Baked spaghetti is similar to lasagna, but made with spaghetti noodles instead. Rich tomato sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, and pasta come together into one family-friendly meal. Can be made GF, Vegan, and Vegetarian.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Return meat to the skillet and add the marinara and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
In a bowl mix 2 cups cottage OR ricotta cheese with fresh chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Drain spaghetti well (do not rinse) and return to the pot; add the egg mixture and toss to coat. This will become your binder in the oven.
Now into a greased (butter, non-stick cooking spray, olive oil, etc) 9" x 13" casserole dish, add half of the spaghetti, taking care to spread it out to the edges of the pan, and then spoon half of the cottage cheese (or ricotta) mixture, meat sauce, and mozzarella cheese over the top -- again, working to the edges of the pan. Repeat with a second layer in reverse order so the cheese ends up on top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 40 minutes then uncover and bake another 20 minutes longer or until cheese is melted, golden-brown, and bubbly.
Notes
Nutritional information is for lean ground beef.
Be sure to follow manufacture recommendations if you chose to freeze glass pans as they can shatter in the oven if reheated improperly.
Frequently Asked QuestionsCan Baked Spaghetti be made ahead? Absolutely. This is even great reheated and served the next day. If you are making this ahead, stop after you have layered it. Cover and refrigerate and then continue with the baking instructions when you are ready.Can Baked Spaghetti be frozen? Yes. Just be sure to use an appropriate freezer-safe dish and follow any manufacturer instructions on reheating if using glass baking pans. I generally freeze in aluminum pans and top with foil for safety.If you are cooking from frozen, make sure you have an aluminum pan. Glass can sometimes shatter in the oven. You will bake at 350F for about 80-90 minutes.
How do I reheat Baked Spaghetti? It can be reheated on half-power in the microwave for a quick meal or in the oven. If I use the oven cover and reheat at 275F until the cheese is hot and bubbly and the layers are heated through. The time will depend on the size portion you are reheating.
Is Baked Spaghetti Gluten-Free? It can be! The recipe pictured here was made with GF spaghetti noodles. Note that a box of GF noodles is only 12 oz and not 16. I went with just a 12 oz box but if you had 2 boxes you could use 1/4 of a second box but I didn't find that necessary.