You don’t have to thaw the meatballs first for this simple 3-ingredient baked meatballs recipe!
They are covered with marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella, making them an easy and delicious lunch for the whole family.
If you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed on a busy weeknight, waiting for meatballs to thaw is one of the most unpleasant things. I’ve left off that step in this easy recipe for baked meatballs. It’s a dump-and-bake supper, which is great for busy moms who need to get things done. No trouble understanding out how to cook frozen meatballs here.
It’s comfort food that doesn’t break the bank. These cheesy baked meatballs are great because they’re easy to make and you can serve them in a lot of different ways. You can have it with spaghetti, over mashed potatoes, or any other way you like. It makes a lot of food, so it’s easy to feed a lot of people, even picky eaters. I mean, who can say no to all that gooey cheese?
How to cook meatballs in the oven
This is a summary with pictures that show each stage. The recipe card below has all the ingredients and instructions.
- Set the oven to 375F. Put the frozen meatballs in a single layer in a greased 9×13 baking dish. After 20 minutes, take it out of the oven.
- Add the jar of marinara and mix it with the meatballs. Spread the meatballs out evenly, and then add the shredded cheese on top. Put it back in the oven and cook it until it’s hot and bubbling!
Ingredients
- 1 jar (24 ounces) of your preferred brand of marinara sauce
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella
- 24 ounces of frozen cooked meatballs
Notes on ingredients
Meatballs: We’re using frozen prepared meatballs to make things easier. Choose the kind you like best. It would taste good in the Italian way.
I bought a jar of Mezzetta marinara sauce, but you can use any brand you like. Since it’s a main character, make sure you like the taste!
Mozzarella is an excellent cheese for melting and goes great with marinara.
Step-by-step Instructions
- Move the rack to the center position and turn the oven to 375F.
- Put a layer of frozen meatballs in a 9×13 casserole dish that has been greased (I use Pam cooking spray). If you are using cooked meatballs that have been thawed, go to step 4.
- After 20 minutes, take the casserole dish out of the oven and let the meatballs cool.
- Add the marinara sauce to the meatballs and mix or toss until everything is mixed in. Spread the cheese out evenly, then sprinkle it on top.
- Put the meatballs back in the oven for 15 to 20 more minutes, or until they are hot and bubbling. The middle of the meatballs should be 160F. Optional: broil the cheese for a few minutes to brown it.
Additional tips
I like to use Mezzetta, Rao’s, and DeLallo marinara, but if you have more time, you may make your own.
You may purchase 1″ pre-cooked frozen meatballs at the shop that you can use for this recipe. You can use bigger meatballs, but they will need to cook longer, or you can defrost them first.
The middle of the meatballs should be 160F when they are done cooking. An affordable instant-read thermometer can help you keep an eye on when they’re the appropriate temperature.
This recipe calls for 1″ frozen cooked meatballs. You might need to cook them longer if your frozen meatballs are considerably bigger. If you’re not sure, just follow the oven recommendations on the packet of meatballs for step 3 and then proceed with the recipe as usual. If you want, you can use prepared handmade meatballs, but make sure they are 160F in the middle before serving.
The serving size is based on a 24 oz. bag of frozen meatballs, which means that each person will get roughly 5–6 meatballs (about 45 1-inch meatballs in total). You can use as many meatballs as you want with this recipe. It’s really adaptable. If you’re making this with less meatballs, you could easily use less sauce and cheese and bake it in an 8×8 instead of a 9×13.
You don’t have to, but you can broil this to brown the cheese. Just pay close attention to it.
It’s easy to switch out the mozzarella with any cheese that melts easily, like cheddar or a Tex-Mex combination.
If you don’t like marinara, you can use another canned tomato-based spaghetti sauce instead.
Serving Suggestions and Storage
I always like to eat them as they are with a big piece of my Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread and a salad on the side. I think mixed greens go well with my Homemade Olive Garden Salad Dressing. In my house, this combination works every time.
Or put it on top of pasta. A twist on spaghetti and meatballs is always a good idea.
Rice or Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes are also terrific choices. With a very easy veggie dish like my Easy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, it’s a great midweek dinner.
Storage
If you put the meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge, they will last for three to four days.
Slowly cook in a covered pot or microwave over low heat. If you want to reheat the whole casserole dish, put it in the oven at 350F until the meatballs are 160F inside.
Because of the dairy, I don’t think you should freeze leftovers.