Meatballs Pasta Casserole

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 large egg

Casserole

• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 1 24 oz jar marinara sauce
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded

Garnish

• fresh basil chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with oil.
2. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and egg. Combine as well as you can with your hands.
3. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Then, roll the mixture into 16 meatballs. About 2 tbsp in volume each.
4. In a baking dish, add uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir and combine everything well.
5. Place meatballs into the baking dish, pressing them in so they’re submerged inside the mixture.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, depending on the pasta. If you’re using protein pasta, bake for 30 mins.
7. Remove from the oven and take off the aluminum foil. Stir the casserole a little bit with a spatula without breaking apart the meatballs. Check that the pasta has cooked and is al dente. If not, return to the oven with the foil on and bake a little longer until it softens.
8. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, covering the whole casserole.
9. Return the baking dish back to the oven uncovered and cook for 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles.
10. Garnish with chopped basil and serve hot.