Meatball Pasta Bake Easy & Cheesy Dinner

Cheesy meatball pasta bake designed to please young and old, penne pasta in an easy tomato sauce, beefy meatballs and gruyere cheese.

A simple recipe of 3 elements, pasta, sauce & meatballs that can all be made days in advance before throwing in the oven.

Cheesy Baked Penne with Meatballs

It's hard to beat a good old-fashioned pasta bake recipe for comfort food goodness. Big bowls of cheesy, comforting pasta in a sauce and a bit of protein.

As a student, I'd make massive tuna pasta bakes and eat them for days. This beef meatball pasta bake is scaled back in size and makes two generously portioned individual meals.

The meatballs are a shift away from the meatballs that I use in my spaghetti and meatballs recipe. They use only beef and are super simple, but the addition of sundried tomatoes adds a lovely, deep flavour to them.

I usually make a double batch of meatballs when I am making this recipe, freeze them up and throw them into a variation of my meatball soup.

You could also use them to stuff my BBQ stuffed onions, too!

The sauce is a picture of simplicity. Some oil infused with garlic, beef stock, tomato passata and some herbs, add a pinch of sugar and season with salt, and you are good to go.

Finally, a cheesy topping, and into the oven... Grab a glass of what you fancy, and dinner is served.

If you are cooking for a vegetarian, be sure to check out my Gnocchi alla Sorrentina or goats cheese cannelloni recipes for more gooey pasta bake recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pasta?

Of course, but no one likes slimy, soggy pasta, so go for something with some body and structure. My choice is usually penne or rigatoni; you could also go for something like orecchiette or even fusilli

How much salt should I add to the sauce?

This will really be defined by your stock. We are reducing this by half to increase the beef flavour in our tomato sauce, but this also increases its saltiness. Have a taste and add salt as you see necessary; it is often very little or none at all.

How far can I make this in advance?

The meatballs can be made up to 3 or 4 days in advance and kept in the fridge. They can also be frozen for 3 months and defrosted the night before cooking.

The sauce can also be made 3 to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can I use a different cheese?

Yes. I love the almost sweet and nutty flavour of Gruyere cheese; it is my favourite cheese to add to polenta. I also think that it matches really well with pasta dishes.

You could use something like raclette, Comte, or even shredded mozzarella; the latter has the least flavour, but it is the cheapest.

Serving Suggestions

This easy meatball pasta bake recipe really is the epitome of a complete meal.

It is rare for me to hanker after serving it with anything, although my wife always wants to eat this with garlic bread because that's the kinda lass she is!

I do, however, like to top with either some shredded or chiffonade, to give it a fancy name, of basil.

Simply take 10-12 large basil leaves and roll them up like a cigar, then slice them into ribbons 1-2mm thick.

This also works really well with a sprinkling of peppery rocket (arugula for my American readers) or watercress.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hobs/stovetop.
• Oven or air fryer.
• A baking tray if you are cooking the meatballs in the oven.
• 25cm or 10" frying pan.
• 20cm or 8" saucepan.
• Mixing bowl.
• Chopping board.
• kitchen knife.
• Grater.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• 1 Litre (1 quart) baking dish or 2 X 500ml (2 cup) gratin dishes (optional).