Italian meatball casserole

Pasta casserole is always a hit in our house, and when it’s combined with meatballs, everyone is doubly happy. This special recipe for Italian meatball casserole was born out of our love of hearty dishes and the discovery of spicy salsiccia, an Italian fennel sausage that gives the dish a special touch. The mixture of the spicy pork meat in the salsiccia and ground beef makes for particularly juicy balls, and the melting cheese on top makes the whole thing an irresistible meal. Whether you want to spoil your family or impress guests – this meatball pasta casserole is always a good choice. And the best thing is: with a few little tricks, this recipe becomes even more varied and individual.

Italian meatball casserole

The five most important ingredients and their special features

An Italian meatball casserole depends on the right ingredients. Here are the five most important and what you should know about them:

Sausage: This Italian fennel sausage gives the casserole a special flavor. Make sure you buy high-quality salsiccia, you can now find it permanently at some discount stores or in the meat counter at the butcher or supermarket. You can recognize good salsiccia by its aromatic smell and slightly reddish color. If you can’t find salsiccia, you can use coarse sausage as a substitute. If you don’t like salsiccia, there are also some without fennel or a little spicier. We also love the Italian meatballs with Nduja, which is a spicier sausage meat from Italy. The pasta with Nduja is one of our absolute favorites.

Ground beef: In combination with the salsiccia, it makes for juicy meatballs. You can recognize fresh ground beef by its light red color and subtle meaty smell. It should be as lean as possible to ensure the balls have a nice consistency.

Tomatoes: The base of the sauce is chopped tomatoes from a can. If you can’t get chopped tomatoes, you can also use whole tomatoes or cherry tomatoes from a can. These can be easily mashed in the pan.

Tube noodles: Spiral pasta or mezzi rigatoni are particularly suitable here. These types of pasta absorb the sauce well and ensure the perfect consistency in the casserole. Make sure that the pasta is made of durum wheat semolina to achieve the best cooking result.

Mountain cheese: The mountain cheese is the crowning glory of the casserole. It melts wonderfully and forms a golden brown, crispy crust. You can recognize fresh mountain cheese by its strong aroma and slightly yellow color. You can also easily replace the cheese with Emmental cheese or mix it with grated Parmesan.

Preparation tips for perfect meatballs

The mixture of salsiccia and ground beef already ensures juicy meatballs. If you like it even juicier, you can add breadcrumbs or bread rolls soaked in milk. These ingredients help to retain the moisture and keep the balls fluffy. If you can’t get salsiccia, coarse bratwurst can be a good alternative. If you like it spicier, I recommend Nduja. This is a coarse, spicier sausage meat, which is also perfect for the Italian meatball casserole. It is important to mix the mixture well and form evenly sized balls so that they cook evenly. I always recommend using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon so that you always take out roughly the same amount of the minced meat.

Perfect side dishes and matching drinks

A fresh, green salad goes perfectly with this hearty casserole. A simple salad of rocket, tomatoes and parmesan shavings with a light lemon dressing brings a fresh note into play. But a simple lettuce with our sweet dressing can also be excellent, especially when the dressing mixes with the tomato sauce. To drink, we recommend an Italian red wine such as Chianti or Montepulciano. These wines perfectly complement the spicy aromas of the casserole and round off the taste experience.

Variations for every taste

This recipe can easily be adapted to suit different tastes. If you like it spicier, you can replace the salsiccia with nduja, a spicy, spreadable sausage from Calabria. The nduja brings a pleasant spiciness and additional flavor to the dish. You can also experiment with different herbs such as oregano or thyme to give the casserole a personal touch. Since we have thyme and oregano in the garden, I simply added a few stalks to the sauce while it was simmering. This way they released their flavor and I could easily fish them out afterwards.

📖 Recipe

Italian meatball casserole

Feel free to leave a review!

 

Court Casserole, Main Course

Kitchen Italian

Keywords Italian meatball casserole

Preparation time

30 Minutes

Cooking time

30 Minutes

Total time

1 Hour

🥕 Ingredients for the recipe

  • Prepare meatballs:Mix the ground beef, salsiccia mixture, tomato paste, half of the basil and garlic well.
  • Season with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Form the mixture into about 12 equal-sized balls.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the balls until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Make tomato sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the frying pan.Sauté the onions and remaining garlic until translucent.Add tomatoes and 500 ml water and bring to the boil. (This can be used to rinse out the canned tomatoes). Add the thyme and oregano sprigs and bring to the boil
  • Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Assemble the casserole:Stir the uncooked pasta into the tomato sauce.Put everything in a baking dish. Distribute the meatballs on top. Sprinkle cheese on top.
  • Bake and enjoy: Bake in a preheated oven (180°C top/bottom heat or 160°C fan oven) for about 30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and the pasta is cooked.
  • Sprinkle with the remaining basil and serve.

Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 45G | Protein: 51G | Fat: 40G | Sugar: 4G

FAQ about Italian meatball casserole with pasta

Can I use other types of pasta?

Yes, you can use any type of tubular pasta, such as penne or rigatoni. The important thing is that they can absorb the sauce well.

Can I prepare the casserole in advance and bake it later?

Yes, you can make the casserole ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before baking and bake as directed.

What can I use instead of salsiccia?

Coarse bratwurst is a good alternative. You can also experiment with other spicy sausages.

How do I reheat the casserole?

Reheat in the oven at 160°C for about 20 minutes or in the microwave in portions.

Which herbs go well with this casserole?

Fresh basil, oregano and thyme go well together. A hint of rosemary can also add an interesting touch.

Can I freeze the casserole?

Yes, the casserole freezes well. Once cooled, pour into airtight containers and freeze for up to three months.

 

Exclusively at Spicebude.de

HÖMMA LECKA – Our all-rounder

Our secret and all-purpose weapon for hearty cooking, because with HÖMMA LECKA everything is delicious! Whether it’s meatballs, sliced ​​meat, fried potatoes, potato wedges, vegetable stir-fries, sauces, mushrooms… or mixed with mayo or oil for a barbecue marinade, this will give your dishes that certain something.

JUST FOR YOU – 10% discount!

With the voucher code: ENJOY COOKING you currently receive 10% discount on your order!

ORDER NOW

The link will take you directly to Spicebude.de, where you can buy our blend.

Let it tasteLet it taste.

Theres from gernekochen.de

This post comes from: Theres

Mrs. Gernekochen is a teacher in Life 1.0 at a comprehensive school and loves her job.

On Gernekochen.de she is the boss, or rather the boss on camera. All of the photos you find here were shot by Theres (apart from a very few exceptions). But as she’s not even remotely busy enough with that, she takes care of the Pinterest page.

In addition, she is also the face in the Instagram stories and enriches our content with many delicious recipes.

Her preferences lie in Italian cuisine. But cakes and pastries of all kinds and braised dishes, such as her unbeatable goulash, are also her speciality.

Categorized in:

recipes,

Last Update: 24 September 2024