All recipes

Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole

Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole layers tender rotini with hearty marinara-coated meatballs, mellowed by a splash of milk and finished with a savory Parmesan crust. It’s cozy, kid-friendly comfort food with rich tomato flavors and a cheesy finish. Serve it for a relaxed weeknight dinner or a casual weekend gathering when you want something warm and satisfying.

  • Prep10 mins
  • Cook45 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyEasy
Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

52 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
52 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityFair
45 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
45 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

57
Heart Health
56
Metabolic
59
Digestive
45
Inflammatory
37
Performance
47
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

  2. 2

    Mix the rotini, marinara sauce, water, pizza sauce, and milk in a bowl. Pour the mixture into a deep baking dish, ensuring the pasta is fully submerged in the sauce. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

  3. 3

    Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes; uncover and place the meatballs on top, pressing them partially into the pasta and sauce; cover tightly with foil again.

  4. 4

    Continue baking until the pasta is tender yet slightly firm, 20 to 30 minutes more.

  5. 5

    Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

About This Recipe

Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole is made with 7 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 55 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Grated Parmesan Cheese, Marinara Sauce, Meatballs, and Milk. Each serving provides about 2212.39 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole made of?
The main ingredients are Grated Parmesan Cheese, Marinara Sauce, Meatballs, Milk, Pizza Sauce. The full list of 7 is above.
How long does it take to make Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole?
About 55 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 2212.39 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 7 ingredients and 5 steps.
Is Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole healthy?
Baked Meatball Pasta Casserole has an easyChef Pro health score of 52/100. Per serving, it provides 2212.39 calories and 79.91 g of protein, or 160% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron and potassium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 947.13 mg (41% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 2.42 g (12% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 2.51 g (5% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten and Tomatoes, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

Score a recipe free, no app required

Learn More