Baked Spaghetti combines classic spaghetti with a bubbly, saucy casserole for a comforting one-pan dish with lots of cheese. Make it ahead, bake when you’re ready, and enjoy clean slices plus great leftovers all week.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Rich, comforting, and full of tomato flavor, savory meat, and Italian herbs. Topped with melty, golden cheese that makes every bite irresistible.
- Why Make It: One easy bake turns everyday spaghetti into a sliceable casserole that serves 8 and reheats perfectly for quick, satisfying lunches all week long.
- Recommended Tools: All you need is a large pot, a skillet, a 9×13-inch dish, and a colander.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with garlic bread and a Caesar salad for an easy, cozy meal.
Ingredients Notes
- Spaghetti: Use spaghetti noodles for a classic dish or swap them for any long pasta or whole wheat spaghetti you have on hand.
- Meat: Use ground beef, Italian sausage, or a combination of the two. For a leaner option, ground turkey or turkey sausage can be used. Remember to drain the meat well, or the sauce will be watery.
- Sauce: Use your favorite pasta sauce or a homemade marinara, and add diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning for extra flavor. Simmer the sauce until it thickens. It should be thick, not soupy.
- Cheese: Mozzarella melts the best and is wonderfully gooey. Preshredded can be used, but it has an anticaking agent, which means it doesn’t melt as well.
How To Make Baked Spaghetti
- Cook spaghetti until al dente and drain (full recipe below).
- Brown the meat with onion, garlic, seasoning, and bell pepper.
- Stir in the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer until thickened.
- Combine with the spaghetti and spread into a casserole dish.
- Top with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake until hot and bubbly.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm small portions in the microwave, or for the best texture, cover and bake in the oven at 350°F until hot throughout. Add a splash of marinara if it looks dry.
Freezing Instructions:
- Freeze unbaked: Assemble in a freezer-safe dish, cover well, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake 35–40 minutes, adding cheese after 20 minutes for a melty, golden top.
- Freeze after baking: Cool completely, portion, wrap with foil, then tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months for the best texture.
Cozy Pasta Night Favorites
Did you love this Baked Spaghetti? Leave a rating and comment below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons dried
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Sauce
- 1 pound lean ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 32 ounces pasta sauce or marinara sauce
- 1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot of salted water, cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, green pepper, onion, garlic, and salt while breaking up the meat. Drain fat if needed.
- Stir in the pasta sauce, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cooked spaghetti and parsley.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, top with cheeses, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and the cheese is browned and bubbly. Cut into squares to serve.
Video
Notes
If preparing ahead of time, increase the baking time
This casserole can be covered with foil and frozen (before baking). Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, adding the cheese after 20 minutes.
Leftovers can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 413 | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1054mg | Potassium: 864mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
fantastic
If I double the recipe it doesn’t all fit in the 9 by 13 casserole?
Hi Joy, a single recipe fits in a 9 x 13-inch dish so I don’t think a double recipe would fit or bake properly. If doubling this recipe I recommend using 2 dishes. Enjoy!
It says “1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese about 6oz”…but isn’t 1 1/2 cups 12 oz?
1 cup of shredded cheese weighs about 4 ounces by weight.
1 cup of water is 8 fluid ounces, which measures volume, not weight.
1 ½ cups of shredded cheese weighs 6oz.
excellent 👌.
I am making this tonight. The measurements is it 16 ounces spaghetti cooked or raw
For this recipe, we use 16 ounces uncooked spaghetti and cook it in step 2.
very good meal. everyone liked it.
I made this dish for my husband. He loved it! I am not a tomato fan, but really liked this dish as well. Easy to make – a nice make ahead, or meal to take to someone needing a meal.
Accidentally put extra sauce and had to use linguine due to not having as much spaghetti as I thought but overall delicious! I will definitely make again.
Excellent recipe. Easy to make.
Could you add some ricotta cheese to this?
Hi Katy. I have never added ricotta to this spaghetti, but other readers have with success. Let me know how it turns out.
Have made this family loves it. One major correction. I have searched for 50 years for perfect sauce recipe. Holly’s Easy Marinara Sauce ended my quest. I make it in triple batches and freeze it in portions. Along with her meatball recipe riffed by my favorite from BH&G Italian meatball recipe. Only sauce I use now sorry Prego Rao’s Thank you Holly. Amazing how something so simple can be so good.
Have made this family loves it. One major correction. I have searched for 50 years for perfect sauce recipe. Holly’s Easy Marinara Sauce ended my quest. I make it in triple batches and freeze it in portions. Along with her meatball recipe riffed by my favorite from BH&G Italian meatball recipe. Only sauce I use now sorry Prego Rao’s Thank you Holly. Amazing how something so simple can be so good.
I love this recipe made it just as the recipe said. it came out good and it was delish. this is my go to spaghetti recipe for the first time.
Great recipe. Thank you!
I’m making this recipie to bake tomorrow decorating for Christmas,actually organizing the Christmas decorations!Thanks Holly,side salad,garlic bread,for lunch yum!!!!
Made for supper tonight with all the leftover spaghetti and meat sauce in our fridge and tossed in an assortment of veggies as well! It turned out so good and if perfect for leftovers for lunch this week! SWP Employee
Fantastic recipe! Will make again many times in the future!!!
was only looking for a temp/time , but saw you make as my mom did when we were young. I dont get reviewers that down rate the recipe when they change it… so stupid…Your Recipe is SPOT ON!! TYTY