Description
A comforting and hearty Swedish Meatball Pasta Bake combining tender homemade meatballs, creamy beef and cream sauce, al dente pasta, and a cheesy golden crust. This baked casserole melds rich flavors of Scandinavian-style meatballs with the ease of a pasta bake, perfect for family dinners or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta and Topping
- 8 ounces pasta (penne or rigatoni)
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the pasta dish.
- Mix Meats: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and ground pork evenly.
- Add Meatball Ingredients: Add breadcrumbs, milk, egg, finely chopped onion, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried parsley to the meat mixture.
- Combine Mixture: Thoroughly mix all ingredients together with your hands or a spoon until fully combined.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into approximately 1-inch diameter meatballs and place them on a plate.
- Heat Oil: Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat to prepare for browning the meatballs.
- Brown Meatballs: Add meatballs in batches to avoid overcrowding; cook 4-5 minutes turning occasionally until evenly browned on all sides.
- Remove Meatballs: Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.
- Melt Butter: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat to start making the sauce.
- Make Roux: Add flour to melted butter and whisk constantly until smooth pasty mixture forms.
- Cook Roux: Stir the flour mixture continuously for 1-2 minutes until it turns light golden.
- Add Broth: Gradually pour in beef broth while whisking to prevent lumps and create a smooth sauce base.
- Add Cream: Stir in heavy cream and cook for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens smoothly.
- Season Sauce: Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed for balanced flavor.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water per package instructions until al dente; then drain.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Return drained pasta to pot; pour the sauce over and stir well to coat all pasta.
- Add Meatballs: Gently mix the browned meatballs into the sauced pasta so they are evenly coated.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Move the pasta and meatball mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish for assembly.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pasta.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden.
- Cool Slightly: Remove dish from oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes to set for serving.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the top for a fresh finish and serve warm.
Notes
- For best texture, avoid overcrowding the skillet when browning meatballs to ensure even cooking and browning.
- You can substitute penne or rigatoni with other sturdy pasta shapes like ziti or rotini.
- Make sure to cook pasta just until al dente since it will continue softening during baking.
- If preferred, use low-fat or half-and-half cream to reduce richness slightly.
- Leftovers reheat well covered in the oven or microwave for easy meal prep.
- Adding a pinch of nutmeg to the sauce can enhance Swedish meatball flavors.
