Baked Spaghetti Casserole
Classic baked spaghetti casserole with meat sauce and a creamy cheese layer baked until bubbly
PRINT PINServings 8
INGREDIENTS
Pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt.
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp black pepper
- red pepper flakes to taste
- salt to taste.
Cheese Layer and Topping
- 1.5 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley for garnish.
INSTRUCTIONS
Pasta Base
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish
- cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente then drain well
- toss hot pasta with butter and let cool 5 minutes
- whisk eggs with 1 cup Parmesan then toss with pasta until evenly coated.
Meat Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat then brown ground beef
- add onion and cook until softened then add garlic and cook briefly
- drain excess fat then stir in marinara and tomato paste with seasonings and simmer 10 minutes.
Assemble and Bake
- Spread half of the spaghetti mixture into the baking dish
- top with half of the meat sauce then dollop ricotta over the sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella
- repeat layers with remaining spaghetti and sauce then top with remaining mozzarella and 0.25 cup Parmesan
- bake uncovered until hot and bubbly and lightly browned about 30 minutes
- rest 10 minutes then garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
1. Swap ground beef with Italian sausage or ground turkey 2. substitute cottage cheese for ricotta in equal amount 3. add sautéed mushrooms or bell pepper to the sauce 4. make ahead and refrigerate covered up to 24 hours then bake 10 to 15 minutes longer 5. freeze tightly wrapped up to 3 months and thaw overnight before baking
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 24g