This baked spaghetti casserole makes pasta evening really easy! That is one in every of my household’s favourite dinners, with layers of saucy floor beef and loads of bubbly, melty cheese.
For associates and households that basically get pleasure from their pasta, you also needs to make my Hen Pasta Bake and this wildly in style Mediterranean Baked Feta Pasta.
Is it simply me, or are spaghetti casseroles having a second? My social media has blown up these days with recipes for Million Greenback Spaghetti and baked spaghetti alfredo. So, I believed I’d share my household’s favourite model of a comfortable spaghetti casserole.
This can be a tremendous easy recipe that layers tender spaghetti with thick and hearty selfmade meat sauce and many melted cheese. There’s tomatoes, there’s mushrooms, there’s garlic. It’s whole consolation meals, and boy, are the flavors good!
Why You’ll Love This Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
- Straightforward to make. Put together the meat sauce on the stovetop, and it’s a matter of layering the whole lot collectively in a casserole dish. Spaghetti casserole places a enjoyable spin on household dinner, and leftovers freeze effectively for future meals.
- Price range-friendly. My floor beef spaghetti casserole makes use of cheap components, however packs in a number of scrumptious savory taste. I’ll serve it with a aspect of garlic breadsticks and a salad for a hearty restaurant-quality meal at residence.
- Adaptable. It’s simple to modify up the components on this casserole to go well with even the pickiest of eaters! Miss the mushrooms, add in further cheese, or strive totally different add-ins. You’ll discover a few of my favourite concepts slightly additional on within the publish.
What You’ll Want
I make this casserole with a fast stovetop model of my Italian-style selfmade spaghetti sauce. A lot of the components you’ll want go into the sauce. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for a printable listing of components.
- Spaghetti – Whereas it received’t technically be a spaghetti casserole, you may make this pasta bake with linguine, angel hair, or simply about any dried pasta.
- Onion and Garlic – You’ll sauté your aromatics in olive oil to provide the meat filling some taste. Diced yellow onion works, and also you’ll wish to use freshly minced garlic.
- Floor Beef – I like to make use of 80/20 lean floor beef. You can even make this casserole with different floor meat, like floor rooster, turkey, or pork.
- Mushrooms – We’re large mushroom followers (even my children love ’em). If mushrooms aren’t your cup of tea, although, be at liberty to omit them.
- Tomatoes – You’ll want canned diced tomatoes.
- Pasta Sauce – I exploit a 24-ounce jar of our favourite tomato/pasta sauce.
- Herbs – I exploit recent or dried oregano, basil, and parsley (Italian seasoning works, too).
- Cheese – I really like the mixture of delicate melty mozzarella and sharp parmesan on this casserole. Be at liberty to make use of your favourite!
Easy methods to Make a Spaghetti Casserole
I really like that this casserole turns a basic spaghetti dinner right into a crowd-pleasing dish. And it’s really easy! Right here’s a brief step-by-step.
- Prepare dinner the pasta. Begin by cooking the spaghetti in keeping with the bundle instructions.
- Make the sauce. In the meantime, prepare dinner the onions, floor beef, and garlic over medium warmth. Add some mushrooms, tomatoes, and your favourite tomato sauce. Cowl and let the meat sauce simmer for about quarter-hour, then stir within the oregano, basil, and parsley.
- Assemble. Starting with a layer of meat sauce, layer the spaghetti and sauce right into a 9×13” casserole dish. Give the casserole a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake. This spaghetti casserole goes into the oven at 375ºF for 18-20 minutes. Afterward, relaxation the casserole for a couple of minutes, then dig in!
Make Forward
- Make Forward and Refrigerate: You possibly can put together the casserole forward of time. After assembling, cool it, cowl it, and refrigerate for a few days earlier than baking.
- Prep & Freeze: To prep and freeze with out baking, assemble the casserole, together with the cheeses on high. Cowl it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze it for as much as two months.
Recipe Suggestions & Variations
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti. Solely boil the spaghetti noodles till they’re simply barely al dente. Because you’ll be baking the spaghetti afterward, you don’t need the pasta to turn out to be mushy.
- Extra veggies. This baked spaghetti is nice with diced zucchini, butternut squash, carrots, you identify it. Be at liberty to stir in your favorites together with the mushrooms (or, you realize, as a substitute of the mushrooms).
- Strive one other pasta sauce. Swap out the fast meat sauce on this recipe with any sauce that you just’d like. I additionally love this selfmade Bolognese sauce.
- Add alfredo sauce. Flip this casserole right into a model of the viral TikTok baked spaghetti alfredo from some time again. It’s as simple as tossing the cooked noodles in selfmade alfredo sauce earlier than layering them into the casserole with the bottom beef sauce as directed.
Serving Strategies
I really like a spaghetti casserole served with fluffy selfmade focaccia, or I’ll use my favourite garlic butter sauce to show a loaf of bakery-fresh ciabatta into garlic bread. Spherical issues out with a Caesar salad or a roasted vegetable salad, and you’ve got a comfortable and comforting weeknight meal. Don’t neglect to avoid wasting room for tiramisu for dessert!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. In the event you ask me, spaghetti casserole tastes even higher the subsequent day. Retailer any leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- Reheat. Heat this casserole both complete or in parts. I prefer to cowl and reheat it in a 350ºF oven, however you may also use the microwave.
- Freeze. This casserole additionally freezes nice for as much as 3 months. I’ll generally bake two and freeze one for later! It’s simple to defrost it within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.
Extra Pasta Casserole Recipes
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Prepare dinner the pasta. Prepare dinner the spaghetti in keeping with the instructions on the bundle. Drain and put aside.
Saute. Warmth olive oil in a big saucepan over medium warmth. Add diced onions and prepare dinner for 1 minute. Add floor beef and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Proceed to prepare dinner till the meat is browned.
Make the sauce. Stir within the sliced mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and pasta sauce. Convey to a boil, then decrease to a simmer. Cowl and proceed to prepare dinner for quarter-hour. Take away from warmth and stir in oregano, basil, and recent parsley.
Prep. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Calmly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Assemble. Layer 1/3 of the cooked beef combination into the underside of the baking dish. Add 1/2 of the cooked spaghetti over high, adopted by half of the remaining beef combination. Repeat, ending with a high layer of beef sauce.
- Make it tacky. In a small bowl, mix each shredded cheeses and blend till mixed. Sprinkle the cheese over the casserole.Tip: At this stage, you may cool, cowl, and refrigerate the casserole for a number of days or freeze it for two months.
Bake. Bake for 18 to twenty minutes, uncovered, or till bubbly and cheese is melted. Let the casserole relaxation for a couple of minutes earlier than serving.
Serving: 2.25cups | Energy: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 38g | Fats: 17g | Saturated Fats: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 7g | Trans Fats: 0.3g | Ldl cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1377mg | Potassium: 1166mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 883IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 444mg | Iron: 6mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could fluctuate in keeping with the components and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.