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Cheesy Baked Spaghetti

Cheesy baked spaghetti combines lightly undercooked pasta, meat sauce, ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella in one comforting casserole. It is an easy dinner for family meals, potlucks, and make-ahead entertaining.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Sauce
  • 1 pound Dry spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 pound Lean ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 small Small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 24 ounces Marinara or spaghetti sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon, plus more for pasta water Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Cheese Mixture and Topping
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup Ricotta cheese or small-curd cottage cheese
  • 2 cups, divided Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup, optional Shredded cheddar or additional mozzarella
Garnish
  • As needed optional garnish Chopped parsley

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti 1–2 minutes less than the package directions, then drain it well.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the ground beef or Italian sausage with the diced onion for 6–8 minutes, until the meat is browned and the onion is tender. Drain excess fat.
  4. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper, then simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the Parmesan and ricotta or cottage cheese. Toss the drained spaghetti with this cheese mixture until the strands are evenly coated.
  6. Spread about half of the meat sauce in the prepared baking dish. Add the spaghetti mixture, then spoon the remaining sauce over the top.
  7. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the casserole and add the optional cheddar or extra mozzarella.
  8. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
  9. Let the baked spaghetti rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

Cook the spaghetti slightly less than package directions so it does not become mushy in the oven. Rest the casserole for 10 minutes before serving for cleaner portions. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat individual portions until hot.