Ah, Baked Spaghetti with Meat Sauce—a comforting, cheesy, oven-baked pasta dish that’s a favorite for family dinners. 🍝🧀
Here’s a complete 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, chopped
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce (or homemade tomato sauce)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the 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)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Make the meat sauce
- In a skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned.
- Add onion and garlic, cook until softened.
- Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer 5–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook the spaghetti
- Boil spaghetti until al dente, drain, and set aside.
4. Assemble the casserole
- Mix half of the meat sauce with the cooked spaghetti.
- Spread half of the spaghetti mixture in the baking dish.
- Dot with ricotta or cottage cheese if using, and sprinkle with ½ of the mozzarella.
- Layer the remaining spaghetti and meat sauce on top.
- Sprinkle 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 cutting.
- Optional: garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
Tips for the Best Baked Spaghetti
- Use al dente pasta; it will finish cooking in the oven without getting mushy.
- Add sautéed vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms for extra flavor.
- For a richer taste, brown the meat with a splash of red wine before adding tomato sauce.
💡 Fun twist: Sprinkle crispy bacon bits or bread crumbs on top before baking for added crunch.
If you want, I can make a quick 30-minute shortcut version using pre-cooked pasta and jarred sauce that’s still creamy and baked-perfect.
Do you want me to do that?
