This baked spaghetti casserole is coated in a rich, meaty sauce, dollops of creamy ricotta cheese and lots of melted mozzarella. A comforting, nostalgic meal that’s guaranteed to be family-friendly!
Make it a meal with Cheater Garlic Bread and an easy Lemon Parmesan Salad.
I’m kicking it old school today. I speak classic, blast from the past, down to earth, baked spaghetti casserole. There’s nothing fancy about this recipe, but it’s one of the most family-friendly and popular dishes out there.
I think I was about 13 when I first tried spaghetti casserole and it was just as delicious then as it is now. I’ve made some small but important changes to my recipe over the years that set it apart from other popular versions I’ve seen. I think they do it damn amazing too.
Save this to your recipe list to bake and take to a school event, sports banquet, or potluck. I can be pretty sure you’ll be asked for the recipe and possibly hugged and kissed a few times.
Notes on ingredients
- pasta – I always break mine spaghetti noodles Halve, making it easier to serve when baking in a casserole dish.
- Meat – 90% to 92% lean ground beef.
- Yellow onion and chopped garlic
- Spice – Italian spice, SaltAnd freshly ground black pepper.
- sauce – The sauce consists of a glass of your favorite brand Marinara sauce (my favorite right now is Raos Marinara) and a can of undrained diced tomatoes.
- Fresh herbs – Something fresh Italian parsley goes a long way to lightening the sauce.
- egg – A light whipping gives the pasta body and a bit of substance.
- Cheese – Partially skimmed ricotta cheeseshredded semi-skimmed mozzarella cheeseand finely shredded parmesan cheese.
- olive oil
Baked spaghetti variations
- Meat – Add aroma with soil italian sausage or lighten with ground turkey.
- Vegetables – I love to add diced paprika with the onions for a great flavor. Mushrooms are also a great addition!
- Herbs – Dried herbs pack a big flavor punch, but if I happen to have fresh basil On the other hand, I like to throw something in the sauce or use it as a garnish.
How to make a baked spaghetti casserole
This is a quick overview of how to prepare this recipe. You can find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Prepare pasta meat sauce
Start by cooking the spaghetti noodles in salted water about 1 to 2 minutes ahead of package directions.
- While the noodles are cooking, sauté the ground beef with the onion in a large skillet, breaking up with a spoon. Drain the fat and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Boil and stir for a minute or two.
- Add the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes and parsley.
- Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Drain the cooked spaghetti well and return to the warm, empty pot (from the stove). Add the olive oil and toss to coat until well coated. Add the lightly beaten egg and Parmesan cheese and toss again.
Assemble the casserole
- Coat a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread half of the spaghetti mixture over the dish.
- Cover with half of the meat sauce (make sure to save enough sauce for the last layer).
- Scatter small dollops of ricotta (using the entire amount) on top to evenly coat the casserole.
- Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella.
Bake the casserole
- Repeat the layers with the remaining spaghetti, meat sauce, mozzarella and finish with the remaining parmesan.
- Cover the mold with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
pro tip
To ensure your cheesy casseroles stay cheesy, coat the underside of the foil with nonstick cooking spray before covering the bowl. This will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil when you remove it.
Storage and reheating tips
Spaghetti casserole stores and warms up exceptionally well. It’s one of those pasta dishes that might taste even better the next day.
- Save on computer – Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- warm up – Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat. If necessary, add a splash of water to loosen.
make-ahead instructions
- Refrigerate – The unbaked casserole can be covered with foil and refrigerated for up to two days before baking. You will need to add about 15 minutes to the baking time if it goes into the oven chilled.
- Freeze – Assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe casserole dish (disposable foil pans are a good choice). Cover the unbaked casserole with two layers of foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the casserole overnight in the refrigerator before baking. If you’re baking frozen, you may need to add 45 minutes to an hour to the baking time.
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Baked spaghetti casserole
This baked spaghetti casserole is coated in a rich, meaty sauce, dollops of creamy ricotta cheese and lots of melted mozzarella. A comforting, nostalgic meal that’s guaranteed to be family-friendly!
Servings: 6 portions
Ingredients
- 8th ounces spaghetti noodles, broken in half
- 1 Pound 90 to 92% lean ground beef
- ½ Cup diced white or yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoon Italian spice
- ½ teaspoon Salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 24 ounces Marinara sauce , your favorite brand
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, do not drain
- ¼ Cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 egg, beaten easily
- ¾ Cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 Cup semi-skimmed ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded semi-skimmed mozzarella cheese, (about 8 ounces) divided
instructions
Prepare pasta meat sauce
-
Cook the spaghetti in salted water about 1 to 2 minutes ahead of package directions.
-
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat, brown the ground beef with the onion, breaking up with a spoon. If no pink remains, drain the fat. Place the pan back on the stove and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Boil and stir for a minute or two. Add the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes and parsley. Reduce the heat to LOW and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes.
-
Drain the cooked spaghetti well and return to the warm, empty pot (from the stove). Add the olive oil and use tongs to toss the spaghetti until well coated with oil. Add the lightly beaten egg and ½ cup parmesan cheese and toss again until well distributed.
Assemble the casserole
-
Spread half of the spaghetti mixture in the prepared pan and top with half of the meat sauce (making sure to reserve enough sauce for the last layer). Scatter small dollops of ricotta (using the entire amount) on top to evenly coat the casserole. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining spaghetti, meat sauce, mozzarella and finish with the remaining parmesan.
Bake
-
Coat the underside of a piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the pan, coated side down. Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or until bubbly.
-
Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nourishment
Calories: 553 kcal · Carbohydrates: 43 G · Protein: 41 G · Fat: 24 G · Saturated Fatty Acids: 12 G · Polyunsaturated fat: 1 G · Monounsaturated fatty acids: 9 G · Trans fats: 0.5 G · Cholesterol: 122 mg · Sodium: 1380 mg · Potassium: 947 mg · Fiber: 4 G · Sugar: 8th G · Vitamin A: 1271 ie · Vitamin C: 19 mg · Calcium: 629 mg · Iron: 5 mg
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients and is an estimate, not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
This post was originally published on March 24, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.