Meatball and Sausage Casserole Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Gillian

When making the balls, I found them very moist so: Instead of adding broth, I added about 1 tsp chicken powder out of a bouillon envelope. Also added some panko to the fresh crumbs. When done, was right consistency. Leave out rosemary next time and go easy on the nutmeg. A good do-ahead or gift.

Sacha

This is the best. I make it in the instant pot! Sauté the onions, garlic, green pepper. Add crushed tomatoes, wine, rosemary, bay leaf. Drop the meatballs in, cut up the sausage and add. High pressure for five minutes, let it sit for ten then release. I serve with some pasta. It’s tasty! Big hit with my fam.

Jim

Came up short on crushed tomatoes so we used one 14.8 oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and one 14.8 oz can of tomato sauce. The rosemary was a pleasant change from the usual oregano and thyme. Instead of pasta we brushed thick slices of homemade sourdough bread with olive oil and grated garlic and broiled it until crispy around the edges. Great dinner for a cold night!

Lynn in New Jersey

This was great! I used beef for the meatballs and Trader Joe's sweet Italian chicken sausage (only 12 ounces). Sliced the sausage instead of cooking it whole. I served it on pasta. Delicious!

marmelade

When I went to the store for ingredients for this dish I was cooking for 8. By the home I got home it was 15. I made the meatballs smaller and sliced the sausage. Added extra tomatoes and a lot of penne. Delicious. Definite crowd pleaser.

Petra

Liked it a lot! I used ground turkey in the meatballs and left out the stock to give the meatballs more stability (turkey tends to be pretty moist anyway). Used 28oz can crushed tomatoes. As others suggested, cut up the sausage before cooking. Hearty and delicious.

lapheeluv

I doubled the recipe, and it worked out great. I browned the meatballs in two rounds. The first batch of meatballs were rather charred because I had the heat too high, and they ended up looking like falafel. Those meatballs turned out fine though because the long simmer time ensured that they ended up being moist. I chose both a red and green bell pepper, and put portobello mushrooms in. Based on another's suggestion, I used loose sausage. This recipe is forgiving and crowd-pleasing.

Arlene

Red wine is ok. Take sausage out of casing

Joe S.

Added an extra bell pepper, extra mushrooms, extra onion, extra garlic, extra meatballs, then it was perfect!

Sam

Fast & easy to throw together. Used frozen meatballs to cut down on prep time. Popped the meatballs in the oven while cooking everything else. My package of sausage came with 5 so used em all. My can of crushed tomato had more than 2 cups, I will use the full can next time and double the veggies (they were lacking). Also added a sprig of thyme to simmer with bay leaf in sauce. Served with rice and it was perfect. Fantastic as leftovers the next day.

Jude

Not bad, but pretty basic and a bit bland, both the meatballs (beef & pork) and the sauce. I doubled the garlic for the meatballs but it still wasn't enough. I would also add some Worcestershire for umami next time. The rosemary added a nice flavor to the sauce, different from the usual oregano. Again, I'd add Worcestershire and maybe 3-4 crushed canned anchovies to add depth to the flavor. Like in another cooking note, I took the pork out of the casing.

Mary

I made this last night served over Arborio rice. Was delicious. The meatballs do fall apart (as noted). We didn’t care because it worked with the rice.

Penny B

Absolutely delicious! Made as written except no chicken broth as I did not have any. Used hamburger meat and hot sausage. The only change I would make is cutting the sausage in half or quarters for easier eating. I also might do meatballs in oven as they tended to stick in pan and some broke apart.

heather

This is the best. I make it in the instant pot! Sauté the onions, garlic, green pepper. Add crushed tomatoes, wine, rosemary, bay leaf. Drop the meatballs in, cut up the sausage and add. High pressure for five minutes, let it sit for ten then release. I serve with some pasta. It’s tasty! Big hit with my fam.

Clara!

This was easy to make and delicious! The changes all sound interesting, but the basic recipe was great. I served it with garlic bread.

Schnu

I cooked this exactly as perrecipe except for tomatoes. I didn’t have crushed so i drained and hand crushed some San Marzanos. The meatballs were great-that bit of cumin and nutmeg added a lot of flavor. I didnt feel like the sausage brought anything to the party but that could have been my sausage. Now what I would do differently next time-I’d carry over the cumin into the tomato sauce and add some beans, either great northern or chickpeas; maybe a handful of kale.

laurikay

Wow!!! This has gone from a one-time experiment to a family staple. The veal meatballs are amazing, but substitute Costco frozen Italian meatballs and this is a doable weeknight dinner. We use 28oz of San Marzanos whole tomatoes, hand crushed, and serve with crusty bread. My family compliments this meal every time I make it.

MSWIS

Pierre Franey always comes through. This is so good. Works with pasta or polenta.

sheila

Great recipe. Lots of flavor as written. Major crowd pleaser. Made a few changes mainly to fill more tummies. Doubled the tomatoes and added broth to give it more liquid as I left it to simmer for an hour. Lots of time for flavors to come through. Would make again but only when expect to spend a couple hours in the kitchen. One change would be to cook onions and peppers longer than called for. I had mine sautéing for a good 10-15 minutes to soften and caramelize.

judy

I have to disagree. It was boring. I did use shiitakes for the mushrooms and even fancy shrooms and homemade bread couldn’t save this dish.

Doris Mare

Made it in a wide deep enamel pot, it gave more room to move things around.Recipe was perfect.

Mintie

Use quality fresh sausage. Serve over pasta or egg noodles. Play around with herbs and other flavorings.

Chris Minneapolis

I followed the recipe just as it is and it came out great. Meatballs should be moist and just gathered together with little pressure.

Jill

This is an excellent meatball recipe. I add them to my homemade tomato soup. One of these days I'll make the whole recipe.

Sam

Fast & easy to throw together. Used frozen meatballs to cut down on prep time. Popped the meatballs in the oven while cooking everything else. My package of sausage came with 5 so used em all. My can of crushed tomato had more than 2 cups, I will use the full can next time and double the veggies (they were lacking). Also added a sprig of thyme to simmer with bay leaf in sauce. Served with rice and it was perfect. Fantastic as leftovers the next day.

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Meatball and Sausage Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you chill meatballs before baking? ›

Chill your meatballs: refrigerating your meatballs an hour before cooking helps them hold their shape throughout the cooking process. They can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking, making meatballs a great make-ahead dish, too.

Why do you put egg and breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

Making them with just meat and seasoning alone can result in the meatball becoming dry or falling apart during cooking. For this reason, many recipes will include a binding ingredient like egg, and a filler like breadcrumbs.

Why do you put baking soda in meatballs? ›

Baking soda acts as a meat tenderizer by changing the physical composition of meat fibers. It raises the pH levels on the surface and makes it tougher (pun intended) for the proteins in the meat to bond.

Can you substitute heavy cream for milk in meatballs? ›

If you only have high-fat options, such as sour cream, heavy cream, and buttermilk, you can use one of these ingredients as an effective milk alternative. However, you may need to add a bit of water or broth to thin out the consistency of any thicker substitutes before making an effective panade.

Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, these meatballs should be fully cooked through and evenly browned in about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball should read at least 165 degrees F.

Why do my meatballs fall apart when I cook them? ›

Because meat shrinks when cooked, mince proteins are likely to separate and crumble unless bound together. Whether it's breadcrumbs or egg (or both), or simply salt, binding the mince is a crucial step in maintaining the softness of your meatballs while preventing them from falling apart.

What does adding milk to meatballs do? ›

When it comes to adding liquid to meatball mixtures, milk is often used for its versatility, depth of flavor, and richness. Without the use of milk, you may be faced with a plate of dry meatballs. Milk adds a certain level of moisture that helps produce perfectly tender meatballs.

What happens if you put too much breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

Too many breadcrumbs can ruin the texture of your meatball though, turning it into something more like stuffing rather than a mini-meatloaf. It can also make the finished mixture loose, and it'll fall apart when cooking. Too few breadcrumbs, on the other hand, won't give you the desired filler effect.

Is it better to boil or bake meatballs? ›

Texture-wise, you will lose the crunchy exterior, but boiled meatballs remain juicy and are much more delicate and subtle, perfect for a hearty and nourishing winter meal.

What is the secret ingredient to tenderize meat? ›

Less than a teaspoon of baking soda ensures that your steak remains juicy and tender—even after a speedy marinade. While other recipes demand hours of marinating, this baking soda hack makes a flank steak or any other fibrous cut of beef ready to sear after just an hour.

Why do people boil meatballs? ›

You'll end up with a juicier meatball, as it is cooked in liquid. It'll be rounder and more plump because it was cooked in a liquid. You'll be 100% sure that it was cooked thoroughly without being burned.

What does Bobby Flay put in his meatballs? ›

Ingredients
  1. Deselect All.
  2. 2 tablespoons, plus 1 cup pure olive oil.
  3. 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
  4. 2 large eggs.
  5. 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley.
  6. 1/3 pound ground chuck.
  7. 1/2 pound ground veal.
  8. 1/2 pound ground pork butt.

Is it better to use milk or water in meatballs? ›

Milk, definitely. Water doesn't add flavor or fat, so it detracts from the finished meatballs. If I don't have milk, or I'm making them for people who don't eat milk with meat (a significant portion of my family keeps kosher) I use beef or chicken stock. It adds moisture and flavor, which is what you want.

What happens if I use milk instead of heavy cream? ›

You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe. This substitute is especially useful in cooking, but it may alter the texture of baked goods and will not whip as well as heavy cream.

What is the secret to making tender meatballs? ›

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

Should meatballs be room temperature before cooking? ›

How to Cook Meatballs: Remove the meatballs from the packet and allow them to get to room temperature before cooking. Place a pan over medium heat. Put a knob of butter or two tablespoons of oil in the pan and wait about 1 minute until the butter has melted or the oil smokes slightly.

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
  1. Not seasoning the meat.
  2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
  3. Over-mixing the meat.
  4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
  5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
May 1, 2019

How do I make sure my meatballs don't fall apart? ›

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

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