Description
This Perfect Meatball & Mashed Potato Bake is a comforting casserole that combines savory meatballs, creamy mashed potatoes, rich gravy, and gooey melted cheese. Quick to assemble and packed with flavor, it’s an ideal dish for busy weeknights or cozy family dinners. The flexibility of ingredients makes it adaptable to your preferences while delivering restaurant-quality results at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb frozen or homemade meatballs (cooked)
- 4 cups mashed potatoes (fresh or leftover)
- 1 cup brown gravy (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (Swiss or provolone work too)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a medium-sized baking dish.
- Prepare Your Meatballs: Cook frozen meatballs according to package instructions or use pre-cooked homemade meatballs. Let them rest for 5 minutes before assembling.
- Create Your Base Layer: Spread the meatballs evenly across the bottom of the baking dish, leaving small gaps between each for gravy pooling.
- Add the Gravy Layer: Pour warm gravy over the meatballs, ensuring they are well coated. Use the back of a spoon to distribute evenly.
- Apply the Potato Layer: Spoon mashed potatoes on top, creating gentle peaks and valleys for browning and texture.
- Season and Add Cheese: Lightly season the potatoes with salt and pepper, then sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Rest and Serve: Allow to cool for 5-7 minutes before serving to let the layers set for neat portions.
Notes
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Meatball & Mashed Potato Bake:
- Use Leftovers: This recipe is perfect for using up leftover mashed potatoes and cooked meatballs.
- Cheese Combinations: Mix cheeses like mozzarella and cheddar for meltability and flavor depth.
- Texture Tip: Create peaks in the mashed potatoes to catch cheese and brown beautifully.
- Rest Before Serving: Let the bake rest for 5-7 minutes to allow the layers to set and serve neatly.
- Customize Easily: Swap in plant-based meatballs or dairy-free cheese for dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Comfort Food
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: meatball mashed potato bake, comfort food casserole, cheesy potato bake, easy dinner recipe