Hello Friends of Mom Loves Baking! I'm Amy and I am culinarily challenged, BUT when Lise asked me if I had ever heard of baked spaghetti, for the first time in my life I could offer a recipe.
My mother grew tired of watching spaghetti grow cold because my father was returning home from work late. Her solution, smothering the dish with cheese and popping it into the oven, making baked spaghetti a family favorite.
To get started: Crank your favorite music and open a bottle of wine. Cooking is more enjoyable with Ed Sheeran and a bottle of Cabernet.
What you will need:
A half a box of noodles- my favorite is angel hair but you really could use just about any noodle including ziti or penne
1 large jar of marinara sauce- any flavor- sausage, red pepper, garlic and four cheese are my favorites, sometimes I mix a jar of marinara with a jar of vodka or alfredo sauce
1 pound ground meat - hamburger, veal, turkey burger, sausage or a mixture (this dish tastes good without meat as well).*
2-4 cups of mozzarella
Optional:
Fresh or dried oregano, garlic and basil, to add to sauce and as garnish. Fresh or canned diced tomatoes, seasoned or unseasoned
Olive oil- to drizzle on bread.
Parmesan cheese, to taste.
You can sneak at least a handful of spinach in the sauce and the kids will never suspect it. If you have any red wine left, pour 1⁄2 cup into the sauce.
Small servings feeds 10, larger servings feeds 6.
*If you have leftovers, cooked hamburgers, meatloaf, grilled onions or peppers, throw what you have in the sauce.
Directions:
Bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add noodles. Cook half the time of instructions (because the noodles will continue to cook in the oven), normally about 5-6 minutes. Drain.
Brown meat if you are using meat and drain. Add marinara sauce and can of diced tomatoes with juice (if using) to the browned meat. You want to noodles to be really saturated with sauce or it will dry out.
Spread the cheese to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with fresh or dried oregano, basil and garlic.
Bake covered for 1 hour or uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve.
Sprinkle with parmesan to taste.
This dish goes great with warmed French bread, drizzled with olive oil and garlic. If you do not have French bread, or olive oil, throw some regular sliced bread in the oven with butter and garlic and broil until crisp (about 2 minutes).
This recipe is quick, easy and cheap. But the best part of baked spaghetti? Leftovers.
Baked Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground meat of choice hamburger, veal, turkey burger, sausage or a mixture
- 1 large jar Marinara sauce any flavor
- 1 can diced tomatoes, seasoned or unseasoned 15 ounces
- ½ box angel hair pasta substitute ziti or penne, if desired
- 2-4 cups mozzarella
Optional:
- Dried oregano & garlic powder, to taste
- Parmesan cheese to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish, if desired
- Olive oil to drizzle on bread, if desired
Instructions
- In a large pan, brown meat and drain. Add marinara sauce and can of diced tomatoes with juice (if using) to the browned meat. Stir to combine and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your pasta.
- Bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add noodles. Cook half the time of instructions (because the noodles will continue to cook in the oven), normally about 5-6 minutes. Drain, then pour into pan with sauce. Stir well. You want the noodles to be really saturated with sauce or it will dry out.
- Pour the pasta and sauce mixture into a large casserole dish (I used a 13"x9"). Spread the cheese to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with dried oregano, and garlic powder, to taste.
- Bake covered for 1 hour or uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve. Sprinkle with fresh basil and parmesan to taste, if desired.
- Serve with sliced French bread drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic, if desired.
Nutrition
Also featured on The Southern Plate website and A Southern Soul.
MARLA STILES says
You don't mention anything about putting the noodles & meat sauce in a dish. It just says to spread the cheese to completely cover dish. This is confusing. Also what size dish do you use?
Lise Ode says
Hi Marla, Sorry about that. Add the noodles to the sauce, then pour into a 13"x9" casserole. See updated recipe for details. Thank you for your comment.