Baked Spaghetti is a favorite casserole around here! 

In this cozy dish, spaghetti is tossed with a zesty meat sauce, topped with cheese and oven-baked until hot and bubbly.

This recipe reheats well and is freezer friendly.

baked spaghetti sliced in a casserole dish

Easy Baked Spaghetti

This easy baked spaghetti casserole is a family favorite that is loaded with flavor! 

Ingredients for Baked Spaghetti

  • Meat: Choose either ground beef or Italian sausage or a combination of the two. For a leaner option, ground turkey is a great option.
  • Aromatics: Onion, garlic & green pepper add lots of flavor to this baked spaghetti recipe.
  • Sauce: Use your favorite brand of pasta sauce or marinara sauce and add in diced tomatoes and Italian Seasoning for extra flavor
  • Spaghetti: Replace the spaghetti noodles with any long pasta or whole wheat spaghetti.
  • Cheese: The crowning glory. A mix of mozzarella and parmesan brings that gooey, golden finish we all adore.
Baked Spaghetti in baking dish with cheese on top

How to Make Baked Spaghetti

  1. Brown beef and onions. Add veggies and tomato sauce and simmer.
  2. Toss the sauce with cooked spaghetti and transfer it to a baking dish.
  3. Top with cheese and bake!

Holly’s Tips

  • Esure the spaghetti is cooked al dente as the noodles cook a bit more in the oven.
  • Add whatever you like to the sauce, replace green pepper with diced mushrooms or zucchini.  
  • You can easily adjust this to your liking and add more or less sauce if you’d prefer.
Baked Spaghetti served on a white plate

Prep Ahead

  • Since the pasta and the sauce are warm when making this dish, bake it for about 25 minutes.
  • If you prep it ahead of time and refrigerate it, it’ll take a bit longer. Remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking and bake for about 35 minutes or until hot in the center.
  • The prep can be done the night before and then baked before serving, making this baked spaghetti the perfect potluck dish!
  • Don’t cover the baked spaghetti so the cheese can form a nice crust. Covering it will also make it steam which can overcook the spaghetti.

Just like stuffed shells, this easy recipe is perfectly served with garlic bread and a Caesar salad.

Baking dish full of Baked Spaghetti with serving taken out of it

Easy Weeknight Casseroles

Did you make this Baked Spaghetti? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

baked spaghetti sliced in a casserole dish
4.98 from 413 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Baked Spaghetti

This easy baked spaghetti casserole is a family favorite that is easy to prepare!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients  

  • 16 ounces dry spaghetti
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley
  • 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • cup fresh parmesan cheese shredded

Sauce

  • 1 pound ground beef or italian sausage
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 green pepper diced
  • 32 ounces pasta sauce
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • In a large pot of salted water, cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the meat, onion, garlic, seasoning, and green pepper while breaking up the meat. Drain fat if needed.
  • Stir in the pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, and tomatoes to the meat. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cooked spaghetti and parsley.
  • Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 pan, top with cheeses, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and the cheese is browned and bubbly. Cut into squares to serve.

Video

Notes

If preparing ahead of time, cooking time may need to be increased by 10 minutes.
This casserole covered with foil and frozen before baking. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed, adding 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Leftovers can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave until heated through. 
4.98 from 413 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 413 | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1054mg | Potassium: 864mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian
Oven baked spaghetti sliced in a casserole dish with text.
A serving of baked spaghetti on a plate with text
Baked spaghetti sliced in a casserole dish with text
Top image - baked spaghetti sliced in a casserole dish. Bottom image - a slice of baked spaghetti on a plate with text

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About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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Comments

  1. Just tried it tonight, it was delicious. I wouldn’t change anything to this recipe. It is definitely a keeper for our family. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

  2. I followed your recipe exactly and although it was good, it did not need anywhere near all that spaghetti, 10 to 12 oz. would have worked much better. It also did not need an entire jar of sauce. It turned out soupy. Even after I let it sit for 20 minutes after baking. I am not a huge fan of diced tomatoes, but they do need to be drained as well.3 stars

  3. Penny, I’m getting ready to make this baked spaghetti recipe. Should I drain the juice off the diced tomatoes before adding them?
    Thanks,
    Ruth

  4. This will not be the last time this dish is made. Moved up to the top of my favorites. The ease of making to the taste.
    Throw a salad and garlic bread in – dinner is served. Thank you.5 stars

  5. Hi, I went by recipe and mine was a little dry. Is there anything that I might add to be a bit more juicy? Thanks much. Peggy

    1. Hi Peggy, you can add a little extra pasta sauce or try a splash of broth to help add some additional moisture to this recipe.

  6. DO YOU HAVE A BAKED SPAGETTI RECIPE THAT YOU CAN ADD RICCOTA CHEESE TO. I HAVE SEEN IT IN RESTAURANTS AND IT IS VERY GOOD.5 stars

  7. I’m not usually a fan of baked spaghetti, but my family is.. so I’ve tried several recipes for it and I must say this one is the best!! It was still saucy when it was done and the flavors worked together really well! I made it as written with Italian Sausage- but it seems versatile enough to make changes for family preferences (for example if you don’t like green pepper you could sub mushrooms–or really anything) This will be my go-to baked spaghetti going forward! YUM5 stars

  8. Feel in love with the picture! Made it tonight, with penne pasta, extra hamburger, only fiesta cheese. OMG it was so good! paid with a house salad and Moto City Frozen cheese bread. Wish I could send the picture, my family raved about it!5 stars

    1. I’m so glad you loved it! If you have Instagram you can tag us at @spendpennies so we can see your yummy version!

  9. So good!! I didn’t have exactly the right amount of spaghetti sauce (only 24oz), used ground turkey, whole wheat spaghetti, only had a can of crushed tomatoes, and no green pepper or parsley. Still turned out DELICIOUS. Whole family loved it, even me. I’m usually hyper critical of my own cooking, but this is a great recipe – the method is spot on, easy to customize or omit per your tastes.5 stars

  10. My man friend is very picky but he wants me to make this dish every week! It’s very good! I used Italian sausage so I don’t need a lot of extra seasoning and I did not add any salt. Delicious!