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Baked spaghetti has become one of my go-to comfort dinners. It’s rich and cheesy like lasagna, but much easier to throw together on a busy night.
If you love cozy, all-in-one meals like taco casserole, hamburger casserole, or homemade hamburger helper, this is right up your alley. With a flavorful meat sauce, melty cheese, and tender pasta baked until bubbly, it’s simple, satisfying, and always a hit. I usually make it with my homemade marinara, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser.
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Why this recipe will be a family favorite
- Hearty and comforting: Like lasagna, but easier to make—and still packed with flavor.
- Pantry-friendly: Made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Easy to customize: Swap in ground turkey, sausage, or sneak in extra veggies.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble it earlier in the day or freeze for later. It’s perfect for meal prep, batch cooking, or stocking the freezer for busy days.
- Always a hit: Kids and grown-ups both go back for seconds (and thirds!).
What you’ll need
- Ground meat: I usually go with lean ground beef, but you could also use ground turkey or a mix with sausage if you prefer.
- Spaghetti: Regular dried spaghetti works best. Just cook it until al dente so it holds up during baking.
- Onion and garlic: These two are the base of the sauce and give it depth—don’t skip them!
- Olive oil: Just enough to sauté the aromatics and keep things from sticking.
- Sauce: I like using my homemade marinara sauce for this, but store-bought is perfectly fine too.
- Cheese mixture: A blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan gives you that gooey, golden, cheesy top.
- Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper: Simple, balanced seasoning to bring everything together.
- Fresh basil: For a pop of color and freshness right before serving.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make baked spaghetti
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
A) Cook the meat sauce
Start by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5–7 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Next, add the ground meat along with the Italian seasoning, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned — about 8–10 minutes.
Once browned, pour in the marinara sauce. Stir everything together, cover the pan, and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
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6B) Cook the spaghetti
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
7C) Layer and bake
Mix the cooked spaghetti with the meat sauce until well combined. Transfer it into a baking dish.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese mixture evenly over the top, then cover the dish with foil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF (190ºC) for 25–30 minutes. In the last few minutes, remove the foil to allow the cheese to melt and bubble.
Let the baked spaghetti rest for at least 5 minutes (or longer if you want neater slices), then garnish with chopped fresh basil and serve.
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13Recipe tips
• Don’t overcook the pasta: Boil it just until al dente—this keeps it from getting mushy after baking.
• Let it rest before serving: This helps everything set so it slices more cleanly and doesn’t fall apart.
• Mix and match cheeses: You can swap in provolone, fontina, or use all mozzarella if that’s what you have.
Make-ahead & storage tips
This baked spaghetti is perfect for prepping in advance or freezing for later.
- Make ahead: Assemble the full dish in your baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. If baking straight from the fridge, add 5–10 extra minutes to the baking time.
- Fridge: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze either before or after baking. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil or transfer to a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months.
- Reheat:
- From the fridge: Microwave individual portions for 2–3 minutes, or reheat the full dish covered in a 350ºF oven for 15–20 minutes.
- From frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat covered at 375ºF for 25–30 minutes. To bake straight from frozen, cover with foil and bake at 375ºF for 45–50 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10–15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
FAQs
Yes! You can skip the meat entirely or replace it with cooked lentils or sautéed mushrooms for a hearty vegetarian version.
Definitely. You can split the recipe between two smaller baking dishes—bake one now and freeze the other for later.
More comfort food ideas
If you loved this baked spaghetti, here are a few other hearty, family-friendly meals to try:
Liked the recipe? Leave a comment and a rating — I’d love to hear from you!
Baked Spaghetti Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×13-inch baking dish
- 1 pasta pot
- 1 large spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 pound spaghetti uncooked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5 small garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5–7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the ground meat along with the Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks, for 8–10 minutes.
- Pour in the marinara sauce. Stir well, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Mix the cooked pasta and sauce until well combined, then layer into a baking dish and top with the cheese mixture.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes. In the last few minutes, remove the foil so the cheese can melt and bubble on top.
- Let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving — or up to 15 minutes if you want clean, sliceable portions like a casserole.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So simple I love it! Going to try it tonight for dinner.
Thank you! Hope you like it
This is delicious and super easy! Reminds me of the spaghetti my mom used to make.
So happy to hear this, thanks for sharing 🙂