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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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 our house because it’s a crowd-pleaser (my husband and kids love this dish!) and so easy to make, reheat, and double.
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
Our Meatball Parm Casserole comes as a mash-up of the best parts of our favorite Italian dishes: our Homemade Juicy Meatballs, savory sauce from our 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 our tips below on making ahead and freezing this Meatball Casserole.
Ingredients for Meatball Parmesan Casserole
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
- Meat – a pound each of ground beef and ground pork. Use 80/20 or 85/15 for the best flavor.
- Parmesan cheese – finely grated is best. You’ll use half in the meatball and half on the top
- Egg – this helps to bind the meatball
- Flavoring – garlic cloves, parsley, sea salt, and black pepper
- Marinara Sauce – we’ll need 3 cups. My Homemade Marinara Sauce works perfectly, but you can substitute it with your favorite store-bought sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese – if you have an extra minute, shred or slice the cheese yourself for the best meltiness
Variations
Here are a few other ideas to make this meatball casserole work for your family:
- Storebought 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:
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.
- Sautee 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
Make-Ahead & Storage
It’s easy to make Meatballs Parmesan Casserole up to 24 hours in advance (if refrigerating) and up to 3 months ahead if freezing. Assemble the casserole according to step 5, but before baking, store the casserole like this:
- To Refrigerate Ahead: before baking, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cook directly from the fridge, but add about 5 minutes to the baking time.
- Freezing Ahead: before baking, cover with a layer of plastic wrap and top with foil, and then freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw it in the fridge overnight, remove the plastic wrap layer, and cook as directed, adding 5 minutes to the baking time.
- Storing Leftovers – Once fully baked, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave (use a splatter guard!) or oven until heated through.
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!
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
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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
Hello Natasha,
So I’ve been watching your videos since before the pandemic. I’ve learned how to make your delicious apple pie, and it’s my favorite ISO. Enjoy watching you and I would just like to send a big. Thank you for giving me all kinds of great ideas and showing videos on how to do that. Some people learn by watching and some people learn by reading. I’m one of the people that learn by watching. So your videos are such a blessing to me. Thank you for all you do, mercedes
This recipe is absolutely delicious and the leftovers are FABULOUS! I really think the meatballs taste better day 2 and beyond because all the flavors are much richer after the sauce has a chance to thicken. I made these for the first time earlier this week and it was such a winner with my family. Including my one kiddo who is a picky eater. I decided to use Rao’s Marinara Sauce to save on time but I made sure to add the fresh garlic and fresh parsley. My family enjoyed with some thin spaghetti.
Thank you for your wonderful review, Arlene, I’m so glad you loved them.
My 18 year old son thought casserole they suck
I made a double batch Because your teriyaki salmon recipe was FANTASTIC
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My son ate 1 sub. Came back and ate another
15 inch buns. 6 meatballs per
I was going to freeze the rest and this morning he asks if we can just have that again
Another forever recipe to add to the arsenal
I am glad I found Natasha’s kitchen
Hi Gary! That’s awesome. So glad they were a hit. Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad you found this recipe!
Italian food is always good, so I decided to try this recipe for Meatballs Parmesan Casserole. It’s delicious. So flavorful. The only change I made was with respect to the bread and milk. We didn’t have any bread on hand, so I used Italian-flavored Panko instead. Since the recipe made 20 meatballs, we had leftovers, which I froze. We’re planning to use them to make meatball sandwiches.
I will try this one for sure. I love your meatball recipe.
This recipe was awesome! Definitely will be making it again.
So happy to hear that, Linda!
DELICIOUS!! I made this for friends coming over and they loved this casserole!
Turned out beautifully and seasoned to perfection
So happy to hear that, Bobbi!
Natasha, I never leave comments but I’ve been using your recipes for years now. I was scrolling today for ideas, saw this recipe and gave it a try and loved the result. The meatballs are so tasty! I want to say thank you for the recipes, videos, this website and most importantly helping me feed my family with good food! We are an international family with a couple of picky eaters but your recipes somehow meet everyone’s requests! My 7 y.o. son always says I’m the best chef 😊 Thank you!
I have to apologize, after I watched the video five times, I spotted Sharkey.
Your recipe directions do not say when to put the bread in. I didn’t put them in because you didn’t say too! Realized too late and half ended up with bread half do not. Hopefully they still taste yummy!
It’s in #1 and #2 in instructions in the recipe.
Soooo delicious! You’re a delight to watch and listen to in the kitchen! Thank you for sharing your talent of cooking! BTW…this is great using ground venison with the ground pork.
This was bomb dot com, just as I expected, honestly. We kept it super simple, almost eating it like a dip and using buttery garlic bread to scoop it. We also paired it with Natasha’s Caesar salad, which is seriously restaurant quality. I also like it because it’s one of those meals that you can throw in the oven and have your kitchen cleaned up before you even sit down to eat. Will definitely make again.
Thank you, Britney! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Natasha, I just love your recipes and really can say that I never had a recipe of yours flop for me. your instructions are very well written and easy to follow
Hi Lida! I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing.
Looks good, certainly will try it. There was no Sharkey to spot in this video.
OMG! These are the BEST meatballs I have ever had, and I’m not even a meatball fan!!! I saw this recipe picture and it looked good, and knowing my husband liked meatball subs, I thought I would whip it up for dinner with some pasta and he can have subs with the left overs. He loved it, his words were “those meatballs are on POINT!”. Thank you Natasha for yet another homerun recipe, you are my go-to recipe spot and can’t wait for cookbook #2 to come out. If anyone is reading this, GET HER COOKBOOK its amazing. And her recipe for “The Most Amazing Lasagna” is truly THE MOST AMAZING!
I’ve just made your meatball Parmesan casserole and it was a huge success. I can’t wait to test more of your recipes….i have even forwarded your blog to my 2 daughters-in-law who are always looking for new menu ideas too. Thanks
I was wondering if it’s possible to bake the meatballs in the oven? Less mess on the stove. if yes what temperature for the oven and how long to bake before continue with the other steps. Thank you in advance
Hi Diane! Yes. 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.
Excellent recipe – super tender and flavorful. I should have watched the video fist though. I used “lite” bread, and I don’t think 3 pieces of the lite bread was enough to absorb the liquid, so the meatballs weren’t as firm as I think they should be. Do you think I should use 5 or 6 pieces of light bread next time, or buy a heartier bread? I will surely make again as family loved this, but I do need to adjust the bread. Thank you!
Hi Bridget thank you for your feedback. You can try to add a bit more pcs of bread if that’s what you have on hand or buy a hearted bread. Either should work!
How much oatmeal or potato flakes would you recommend instead of the 3 slices of bread? I would like to make this gluten free
Hi Doris! I haven’t tested those substitutes to provide instructions.
I spot a shark behind the counter top on your left when you were cutting up bread and right after you said ” dice it up into small pieces”
Keep watching and you’ll spot him! He’s a little further in. I hope you love the meatballs recipe!
Once again you did it. I just made this for my husband’s job and they are going berserk! EXCELLEN5 DELICIOUS and so easy-to-make. Thank you so much
You have to be one of the fastest recipe makers to already test it and leave such a glowing review just a couple hours after it went live. I’m so happy you and your husband and his co-workers loved the Meatballs Parmesan.