Baked Spaghetti Casserole – Lauren’s Newest

September 16, 2023

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Baked Spaghetti Casserole is a twist on a household favourite and easy to get on the desk even on a busy weeknight! Made with meaty marinara sauce, 4 kinds of cheese, herbs poured over spaghetti noodles, that is positive to fulfill everybody’s starvation. Serve with a aspect salad and garlic bread. Want a decrease calorie possibility? Strive my Skinny Baked Spaghetti Recipe.

baked spaghetti casserole on a plate with garlic bread

Why You’ll Love This Baked Spaghetti Casserole

I looooove a basic spaghetti. It’s a kind of staple meals which might be straightforward consolation meals and everybody in my home likes it. One which I sometimes have all of the components for at any given time, and prefer to maintain in my again pocket for when the day didn’t go as deliberate and everyone seems to be STARVING. I do know you already know what I’m speaking about. I prefer to serve it with a easy inexperienced salad, Caesar Salad or Cucumber Salad and all the time some Garlic Bread.

How one can Make Baked Spaghetti Casserole

This baked spaghetti casserole (typically known as million greenback spaghetti casserole) makes use of widespread pantry components that you’d anticipate when making spaghetti, plus a number of butter and cheese!! Consider it as spaghetti meats lasagna! For full recipe particulars, together with components and measurements wanted, see the printable recipe card down under. Right here is step-by-step what you’ll be able to anticipate when placing this casserole collectively.

Prepare dinner Pasta

Carry a giant pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water generously and add pasta to the pot, stirring for about 30 seconds to make sure no noodles stick collectively. Prepare dinner pasta in keeping with al dente bundle instructions on field. Drain and add again to pot. Stir in butter to totally coat every noodle and put aside.

Make the Meat Sauce

In a giant, deep skillet over medium warmth, sauté onion and floor beef, breaking up because it browns. You shouldn’t want olive oil except you’re utilizing a brilliant lean meat. Stir in minced garlic and seasonings (recent basil, oregano, salt and black pepper)and prepare dinner for a number of extra minutes.

Subsequent, pour in marinara sauce. Carry on low warmth, stirring ceaselessly when you transfer onto subsequent steps.

Professional Tip: Pour some water into the marinara jar, change lid and provides it a very good shake to get each final little bit of sauce. Stir water into the meat combination.

Preheat Oven + Assemble Casserole

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a giant mixing bowl, mix all of the cheeses (mozzarella, ricotta cheese, cream cheese and parmesan cheese), basil and salt & pepper.

Pour cooked spaghetti right into a calmly greased 9×13 glass baking casserole dish. Unfold the cheese combination over noodles evenly and easy out utilizing the again of a spoon.

cheese mixture placed over spaghetti noodles

Subsequent, pour meat sauce over prime the cheese layer and unfold out evenly. High with shredded mozzarella cheese.

meat sauce poured over the top of cheese mixture and noodles

baked spaghetti casserole with shredded cheese over the top

Bake + Serve Scorching

Cowl with aluminum foil and bake for 25-Half-hour or till sizzling and bubbly. Take away foil and bake for one more 5-10 minutes to soften cheese topping.

Garnish with recent parsley, reduce into 12 squares and serve sizzling.

Storing Leftovers + Make Forward

Leftover baked spaghetti casserole is totally higher the subsequent day! I like leftovers like that. Permit leftovers to chill to room temperature. Retailer in an hermetic container with good becoming lid. Retailer within the fridge for as much as 4-5 days. To reheat, heat leftovers within the microwave or on the range over low warmth. You might want so as to add a splash of water to loosen it up a bit.

Make Forward – This casserole is well made forward by assembling the casserole as much as the purpose of baking. Then cowl the casserole with plastic wrap and retailer within the fridge as much as 1-2 days till able to bake as per the recipe card.

FAQ for Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Ought to I cowl baked spaghetti within the oven?

Sure. The aim of the foil excessive is to maintain the moisture in and to maintain the highest from browning too shortly. The final 5 minutes of baking, the foil is eliminated to permit a bit of browning.

Can I freeze Baked Spaghetti?

Sure! It freezes very nicely. If you already know you intend to freeze this earlier than you make it, I recommend shopping for a disposable aluminum casserole pan. In case you don’t use a kind of, be sure that the pan you do use is freezer-safe. You possibly can freeze it baked or unbaked. In case you freeze it after baking, be sure that to let it cool to room temperature earlier than protecting and freezing. Wrap the casserole rather well in plastic wrap. Retailer within the freeze for as much as 3 months. Permit to thaw over night time within the fridge earlier than baking. You possibly can bake it from frozen by including extra time to the baking time ( ~45 to 60 minutes).

Can I exploit a selfmade marinara sauce?

Completely! If in case you have one you like, by all means use it rather than a retailer purchased marinara or spaghetti sauce. If you wish to physician up the sauce and add some mushrooms and zucchini, I’m positive it could be an important addition to your casserole.

What are some variations for this Spaghetti Bake Recipe?

Be happy to change up the meats as you want or use what you have got readily available. Italian Sausage, Floor Turkey, Floor Rooster, Floor Pork, Floor Veal, and many others. are all nice decisions. Or use a mixture of two or three. OR, in the event you’d prefer to go vegetarian skip the meaty sauce altogether!

The cheese as nicely may be substituted. Use cottage cheese as a substitute of ricotta, use recent mozzarella rather than shredded. You can even add different cheeses, like cheddar or colby jack! The choices are countless!

Use a special pasta form. Any lengthy pasta noodle will work right here, like Angel Hair, Linguine, Fettucini, and many others.

Substitute dry herbs (or Italian Seasoning) for the recent basil and oregano. Add in a bit of Purple Pepper Flakes for some warmth!

The ethical of the story is, this pasta bake is so versatile you’ll be able to simply make it your personal.

Extra Italian Pasta Dishes to Strive!

I hope you add this to your menu this week – your complete household will love you! The printable recipe card is under. Be sure you save/print/bookmark or share this recipe. Take pleasure in, associates!

In case you make this recipe, I might actually respect it in the event you would give it a star ranking and depart your evaluation within the feedback! If in case you have an image of your completed dish, publish it on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.