This page gathers five meatball recipes that range from a one-pan pasta bake to slow cooker dinners with rice or marinara. Each one uses a straightforward method that keeps the focus on the meatballs while building flavor in the sauce.
The recipes below show different ways to combine meatballs with pasta, cheese, tomato soup, or tomato sauce. Several rely on gentle simmering or covered cooking so the meatballs finish tender and well coated.
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- Oven Baked 4-Ingredients Sheet Pan Meatball Pasta
- Ricotta Meatballs
- Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Porcupine Meatballs
- Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Meatball Marinara Pasta
- Slow Cooker Amish Porcupine Meatballs
Oven Baked 4-Ingredients Sheet Pan Meatball Pasta
This sheet pan pasta bakes dry rotini with marinara, warm water, frozen fully cooked meatballs, and mozzarella for a simple all-in-one dinner. The pasta goes onto a foil-lined pan first, then the sauce and water are poured over it so the noodles can cook in the liquid before the cheese is added.
The method depends on covered oven cooking to steam the pasta until nearly tender, then an uncovered bake to melt and brown the mozzarella. A brief rest at the end helps the sauce thicken, and the crispy corners can be scooped up with the rest of the pan.
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Ricotta Meatballs
These ricotta meatballs start with a seasoned ricotta mixture built from garlic, dried herbs, and parsley, then fold that base into a meat mixture of ground chuck and pork. The recipe also includes sautéed onion and garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, and half and half, which help bind and flavor the meatballs before shaping.
After chilling, the meatballs are browned in batches and finished in marinara sauce on the stovetop. The final step adds the remaining herb ricotta during the last part of cooking, so the sauce and meatballs pick up an extra creamy, herbal layer before serving over pasta or with bread.
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Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Porcupine Meatballs
This slow cooker version uses ground beef and uncooked long-grain white rice to make classic porcupine meatballs with just a few ingredients. The rice is mixed directly into the beef, then the mixture is rolled into meatballs and arranged in a lightly sprayed slow cooker before the tomato soup sauce goes on top.
The sauce is made by whisking condensed tomato soup with water until smooth, then pouring it over the meatballs for even coating. Slow cooking on low or high finishes the rice until tender and translucent and leaves the meatballs cooked through, with extra sauce spooned over at serving.
Get the full Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Porcupine Meatballs recipe
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Meatball Marinara Pasta
This slow cooker pasta dish combines frozen meatballs, marinara sauce, and water, then finishes with cooked pasta and mozzarella. It works with beef, turkey, chicken, or plant-based meatballs, making the pot the center of the meal before the pasta is stirred in near the end.
The meatballs cook in the sauce base for several hours, while the pasta is boiled separately until al dente and then mixed back into the slow cooker. Mozzarella is sprinkled over the top and left covered for about 10 minutes, giving it time to melt into the saucy pasta and meatballs.
Get the full Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Meatball Marinara Pasta recipe
Slow Cooker Amish Porcupine Meatballs
These Amish-style porcupine meatballs mix ground beef, uncooked rice, onion, salt, and pepper directly in the slow cooker before being shaped and coated with tomato sauce and water. The rice stays in the meatballs as they cook, which gives the finished dish its familiar porcupine look and texture.
The recipe cooks the meatballs covered on low or high without lifting the lid, then checks that the meatballs reach 160°F and the rice is tender and puffed. Once done, the sauce can be tasted and adjusted before serving warm, keeping the preparation simple and practical.
