Meatballs, sausage, or ground beef can all be used to make this baked spaghetti dish! The marinara sauce gets a creamy component from the cream cheese. Save it for a hectic weeknight dinner and top it with plenty of mozzarella cheese before baking. The finished casserole can even be frozen for another week.
Baked Spaghetti
This recipe for cheesy baked spaghetti really does save your life. It is incredibly simple to put together and is a fantastic freezer and make-ahead recipe.
It goes perfectly with my garlic bread with cheese as comfort food! Continue reading to learn how simple it is to make, what ingredients you'll need, and how you can quickly prepare it in advance and bake it on a hectic weeknight.
How to Make it
Cook spaghetti in salted water according to the directions on the package. While waiting, cook ground beef in a skillet, draining as necessary. Cook the peppers and onions until they are soft. Cook for one minute after adding the garlic.
Stir in the marinara sauce after adding it. I like to use marinara that I make myself or Rao's.
Once combined and heated through, add the ricotta and parmesan. If desired, mix in a small amount of cream cheese before adding the cooked spaghetti.
To a 9 x 13 casserole dish, add half the spaghetti. Add 2 cups of mozzarella on top. The remaining spaghetti should be added.
Boost the mozzarella cheese by two more cups. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees, or until the cheese is melted and hot. 5 minutes should pass before serving.
Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs
You could also make my Slow Cooker Meatballs or Bobby Flay's Meatballs if your family enjoys the traditional spaghetti and meatball dish.
Simply combine the spaghetti with the sauce, add the cooked meatballs, top with cheese, and bake!
Make Ahead Method
Option 1: Assemble and Refrigerate:
- For up to two days, cover and store in the fridge.
- Bake a chilled casserole at 375° for 30 minutes with the lid on, then 10 minutes without.
Option 2: Assemble and Freeze:
- For a maximum storage time of three months, wrap in two layers of foil. For the freezer, these disposable aluminum baking pans work great.
- Bake a frozen casserole at 375° for 30 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered, after letting it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Additionally, you can bake something from frozen and add an additional hour of covered baking time.
Pro Tip:
If your 9 x 13 casserole dish is completely full, put it on a baking sheet and put it in the oven to catch any spillage. A baking dish measuring 11 by 15 inches is an alternative.
Storage
Refrigerator
It is best to use baked spaghetti within three days and to keep it in the refrigerator.
Freezer
After being baked, spaghetti makes fantastic freezer food. It is best to foil-wrap portion sizes and store them in freezer bags with labels.
Keep it in the foil while baking at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or longer, depending on the serving size, to reheat food from frozen.
Baked Spaghetti
Ingredients
- ¾ lb. spaghetti
- 1 pound ground beef, can also use ground sausage or turkey
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 32 oz. marinara sauce
- 8 oz. Ricotta cheese, equal to 1 cup.
- 2 Tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions, while waiting for the water to reach a boil, proceed with the below.
- Cook the ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Add the seasonings, diced onions, and peppers. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and heat for 1 minute.
- Add the marinara, ricotta, Parmesan, and cream cheese. Reduce heat to low and allow it to heat through.
- Add the drained spaghetti, use kitchen tongs to gently toss until well-combined. Note: It will be very saucy but the pasta is going to continue to absorb it as it bakes.
- Add half of the spaghetti to a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish and top with half (2 cups), of the mozzarella.
- Top with remaining spaghetti, then with the rest of the mozzarella.
- If serving immediately, bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and melted. Let sit for 5 minutes prior to serving. Serve with a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese.
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