Meatball Casserole with Ricotta and Parmesan Cheese

This hearty meatball casserole is like a pan of lasagna without the pasta layer. Skipping the noodles makes this recipe much lower carb than traditional lasagna, yet it’s still a fun, kid-friendly dinner. It’s also just plain delicious! 

Watch me make this recipe below.

On busy weeknights I find this to be an easy meal to prep, even with making the meatballs and sauce from scratch. These are so much better than frozen meatballs, especially with the earthy flavor of venison. For the tomato sauce, you could use a jarred spaghetti sauce if you’re in a big rush, but a slowly simmered homemade meatball sauce is amazing.

Also try my Eggplant Veggie Lasagna with Basil Pesto and Pumpkin Lasagna with Sage White Sauce.

For pork meatballs, try Pork Sausage and Cheese Balls.

How to Make a Meatball Casserole / Meatball Sauce

Altogether for the meatballs, sauce, and casserole, cook time is about an hour and a half. Equipment-wise, you will need an immersion blender or a food processor to puree the sauce. A Dutch oven is my choice for making the tomato sauce.

Ingredients for the Meatball Casserole

Meatballs

• 1 pound lean ground beef, venison or a mixture of the two
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Tomato Sauce

• olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1- pound tomatoes, fresh or canned – peeled and chopped with their juices
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Ricotta Mixture

• 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

To Make the Meatballs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, mix together all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl.

Roll the meat into 1-inch balls or slightly larger. This recipe makes about 15 meatballs.

Pop the meatballs into the 350 degree oven and cook for about 30 minutes. Set the cooked meatballs aside while you make the sauce. Leave the oven on 350 for baking the casserole.

To Make the Tomato Sauce

First, dice the onion and garlic. Then sauté onions in olive oil in a Dutch oven. Cook over low to medium heat until translucent, about 6 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or so.

Next, add the peeled, chopped tomatoes with their juices to the Dutch oven. Add salt and pepper and mix together. Simmer the tomato sauce for about 30 minutes. 

Puree the tomato mixture with an immersion blender or food processor. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

To Make the “Lasagna” Ricotta Mixture

This step is a simple, no-cook one. Just add the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl and mix well.

To Assemble and Bake the Meatball Casserole

Add one layer of meatballs to your casserole dish with the meatballs touching one another.

Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs to cover them. 

Dollop the creamy ricotta mixture over the top of the sauce and sprinkle on the remaining parmesan cheese. 

Bake your meatball casserole at 350 for 35 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. 

You can sprinkle the meatball casserole with mozzarella cheese and freshly chopped parsley or basil if desired.

How to Store Leftover Casserole

You can either wrap foil tightly over the casserole dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. The meatball casserole will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Click for all my Venison Recipes, grouped by cut of meat.