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A close-up of a serving of baked spaghetti recipe topped with melted cheese and garnished with chopped parsley on a white plate.

baked spaghetti recipe

A cozy, cheesy baked spaghetti recipe made with layers of tender pasta, savory meat sauce, and melty cheese—perfect for feeding a crowd or transforming leftovers into something magical.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Casserole, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

🧱 For the Base
  • 12 oz Spaghetti noodles - Cooked al dente
  • 1 lb Ground beef - Or Italian sausage
  • 1 jar Pasta sauce - About 24 oz
  • 1 Onion - Diced
  • 2 Garlic cloves - Minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper - To taste
🧀 For the Cheese Layer
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese - Shredded
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese - Grated
  • 1 cup Ricotta cheese - Or cottage cheese
  • 4 oz Cream cheese - Softened optional, for richness
🌿 Optional Add-ins
  • ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes - Optional for heat
  • 1 teaspoon Dried basil - Optional for added flavor

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch baking dish (Greased)
  • 1 Large pot (For boiling pasta)
  • 1 Large skillet (For browning meat and simmering sauce)
  • 1 Colander (For draining pasta)
  • 1 Mixing bowls (For combining cheese, etc.)
  • 1 Wooden Spoon (For stirring sauce)
  • 1 Knife (For chopping onion and garlic)

Method
 

  1. Boil spaghetti until almost tender. Drain (do not rinse). Toss with olive oil and set aside.
    Cooked spaghetti pasta in a large pot, tossed with grated parmesan cheese and a wooden spoon.
  2. In a skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic when nearly done. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Drain excess fat.
    A cast iron skillet with sautéed ground beef and chopped onions, garnished with chopped parsley.
  3. Add pasta sauce to the meat mixture. Let simmer for 5–10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
    A pan full of rotini pasta mixed with ground beef and tomato meat sauce, being stirred with a wooden spoon.
  4. In a greased 9x13 dish: Add half the pasta, half the meat sauce, dollops of ricotta or cottage cheese, and half the mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with cheese on top.
    A glass baking dish filled with layered rotini pasta, meat sauce, ricotta cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese, ready to be baked.
  5. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more until golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
    A baked spaghetti casserole fresh out of the oven, topped with melted golden cheese and garnished with herbs, inside a foil-lined baking dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 250gCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 26gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 580mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 680IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 210mgIron: 2.6mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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