Description
Classic Meatball Casserole offers an irresistible blend of juicy meatballs, fresh vegetables, and rich tomato sauce, making it an ideal choice for a cozy family dinner or any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ lbs lean ground beef
- 1½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp dried minced onion
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (or panko crumbs or gluten-free alternatives)
- 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (or 1½ tbsp cornstarch for gluten-free)
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp dried basil leaves (or Italian seasoning)
- 1½ lbs baby potatoes, halved
- 1 cup carrots, chopped into 3-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped into large chunks
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a large casserole dish.
- Mix ground beef, salt, pepper, egg, minced onion, and breadcrumbs in a bowl; form into 1-1½ inch meatballs.
- Brown meatballs in a skillet with oil, cooking in batches for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Sauté onions, carrots, and celery in the same skillet for about 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add flour to sautéed vegetables and stir, then mix in diced tomatoes, water, salt, sugar, and basil; simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Layer halved potatoes in the casserole dish, top with vegetable mixture, and arrange meatballs evenly on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbling.
Notes
Do not overwork the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender.
Allow meatballs to rest after browning to retain juiciness.
Casserole can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 80mg