Baked Spaghetti

Baked Spaghetti is a great twist on your regular spaghetti dinner.  If you love cheese, this will become one of your favorite dinner recipes!

This recipe is a favorite dinner in our house! We originally had this dinner at a local restaurant.  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 for my family, I use my easy recipe for crockpot spaghetti.  It’s a great recipe because you put all the ingredients in your crockpot and it simmers all day making a delicious sauce.

Short on time?  You can still make this recipe by using a jar of sauce from the grocery store. If you are using jar sauce, warm the sauce in a pot on the stovetop on low to medium heat.

Grocery Shopping List:

• Whole grain spaghetti noodles
• Spaghetti sauce (use my crockpot sauce recipe or your favorite sauce)
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• Fresh herbs, optional

Using fresh herbs is optional as they are used as a garnish. Great ones to use are fresh oregano or basil.

How to make Baked Spaghetti:

Prepare your spaghetti sauce.  As I mentioned, I make my spaghetti sauce in my crockpot. I love how easy it is to make it that way and it tastes so flavorful after the ingredients have mingled in the crockpot all day.

How to prepare your meat for the sauce:

Timesaving Tip: Instead of making meatballs, I like to cook the beef in my cast iron skillet and break it into small pieces. I use a spatula or large spoon to break up the beef while it is cooking.

Cook the beef on medium heat, stirring often to break up the meat into small pieces, until it is browned.  Drain off the excess fat.

If you are using my crockpot recipe, add the cooked meat to the crockpot. Make sure you read the full recipe for the crockpot spaghetti before making the baked spaghetti if you are using that recipe.

If you are using your own favorite sauce or a jar of sauce, add the cooked meat to your pot with the sauce and let it warm up on low to medium heat.  You might want to add a little garlic powder to the sauce for added flavor (I love garlic, how about you?). 

If you prefer making meatballs, here is a great recipe to make them. 

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.  We like to use whole grain pasta for our dinner.

How to bake the Spaghetti:

After you have all your ingredients ready, place the rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat your broiler to high heat. 

Place the cooked noodles in a 13 x 9 baking dish or oven safe dinner plates. 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. 

Generously add the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. It is hard to give an exact measurement for the mozzarella cheese because it all depends on the size of your dish that you will be using.

Place the dish in the middle of the oven and broil it for one and a half minutes. Make sure to place the plates/baking dish directly under your broiler.

Tip: This recipe can be made in a 13 x 9 pan or individual plates. If you are using dinner plates, just make sure they are oven safe. 

Why use individual plates when baking?  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. 

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

You can always add more sauce to each individual serving …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 on high for 4-6 hours (or low 6-8 hours).  

By cooking the sauce all day in the crockpot, the flavors mingle and give you a delicious spaghetti sauce! 

If you are short on time… Then you can use a jar of spaghetti sauce from the grocery store. Just brown the beef or make meatballs and add to your sauce.  If you make the recipe that way, it will take about 40-45minutes.  

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 be as runny.

Garnish with fresh herbs like oregano or basil if you want to add a little something to your finished dish.  

Great side dish recipes to go with this are a side green salad and/or garlic bread.  

Want an easy dessert? Try my recipe for Puff Pastry hearts or No Bake Eclair Cake!

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!  Also, follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for all of my recipes!

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Update Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2015, but was published again in 2020 to include step by step directions and new photos.