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Home » Recipes » Main Courses

Meatball Casserole without Tomato Sauce

Published: Jan 20, 2023 · Modified: Jan 28, 2023 by Nicole B.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
55 minutes

This meatball casserole is made with homestyle meatballs that are baked with egg noodles in a delicious creamy and garlicky mushroom and spinach sauce. The casserole is topped with white cheddar cheese which adds a nice sharp contrast to the creamy sauce.

For another delicious creamy casserole also check out this broccoli cauliflower ground beef casserole!

Meatball casserole with garlic bread and salad on a table.
Jump to:
  • Sauce ingredients:
  • Remaining casserole ingredients:
  • Ingredient notes:
  • How to make the sauce:
  • How to make the casserole:
  • Recipe notes & tips:
  • How to serve it:
  • How to store leftovers:
  • More great comfort food recipes without tomato:
  • Full Printable Recipe

Sauce ingredients:

The sauce for this casserole is basically a delicious homemade cream of mushroom soup that has extra flavor from fresh spinach.

Mushroom sauce ingredients on a table.
You need mushrooms, spinach, heavy cream, chicken broth, onion, garlic, pepper, dried thyme, all-purpose flour and olive oil to make the sauce.

Remaining casserole ingredients:

Meatball casserole ingredients on a table.
In addition to the sauce ingredients, you need medium egg noodles, cheddar cheese and frozen homestyle meatballs. Fresh thyme is optional as garnish.

Ingredient notes:

  • You can use cremini mushrooms or white button mushrooms for this recipe. (You need 6 ounces of mushrooms for this recipe. If you have more than that on hand, use them in this no-tomato chicken and chorizo pasta dish!)
  • You’ll need bite-sized (½-ounce each) frozen homestyle meatballs for this recipe.

How to make the sauce:

See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!

Step 1. Saute minced onion until starting to soften.

Sauteed onion in a nonstick pan.

Step 2. Add mushrooms and cook until most of their liquid is released.

Sauteed onion and mushrooms in a pan.

Step 3. Stir in garlic, thyme, pepper and flour.

Sauteed vegetables, spices and flour in a pan.

Step 4. Stir in chicken broth and cream. Reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Mushroom cream sauce in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Step 5. Add spinach and stir a few times just until starting to wilt.

Mushroom spinach cream sauce being stirred in a pan.

How to make the casserole:

See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!

Step 1. Cook the noodles.

Step 2. Heat the meatballs.

Step 3. Mix noodles, meatballs and sauce together, then transfer into an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish.

Step 4. Top with cheese and bake until the cheese is fully melted.

Meatball casserole preparation in four steps.

Recipe notes & tips:

  • You can make the sauce up to a day ahead and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Briefly heat it up in the microwave or on the stovetop when you’re ready to make the casserole.
  • This recipe makes 4 portions in an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish. If you want to double the recipe, use a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish instead and double all ingredients.

How to serve it:

Serve the casserole hot either by itself of with a side dish, such as garlic bread and/or a green salad.

How to store leftovers:

Store leftovers either in the casserole dish covered with plastic wrap or in any other airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Thank you!

More great comfort food recipes without tomato:

  • Gnocchi Beef Stroganoff Spiced with Cinnamon and Clove
  • Fancy Grilled Cheese with Bourbon Caramelized Shallots
  • Broccoli Sausage Soup (with Italian Sausage)
  • Ground Beef Pasta Sauce (no tomato)

Full Printable Recipe

Meatball casserole with garlic bread and salad on a table.

Meatball Casserole without Tomato Sauce

The Spice Train
This mushroom spinach meatball casserole is easy to make and full of creamy and delicious flavors.
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Course Main
Cuisine World
Servings 4
Calories (estimated) 749 kcal

Equipment:

  • measuring cups and spoons
  • 1 large pot with lid (to cook the noodles)
  • 1 colander
  • 1 knife and cutting board
  • 1 garlic press (optional)
  • 1 skillet (to make the sauce)
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 microwave safe dish (to heat the meatballs on)
  • 1 baking dish (8 inch by 8 inch by 2 ¼ inch)
  • cheese grater

Ingredients:
  

  • 3 cups medium-width egg noodles (uncooked)
  • 1 tablespoon mild olive oil
  • ¼ cup minced yellow or white onion (you need about ⅓ of a small onion for that)
  • 6 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, stems removed, caps quartered
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups spinach leaves
  • 16 fully cooked frozen homestyle meatballs (½ ounce each)
  • 2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
  • fresh thyme leaves as garnish (optional)

Instructions:
 

  • Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Cook noodles according to package instructions. While the noodles are cooking, make the sauce.*
  • Heat the oil in a pan until shimmering.
  • Add onion and cook until starting to soften (about 2 minutes).
  • Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of their liquid is released (about 5 minutes).
  • Stir in garlic, thyme and pepper, then stir in the flour.
  • Pour in broth and cream. Bring to full boil and cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (12-15 minutes). Turn the heat off, add the raw spinach and stir a few times just until starting to wilt. Set aside.
  • Heat frozen meatballs in the microwave according to package instructions.
  • Stir cooked noodles, meatballs and sauce together. Transfer to a baking dish and top evenly with cheese.
  • Bake until the cheese is fully melted (10 to 15 min.). Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves (optional). Serve hot with garlic bread and green salad.

Notes:

*You can make the sauce up to a day ahead and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Briefly heat it up in the microwave or on the stovetop when you’re ready to make the casserole.
To make 8 portions: Use a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish and double all ingredients.

Nutrition Information (Estimated):

Calories: 749kcalCarbohydrates: 44.5gProtein: 39.9gFat: 48.7gSaturated Fat: 24.5gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 1165mgPotassium: 469mgFiber: 3.6gSugar: 3.3gCalcium: 469mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.

Keywords: meatball casserole, meatball casserole without tomato sauce

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