Ah, Baked Spaghetti with Meat Sauce—a comforting, cheesy pasta casserole that’s perfect for family dinners. 🍝🧀 Here’s a full recipe:
Baked Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Recipe
(Serves 6–8)
Ingredients
For the meat sauce:
- 1 lb ground beef (or a mix of beef and Italian sausage)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce or homemade tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the pasta & casserole:
- 12 oz spaghetti, cooked al dente
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese (optional, for extra creaminess)
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil or butter for greasing
Instructions
1. Preheat oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with olive oil or butter.
2. Make the meat sauce
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned.
- Add chopped onion and garlic, cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer 5–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook the spaghetti
- Boil spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
4. Assemble the casserole
- Mix cooked spaghetti with ½–¾ of the meat sauce.
- Spread half the spaghetti in the prepared baking dish.
- Dot with ricotta or cottage cheese (if using) and sprinkle with ½ of the mozzarella.
- Layer the remaining spaghetti and meat sauce.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Serve
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Optional: garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
Tips for the Best Baked Spaghetti
- Al dente pasta is key—it will finish cooking in the oven without becoming mushy.
- For extra flavor, brown the meat with a splash of red wine before adding tomato sauce.
- You can add sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach for a veggie boost.
- Use mozzarella and Parmesan combo for a perfect gooey and slightly nutty topping.
💡 Fun twist: Make it a “cheesy bacon baked spaghetti” by adding crumbled cooked bacon to the layers for extra richness.
If you want, I can make a 30-minute shortcut version using pre-cooked spaghetti and jarred sauce that still comes out creamy and baked-perfect.
Do you want me to do that?
