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What You'll Need :
To make this recipe, you'll need the ingredients for the meatballs, potatoes, and gravy. Each dish is simple, using mostly pantry staples and refrigerator basics. Here's the full list:
From top: ground beef, ground pork, onion, bread crumbs, salt, eggs, garlic, parsley, parmesan, pepper.
For the meatballs
Ground beef and ground pork: A combination of lean ground beef and ground pork makes a hearty, flavorful meatball.
Breadcrumbs: Use fine, fresh breadcrumbs. This recipe is not ideal for using panko.
Onion: Dice or finely chop the onion for a more subtle flavor.
Eggs: Large, whole eggs bind the mixture together.
Salt and pepper
Garlic: Mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press.
Parsley: You can use freshly chopped parsley or parsley flakes.
Parmesan: Fresh or from a jar is fine.
From the top: Mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, salt, garlic, parsley, pepper, eggs.
For the loaded mashed potatoes:
Mashed potatoes: I use store-bought mashed potatoes, or you can make your own. I recommend my garlic mashed potatoes for this recipe if you have the time to make them from scratch!
Parsley: Again, you can use fresh or dried—whichever is best for you.
Bacon: Cooked, chopped bacon adds a ton of flavor to these potatoes.
Garlic: Finely mince or press the garlic, or just use garlic powder.
Eggs: Eggs are optional, but they add extra richness.
Cheddar: A bit of shredded cheddar gives these varieties that classic “loaded” flavor.
Salt and pepper
For the sauce
Olive oil: For sautéing.
Onion: Diced or finely chopped.
Garlic: chopped.
Tomato Sauce: Plain tomato sauce in a can or box is the base for this flavorful sauce. You can also use crushed tomatoes.
Basil: I love fresh basil in this sauce, but dried works too.
Salt, pepper, and sugar: To balance out the sauce.
Thyme and oregano: You can also use an Italian seasoning blend.
For the topping
Mozzarella: Mozzarella slices are better than shreds because they stay on the meatballs. However, you can use shredded mozzarella if you want.
Baked Stuffed Mashed Potato Casserole with Meatballs, Gravy, and Cheese.
How to make it:
A stuffed mashed potato meatball casserole has three basic components: the mashed potatoes, the meatballs, and the gravy. Making each one is very easy! Here's how.
Raw meatballs in a baking dish.
Make the meatballs
First things first - preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a baking sheet or cake pan with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper to keep the meatballs from sticking.
Mix and form the meatballs. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Gently mix until well combined, but don't overmix or pack the mixture together. Then, using a large ice cream scoop, divide the meat into 12 even portions and gently roll the portions into meatballs.
Bake. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for about half an hour, until the meatballs are cooked through. Then remove from the oven and set aside.
Scoops of loaded mashed potatoes in a baking dish.
Pile mounds of mashed potatoes in a baking dish using a biscuit scoop pressing into the potatoes to make a well.
Make the stuffed mashed potatoes:
Combine the ingredients for the potatoes. While the meatballs are baking, spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. Then combine all the ingredients for the mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl and stir well.
Form the potato scoops. Using a large ice cream scoop, measure the potatoes into large balls and line them up in four rows of three in your baking dish.
Top the potato scoops with the meatballs. Make a well in the center of each scoop for a meatball to sit in. I like to use a large biscuit scoop to form the wells. Place a baked meatball on top of each potato scoop.
Marinara sauce in a saucepan.
Bring the marinara sauce
to a boil. Place a large pot over medium heat and add a swirl of olive oil. Cook the onions in the hot oil until softened, about five minutes, then add the garlic. Cook the garlic for another 60 seconds to release the fragrance.
Add the tomato sauce and spices. Next, pour in the tomato sauce and stir in the basil. Cook for ten minutes, then add salt, sugar, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Cook for another 5 minutes to let the flavors blend.
Place the meatballs on top and bake. Top each patty with sauce, then with a slice of mozzarella. Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes.
Grill. Finally, turn the broiler on to 500°F. Slide the casserole onto the top rack and broil until the cheese is lightly browned. This should only take a couple of minutes, so keep a close eye on it to avoid burning. Note that when using the grilled chicken, it is safer to use metal pans rather than glass or ceramic, as they may break under the high heat.
Enjoy!
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