Baked Spaghetti

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Baked Spaghetti is a great twist on your regular spaghetti dinner.  If you love cheese, you will love this recipe and want to make it again!

This recipe is one my families favorite dinners! We originally had this dinner at a local restaurant.  On their menu it is named Spaghetti Parm.  It is basically spaghetti noodles and sauce with mozzarella cheese melted over it…Ohhhh  it’s so good!

Why make Baked Spaghetti over regular spaghetti?  One word…cheese.  If you love cheese, this is the dinner for you!

When I make this recipe I use my easy recipe for crockpot spaghetti.  It’s a great recipe because you put all the ingredients in the crockpot and it simmers all day. However, if you are short on time, it is better to go with a jar of sauce from the grocery store.

This can be made as individual plates or in a large baking dish like a 13 x 9 pan. If you are using dinner plates, just make sure they are oven safe. 

Why use individual plates?  This way is easier to serve it and everyone gets equal (or at least close to it) melted mozzarella cheese.  It also looks prettier when served on a plate. 

We have made it both ways by using individual plates and a large serving dish.  It will work out both ways, so use which ever works best for you.

How to make Baked Spaghetti:

Prepare your spaghetti sauce.  As I mentioned, I make my spaghetti sauce in the crockpot. If you want to use that easy sauce recipe you can find it here.  I love how easy it is to make it that way and it tastes delicious after the flavors have mingled in the crockpot all day.

Prepare your meat for the sauce.  If following my crockpot spaghetti recipe, you will be browning the beef in your skillet and add it to the sauce instead of making meatballs. It cuts out a little cooking time by doing that.  If you prefer making meatballs, here is a great recipe to make them. 

If you are using jar sauce, heat that up following the directions on the jar.

Once the sauce and meat are both prepared, cook your spaghetti noodles following the directions on the box.  Each box varies, so make sure to follow the directions on the box.

After the pasta has been cooked and drained, preheat your broiler to high heat.  Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Place the cooked noodles on oven safe plates or large serving dish. Then generously cover the noodles with the spaghetti sauce until all the noodles are covered.   Completely covering the pasta will prevent the noodles from drying out while under the broiler.

Sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese over the sauce. 

Then add the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. It is hard to give a measurement for the mozzarella cheese because it all depends on the size of your dish that you will be using. I just cover the pasta with mozzarella cheese.

Place the dish in the middle of the oven and broil it for one and a half minutes. (If you are doing individual plates you can put more than one in at a time.)  Make sure to place the plates/baking dish directly under your broiler.

The cheese will melt and brown slightly. Be very careful taking the dish out as it will be very hot!

You may want to add a little more spaghetti sauce…depending on how much sauce you like.

How long does it take to make this recipe?

When making this recipe for Baked Spaghetti, I use my recipe for Crockpot Spaghetti to make the meat sauce.  If you are doing this as well, the meat sauce prep takes about 30 minutes and it will cook in the crockpot for 4-6 hours.  

Short on time? Then you can use a jar of spaghetti sauce and brown the beef or make meatballs.  If you make the recipe that way, it will take about 30-40 minutes.  

How to serve Baked Spaghetti:

If you are making it on individual plates, you can serve it right from the oven to the table.   Just be careful as the plates will be hot.

If you are making the baked spaghetti in a baking dish, it is a good idea to serve it using a slotted spatula.  Sometimes there can be excess moisture at the bottom of the pan.  This way you are draining off any excess and the sauce will not appear to be runny.

Great side dish recipes to go with this are a side green salad and/or garlic bread.  You can also garnish with some fresh herbs like oregano, basil or parsley.

Looking for a meatless dinner?  This can be made as a meatless dinner by omitting the beef.  

Did you make this recipe?  If so, please comment and rate the recipe below.  Thanks so much!  

5 from 1 vote

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Baked Spaghetti

This is a great twist on your regular spaghetti dinner.  It makes a nice family dinner recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Baked Spaghetti, Spaghetti recipe, Easy pasta dinner, Crockpot dinner recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Jeannie Z

Ingredients

• Spaghetti noodles, whole grain I use half of 12 ounce box for my family of four
• Spaghetti sauce, using crockpot recipe or a jar of sauce
• Grated Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle over the sauce)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (may use more or less)
• Fresh herbs to garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Prepare spaghetti sauce and/or beef for your sauce. I use my homemade Crockpot Spaghetti sauce as mentioned in my post.  

2. Cook spaghetti noodles as directed on package.
3. Preheat broiler to high heat.
4. Place cooked noodles on oven safe plate or serving dish.

5. Cover generously with spaghetti sauce.

6. Sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese over the sauce. Spread a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese over sauce.

7. Place in middle of oven  and broil for 1-1/2 minutes.

Recipe Notes

When making this recipe for Baked Spaghetti, I use my recipe for Crockpot Spaghetti to make the meat sauce.  If you are doing this as well, the meat sauce prep takes about 30 minutes and it will cook in the crockpot for 4-6 hours.  

If you are short on time, you can use a jar of spaghetti sauce and brown the beef or make meatballs.  If you make the recipe that way, it will take about 30-40 minutes.  

When covering the pasta with the sauce, make sure to completely cover the pasta so that the noodles do not dry out while cooking under the broiler.

If you prefer to make this a meatless dinner recipe, just omit the beef in your sauce.

If making this on dinner plates, be careful as the plate will be hot coming right from the oven.

 

This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page.  The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase. 

Update Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2015, but was published again in 2019 to include step by step directions and new photos.