It sounds like you’re describing a Meatball Parmesan Casserole — a baked dish with meatballs, tomato sauce, and melted cheese, similar to a deconstructed meatball parmigiana. Here’s a classic recipe:
🍝 Baked Meatball Casserole with Cheese
Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35–40 min
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
- ½ cup (50 g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Casserole:
- 2 cups (480 ml) marinara or tomato sauce
- 1½ cups (150 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Make the meatballs:
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Mix until just combined (don’t overmix).
- Shape into 1–1.5 inch (2.5–4 cm) meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs (optional but recommended):
- Heat a skillet with a little oil over medium heat.
- Brown meatballs on all sides for 3–4 minutes (they don’t need to be fully cooked, as they’ll finish in the oven).
- Assemble the casserole:
- Spread half the marinara sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Place meatballs in a single layer on top.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the meatballs.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake:
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Optional: broil for 2–3 minutes at the end to get the cheese extra golden and bubbly.
- Serve:
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
- Serve over pasta, rice, or with garlic bread.
🍴 Variations
- Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes to the meatball mixture or sauce.
- Cheesy extra: Layer provolone or fontina cheese along with mozzarella for richness.
- Italian sausage mix: Replace half the ground beef with sweet or spicy Italian sausage for more flavor.
If you want, I can make a quick 30-minute version where the meatballs are cooked entirely in the sauce without pre-browning — faster but still delicious. Do you want me to do that?
