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?
Lamb Meatball Pasta Bake
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
- 500 g lamb mince
- 50 g Breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic cloves
- 1/2 onion minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tomato Sauce
- 400 g passata
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/2 onion minced
- 1 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup red wine optional
- 1 bay leaf optional
- salt and black pepper
Pasta
- 250 g fusilli pasta
Cheese
- 50 g cheddar cheese
- 30 g 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.
Data source: USDA
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