Description
Ultimate comfort food featuring tender, seasoned meatballs layered with creamy mashed potatoes and melted cheese. This hearty Meatball & Mashed Potato Bake delivers satisfying family dinner perfection with easy preparation and minimal cleanup!
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef (80/20 ratio)
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Boil cubed potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 10 minutes until soft.
4. Combine ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, eggs, Parmesan, and all seasonings.
5. Mix gently with hands until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
6. Form mixture into 24 uniform meatballs using a cookie scoop.
7. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Brown meatballs for 3-4 minutes per side until golden.
9. Drain cooked potatoes and mash with butter, warm milk, and sour cream.
10. Layer half the mashed potatoes in prepared baking dish.
11. Arrange browned meatballs over potato layer.
12. Pour marinara sauce evenly over meatballs.
13. Top with remaining mashed potatoes, spreading gently.
14. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over top layer.
15. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
16. Remove foil and bake additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
17. Check that meatballs reach internal temperature of 160°F.
18. Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow layers to set.
Notes
Don’t overmix meatball mixture to avoid tough, dense results.
Soak breadcrumbs in milk for at least 10 minutes for tender meatballs.
Can substitute ground turkey (85/15) for lighter version.
Make-ahead friendly – assemble and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking.
Leftovers improve in flavor after 24 hours as ingredients meld together.
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months for easy meals.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 645
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
Keywords: meatball casserole, mashed potato bake, comfort food, ground beef recipe, family dinner