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–+ servings
baked cheesy meatball casserole hot from the oven with spoon lifting a meatball

Meatball Casserole (Lasagna without the Noodles)

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • immersion blender or food processor

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs

  • 1 pound lean ground beef or venison
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Tomato Sauce

  • olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 pound tomatoes, fresh or canned – peeled and chopped with their juices
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Ricotta Mixture

  • 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

For the Meatballs

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the meatball ingredients and then roll into about 15 meatballs.
  • Bake the meatballs in a shallow pan or on a baking sheet at 350 for about 30 minutes. When the meatballs are done, remove them from the oven and set aside.

For the Tomato Sauce

  • To make the sauce, add the olive oil to a Dutch oven and sauté’ onions over low to medium heat until translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for about 2 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes with the juices, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
  • Puree the tomato mixture with an immersion blender or food processor. Adjust for seasonings.

For the Ricotta Mixture

  • To make the ricotta, in a medium bowl, add ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and mix well.

To Assemble the Meatball Casserole

  • In a casserole dish, add the meatballs in one layer with the meatballs touching one another. Add sauce over the top to cover the meatballs.
  • Dollop the ricotta mixture over the top of the sauce. Sprinkle the meatball lasagna with the remaining parmesan cheese.
  • Bake casserole at 350 for 35 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges.
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