlic cloves, parsley, sea salt, and black pepper
- Cheese – I combine Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese for flavor and an irresistible cheese pull.
- Marinara Sauce – we’ll need 3 cups. My Homemade Marinara Sauce works perfectly, but you can substitute it with your favorite store-bought pasta sauce to save a step.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few other ideas to make this meatball casserole work for your family:
- Store-bought Meatballs – If you’re short on time, try store-bought meatballs. Choose Italian-flavored or basic meatballs so the flavors mesh with the marinara sauce.
- Meat – we love this classic meatball combination of beef and pork, but you can substitute different proteins, like ground chicken, turkey, or even bison. Avoid super lean proteins so your meatballs don’t end up tough.
- Veggies – sauté diced veggies, such as onion, green peppers, or chopped spinach, and then stir them into the sauce for an extra serving of vegetables
- Spice – For a spicy kick, add red pepper flakes when adding the garlic.
How to Make Baked Meatballs Parmesan
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pour cold milk or water over the diced bread, soaking for 5 minutes, and then use a fork to mash.
- Make the Meat mixture – add ground beef and pork, half of the parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper to the bread and mix until it just comes together. Be sure not to over mix, since that can make the meatball tough. The mixture will be moist, but if it isn’t, you can add a splash of milk.
- Portion the meatballs – I used a medium trigger-release cookie scoop to portion, or about 2 Tbsp per meatball. Roll the mixture into a meatball using wet hands to about the size of a golf ball or 1 1/2″ in diameter.
Pro Tip for Forming Meatballs:
To keep meatballs from sticking to your hands, set a small bowl of water next to you and dip your hands in water when rolling meatballs. If it starts to stick, just re-dip your hands in water. You’ll end up with perfectly smooth meatballs.
- Sauté the Meatballs – Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to cover the bottom (I used about 2 Tbsp) and then add the meatballs in batches once the oil is hot. Turn the meatball every 2 minutes to sear each side.
- Assemble and Bake – Pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce into a 9×13 casserole dish, and then put the meatballs into the sauce. Add the rest of the marinara over the top of the meatballs and sprinkle with the other half of the parmesan cheese and all of the mozzarella cheese. See our tips below for storing the casserole at this stage, or bake covered in foil for about 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked to 165°F.
Can I make Meatball Parmesan in a Slow Cooker?
Meatball casserole works well in the crockpot as well. Layer the marinara and browned meatballs in the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours or until the meatballs are cooked through and then top with the cheese and cook for 30 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
How to Serve Parmesan Meatballs
This Parmesan Meatballs Casserole is such a versatile main dish since you can serve the meatballs in so many ways. Try serving over:
- Over Pasta – try Homemade Pasta or storebought
- Over Veggies like Spaghetti Squash
- Meatball Sandwiches – serve on a toasted Hamburger Bun
- Cheesy Meatball Subs – on a toasted sub roll
- With Crusty Bread – try Sourdough Bread or Dinner Rolls or Focaccia Bread to soak up the sauce
- With a Side Salad – keep it simple with Caesar Salad
Meatballs Parmesan Casserole combines the best parts of so many of our favorite Italian dishes—homemade meatballs, marinara sauce, and melty cheese—in a delicious, crowd-favorite in under an hour. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal, or to feed a crowd. I know you’ll love this recipe!
Meatballs Parmesan Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 slices white bread, crusts removed, diced
- 1/2 cup cold milk, or water, plus more if needed
- 1 lb lean ground beef, 80/20 or 85/15
- 1 lb ground pork, I used 80/20
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- Oil for frying, I use extra light olive oil
- 3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 6 oz
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F with a rack in the center of the oven. In a large mixing bowl, add diced bread. Pour milk/water over the bread and soak for 5 minutes then mash with a fork.
- Add ground beef and pork, half of the parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt and black pepper. Use your hands to stir until just combined. Do not over-mix. The mixture should feel very moist. If not, add a bit more milk as needed.
- Portion into golf-ball-sized meatballs, about 2 Tbsp per meatball. A trigger release scoop makes it easy to portion. Wet your hands and roll into meatballs about 1 1/2” in diameter.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with oil, about 2 Tbsp. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the skillet in batches and turn every 2 minutes to get a good sear on all sides. Each batch will cook for about 8 minutes in total. They don’t need to be fully cooked through at this point, just browned all over.
- Add 1 cup marinara to a 9×13 casserole dish. Arrange the browned meatballs over the sauce in a single layer. Pour the remaining marinara over the top and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.* Cover with foil and bake until the meatballs are cooked through to 165 ̊F on an instant-read thermometer, the cheese should be melted and the casserole should be bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Notes
–Assemble and Refrigerate the Casserole Ahead – You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead of time, cover it, and refrigerate until ready to bake. If baking the casserole cold from the refrigerator, add an extra 5 minutes of baking time.
–Freeze the Casserole – you can assemble the casserole, cover it with plastic wrap, and then aluminum foil for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, make sure to remove the plastic wrap under the foil and bake as directed.
–Reheating Leftovers – cover with foil and reheat at 350 ̊F for about 20 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave, but I do recommend a splatter guard to keep the microwave clean.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Italian Casserole Recipes
We love how easy it is to cook and serve this Meatball Parm recipe out of a casserole dish, so once you try it, you’ll want to check out these other Italian casserole recipes:
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Stuffed Shells
- Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Manicotti Recipe
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan
- Chicken Lasagna
- Chicken Orzo Bake
Can I bake the meatballs in the oven rather than frying? If so what would you suggest.
Hi Karen, yes, you can bake them. Place on a lined baking sheet, about 2″ apart, and bake in a preheated oven at 400˚F for 20-23 minutes, or until the centers register 160˚F. For golden brown meatballs, broil for the last 2-3 minutes. This optional step also helps to create a crust that seals the juices in.
I just got done frying the meatballs. They were not staying together. Like they were too wet. I did the best I could but I’m not sure why this happened? Followed recipe exactly
Hi Kathy! There should be enough binding ingredients so that doesn’t happen. Did you use meat that was more lean? Or perhaps the bread slices were smaller, or didn’t soak long enough? Also- be careful to under mix the mixture. Flipping too early while frying or moving them before a crust forms can also cause them to fall apart.
Hi Natasha
what is the best way to freeze those meatballs so I could use them in many recipes
also, what is the substitute to pork meat to make it halal.
Hello Eman! You can visit this part of the recipe “*Make-Ahead Directions” for tips on how to freeze it. You can substitute different proteins, like ground chicken, turkey, or even bison. Avoid super lean proteins so your meatballs don’t end up tough.
Thanks but i meant how to freeze only the meatballs not the whole casserole
To Freeze, Place meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and freeze for a few hours or until solid. Transfer to a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Is there a way to substitute the 3 slices of bread with bread crumbs? We don’t ever use white bread.
Hi Colleen! Sure, you can try ½ to ¾ cup breadcrumbs.
I rarely leave recipe reviews, but I felt compelled to do so for this one. I’ve never encountered a disappointing recipe on your website; every dish I’ve tried has been a delightful experience. I decided to make this recipe for my family as instructed. I used a 32-ounce jar of Rao’s marinara sauce and added just a hint of brown sugar to enhance its flavor. The result was simply incredible. The adults enjoyed their thin spaghetti with meatballs, while my sons opted for sub rolls filled with meatballs and sliced mozzarella. To complement the meal, we served a side salad and garlic bread. Overall, this was an absolute 10/10!
Thank you so much, Leslie. I’m really happy to know that you’re enjoying my recipes a lot!
These were delicious easy to put together in no time! Perfect! Everyone loved it!
I need to make a double batch of meatballs. Can I use a large disposable aluminum container for cooking?
Hi Ted! That should be ok.
I would like to make these for our family, but have to make them gluten free. What can I substitute for the white bread?
Hi Barb! I haven’t tested those substitutes to provide instructions.
I made the meatballloaf using the meatball recipe minus the frying part. I placed 1/4 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom, placed the meatballloaf in the pan a cooked at 365 for 40 min. I removed the pan, added 1/4 cup marinara sauce, mozzarella & parmigiano reggiano, covered with foil and cooked for additional 20 min. I used wagyu mince meat from Costco. It came amazing, I shared it with friends and they loved it too. As good as I made it, I’m sure you can make it even better.
Hi Ted, thanks so much for sharing that with us. I’m glad it worked out well and happy to hear you enjoyed it.