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 for a nice sharp contrast to the creamy sauce.
For another delicious creamy casserole also check out this broccoli cauliflower ground beef casserole!
Bite-sized meatballs are often served as an appetizer (like these ginger garlic meatballs) but they also make a great ingredient for casseroles. They are small enough to blend in with the remaining ingredients of the casserole but large enough to give you something to bite into. And because you can buy them pre-made and frozen, you can make a meatball casserole with minimum fuss!
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Sauce ingredients:
The sauce for this casserole is basically a delicious homemade cream of mushroom soup that has extra flavor from fresh spinach.
Remaining casserole ingredients:
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.
Step 2. Add mushrooms and cook until most of their liquid is released.
Step 3. Stir in garlic, thyme, pepper and flour.
Step 4. Stir in chicken broth and cream. Reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 5. Add spinach and stir a few times just until starting to wilt.
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.
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.
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More great comfort food recipes without tomato:
Full Printable Recipe
Meatball Casserole without Tomato Sauce
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:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
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.
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