Spaghetti Casserole is my kind of baked pasta dinner: meaty red sauce, a creamy cheese layer, and a melty mozzarella top that makes it feel a little more special than regular spaghetti.
I like this version because it’s hearty without being fussy. The cottage cheese and sour cream layer keeps it soft and creamy through the bake, and the sauce has that classic Italian-seasoned flavor I always want with spaghetti.
This is one of my favorite make-ahead dinners for busy weeks, and it’s also an easy one to bring to a friend. I usually serve it with a simple salad and some garlic bread and call it done.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Weeknight Friendly: It’s straightforward and doesn’t ask for anything complicated, but it still feels like a real dinner.
That Creamy Layer: The cottage cheese mixture bakes up mild, tangy, and creamy, and it keeps the casserole from drying out.
Classic Comfort: It tastes like spaghetti night, just a little more structured and easy to slice and serve.
Easy to Make Ahead: This is one of those dishes that’s actually convenient to assemble ahead, then bake when you’re ready.
Freezer Friendly: It holds up well for freezing, especially if you portion it out for quick lunches.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pasta
- Spaghetti: Regular spaghetti works best here. I cook it just to al dente so it doesn’t turn soft after baking.
- Salt: Don’t skip salting the pasta water. It’s the easiest way to keep the whole casserole from tasting flat.
- Unsalted butter: This coats the noodles so they don’t clump, and it gives the pasta a little richness before it hits the sauce.
Meat Sauce
- Ground beef: I use ground beef for the classic flavor, but ground turkey works fine too. Italian sausage is great if you want a little more spice.
- Yellow onion: A small onion is plenty. It softens into the sauce and gives it that steady “simmered” taste.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here. Jarred works, but it’s a little sweeter and less punchy.
- Marinara sauce: Use a jar you already like, because it’s doing a lot of the heavy lifting. I prefer a simple marinara that isn’t too sweet.
- Tomato sauce: This stretches the marinara and keeps the sauce smooth and saucy for baking.
- Tomato paste: Just a bit deepens the tomato flavor and helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Italian seasoning: This gives you that familiar spaghetti-sauce flavor without pulling out a bunch of separate herbs.
- Dried basil: I still like adding basil even with Italian seasoning. It rounds out the sauce in a nice way.
- Kosher salt: Start with a little and adjust after it simmers. Different jar sauces vary a lot with salt.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground is great if you have it, but regular pepper is fine.
- Red pepper flakes: Totally optional, but I like a small pinch to keep the sauce from tasting one-note.
Cheese Layer
- Cottage cheese: This is the “spaghetti pie” style layer, and it bakes up creamy. If you really dislike cottage cheese texture, ricotta is an easy swap.
- Sour cream: Adds tang and keeps the layer soft. Plain Greek yogurt can work too in a pinch.
- Parmesan: Fresh grated melts better and tastes cleaner, but the tub kind works if that’s what you have.
- Eggs: These help the cheese layer set so it slices instead of sliding around.
Topping
- Mozzarella: This is the classic melty top. I like low-moisture shredded mozzarella for a less watery bake.
- Fresh parsley: Optional, but it’s nice for a little color and freshness at the end.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain well, then toss with the butter.
- Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off excess fat.
- Cook the onion: Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook until softened.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook briefly, just until fragrant.
- Simmer the sauce: Stir in the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Mix the cheese layer: In a bowl, whisk the cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, and eggs until smooth.
- Layer the casserole: Spread half the spaghetti in the baking dish. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over it, add the remaining spaghetti, then pour the meat sauce over the top.
- Bake covered: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Add the cheese: Uncover, sprinkle the mozzarella over the top, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until melted and bubbly.
- Rest and serve: Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley if you want.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Keep the spaghetti al dente. It’s going back into the oven, so slightly firm noodles hold up better and don’t turn mushy.
Drain the beef well. Extra grease can make the casserole feel heavy and can make the sauce a little separated.
Whisk the cheese layer until smooth. If you take a minute to really whisk it, it spreads more evenly and you don’t get thick pockets in the middle.
Let it rest before slicing. Ten minutes makes a big difference in how cleanly it cuts. It’s still hot, just less messy.
Broil if you want more color. If your oven runs cool and the cheese looks pale, a quick 1 to 2 minute broil helps—just watch it closely.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad: I usually do a simple chopped romaine salad with cucumber and tomato, plus a tangy vinaigrette. Something fresh is nice next to all that baked cheese.
- Bread: Garlic bread, breadsticks, or a crusty loaf are all good here. I like having something to swipe through the extra sauce.
- Vegetables: Roasted broccoli, green beans, or zucchini work well and don’t compete with the pasta. Even a quick bag of steamed broccoli is fine.
- Extra toppings: A little Parmesan at the table is always a good idea. If you like heat, add red pepper flakes on your slice.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat slices in the microwave, or warm the whole dish in the oven until heated through.
You can also make this recipe ahead. Assemble the casserole, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking.
If you’re baking straight from the fridge, plan on adding about 10 minutes to the covered bake time. The middle just takes longer to heat up.
If you want it to last longer, freeze individual portions or freeze the whole baked casserole. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use ricotta instead of cottage cheese?
Yes. Ricotta is an easy 1:1 swap for the cottage cheese, and it gives you a slightly smoother, milder cheese layer.
Can I swap the ground beef for something else?
Definitely. Ground turkey works well if you want it a little lighter, and Italian sausage is great if you want more seasoning built in. If you use sausage, taste the sauce before adding extra salt.
How do I know when the casserole is done?
After the covered bake, it should be hot all the way through and bubbling a bit around the edges. Once the mozzarella is melted and bubbly on top, it’s ready.
Can I add vegetables to the sauce?
Yes, and I do it often. Sautéed bell peppers, mushrooms, or even a handful of spinach stirred into the sauce at the end all work well.
Can I assemble it ahead and bake later?
Yes, you can assemble it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Bake when ready, and add about 10 extra minutes to the covered bake time if it’s starting cold.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Spaghetti Casserole
INGREDIENTS
Pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 tbsp salt for pasta water
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter.
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- red pepper flakes to taste.
Cheese Layer
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs.
Topping
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh parsley for garnish.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep and Pasta
- heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish
- cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente then drain and toss with butter.
Meat Sauce
- brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat then drain excess fat
- add onion and cook until softened then add garlic and cook briefly
- stir in marinara sauce tomato sauce tomato paste Italian seasoning basil salt pepper and red pepper flakes then simmer 10 minutes.
Cheese Layer
- whisk cottage cheese sour cream Parmesan and eggs until smooth.
Assemble and Bake
- spread half the spaghetti in the baking dish then spread the cheese layer evenly
- add remaining spaghetti then pour meat sauce over the top
- cover with foil and bake 25 minutes then uncover add mozzarella and bake 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly
- rest 10 minutes before slicing and garnish with parsley.
