So much cheese! Here is a meatball pasta bake which is the ultimate cheat meal to dive into. This cheesy meatball pasta bake was cooked on a Saturday night and there was enough leftovers, which got me thinking, can you meal prep this pasta bake?
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Lamb Meatball Pasta Bake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking Tray
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
So much cheese! Here is a meatball pasta bake which is the ultimate cheat meal to dive into. This cheesy meatball pasta bake was cooked on a Saturday night and there was enough leftovers, which got me thinking, can you meal prep this pasta bake?
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500g Lamb Mince
- 50g Breadcrumbs
- 1 Egg
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1/2 Medium Onion (minced)
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Tomato Sauce
- 400g Passata or Chopped Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes
- 1/2 Medium Onion (minced)
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 cup Red Wine (optional)
- 1 Bay Leaf (optional)
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Pasta
- 250g Fusilli Pasta
Cheese
- 50g Cheddar Cheese
- 30g Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
To make the meatballs
- In your mixing bowl, place all your ingredients and stir to combine.
- Shape into meatballs.
- Preheat your oven to 200C / 400F, and in the meantime, on a medium-high heated frying pan or cast iron, add olive oil and fry the meatballs for 5-8 minutes
- Once browned, add the meatballs to your large baking dish (ensure it is oiled) and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
Pasta
- Cook the pasta by adding boiled water, a pinch of salt and a dash of oil to your saucepan on low-medium heat. After 15 minutes, drain the pasta once cooked and cover.
To make the sauce
- On medium-high heat, add olive oil to your saucepan, followed by the onions and garlic which you need to sauté until they’re fragrant and soft, for five minutes.
- Add the passata or chopped tomatoes, and the remainder ingredients.
- Cook for 15 minutes
Combine in baking dish
- Remove the baking tray of cooked meatballs and add the tomato sauce to the tray.
- Add the cooked pasta in between the meatballs.
- Add your layer of cheeses.
- Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on the same heat.
Notes
- For your meal prep, refrigerate up to three to four days and reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until piping hot throughout.
- For a quicker method, you can use store bought meatballs.
- For better taste, use fresh bread crumbs.
Keywords: Meatball Pasta Bake, Pasta bake with lamb meatballs