Name: Cheesy Baked Spaghetti
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 pound Ground beef; 1 small Onion (diced); 1 clove Garlic (minced); 16 ounces Tomato sauce (or a jar of spaghetti sauce of choice); 2 cups Water (reserved water that pasta cooked in); 1 tablespoon Seasoned salt; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 tablespoon Garlic powder; 1/2 tablespoon Onion powder; 1 teaspoon Black pepper; 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes ((optional)); 1 tablespoon Sugar ((optional)); 8 ounces Velveeta cheese (cubed); 3 cups Mozzarella cheese; 2 cups Italian cheese blend; 16 ounces Spaghetti noodles; Enough water to cover and boil spaghetti; 1 teaspoon Salt (for water to boil pasta)

Take Me to the Recipe

This Easy and Cheesy Baked Spaghetti is a delicious and filling Italian- inspired spaghetti casserole dish made with tender spaghetti noodles, rich tomato sauce, and plenty of gooey cheese. Perfect for a quick cozy weeknight dinner! This hearty baked spaghetti recipe is sure to become a family favorite

Be sure to check out this Easy and Delicious Lasagna, as well as this Rasta Pasta with Sausage, Shrimp, and Chicken while you are here!

fork full of baked spaghetti with cheese pull

Having the ability to cook for a large family of six is a must in my household. So a good spaghetti bake is in constant rotation. Even more important, being able to cook for my family of six, as well as any additional company we may have!

Why you will love this recipe

Make ahead: Save yourself some time in the kitchen and make this ahead of time. Just add your cooked spaghetti to your sauce, add in the cheese mixture, and bake it when you are ready.

Comfort food: This spaghetti bake is the ultimate comfort dish. There is nothing like a quick and easy plate of pasta for dinner!

Everyday ingredients: Most people keep a box of spaghetti noodles and spaghetti sauce in the pantry! These are the main ingredients that make up this spaghetti mixture for the dish!

tray with spaghetti mixed with sauce ready for the oven

What you need to make the Cheesy Baked Spaghetti:

Here are the key ingredients you should gather prior to getting started:

Meat: you can definitely use Italian sausage instead of ground beef, or use both Italian sausage and beef! Ground turkey is another great substitution.
Cheese: adding American cheese to the spaghetti sauce helps give you that overall cheesiness that you want. You will also need mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese
Garlic and onion: these are necessary to add that extra flavor to your marinara sauce.
Spaghetti noodles: grab your favorite brand of noodles for this baked spaghetti casserole.
Seasonings: seasoned salt, garlic and onion powder, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and sugar (which are optional, keep reading)!

skillet with ground beef and onions cooking

How to make a spaghetti bake

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Now boil your spaghetti noodles according to the package directions, and drain them, reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta water et.

Brown your ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain any excess fat and add in your garlic and onion and saute until they are soft, for about 5 minutes.

If you are using ground turkey, be sure to add olive oil to the skillet prior to adding the meat.

skillet with ground beef and spaghetti sauce

Now add your tomato sauce, reserved water, and seasonings, including Italian seasoning. Stir until everything is combined.

Then add in your American cheese directly into the meaty marinara sauce and stir it around until it melts.

Place your noodles in the baking dish and pour your sauce right over the top. Mix it up until everything is fully combined.

Sprinkle your mozzerella cheese over the top. Now you will place a sheet of aluminum foil right over it and place the dish in your 350 degrees oven. Bake the spaghetti for 25 minutes, then remove it.

Sprinkle some fresh basil right over the top, and serve with some garlic bread!

seasonings for the spaghetti in a clear bowl

Cheese additions and alternatives

The American cheese is the most delicious to add that scrumptious cheesiness that you want. Instead of American cheese you can add: ricotta cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or even sour cream.

Meat variations:

Add pepperoni: chop it up and add it to the meat sauce, then layer whole slices of pepperoni on top of the spaghetti before you bake it
Italian sausage: mix the Italian sausage with the ground beef for an added layer of flavor.

FAQ & Pro Tips

Pro Tips

Bring your water to a rapid boil prior to adding your spaghetti noodles to ensure they cook evenly.
Do not overcook the thin spaghetti or noodles because the pasta will continue cooking in the sauce when you bake it in the oven.
If your sauce is too thick, add an extra can of tomato sauce and be sure to adjust the seasonings to taste.

What is Al Dente Pasta

Al dente pasta is the best way to cook any dry pasta. It is where the pasta still has a "bite" to it. So instead of being super soggy, it is still a bit firm, and has a slight chew to it.

The term al dente means "to the tooth in Italian. One of the main reasons this is important for this dish, is because the cooking process is going to continue when it is mixed with the tomato meat sauce.

overhead view of baked spaghetti ready to be put in the oven

How do I cook pasta al dente?

Bring water to a rapid boil, add pasta, cook for 7-10 minutes. After 7-10 minutes, use a strainer to drain the water. Rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process.

What do I do if my pasta sauce is too thick?

Before draining the water the spaghetti noodles boil in, be sure to reserve at least two cups. This starchy pasta water will help thin out the tomato meat sauce.

What's the difference between baked spaghetti and lasagna?

Lasagna uses sheets of pasta made into layers in a baking dish, whereas baked spaghetti is thin pasta mixed in with your meat sauce and other ingredients and baked in a dish.

More Pasta Recipes to Try:

Since you love this baked spaghetti, be sure to try these pasta dishes too!

After you try this Baked Spaghetti recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Comment below and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for more delicious recipes!

📖 Recipe

baked spaghetti n a spoon with steam coming out

Cheesy Baked Spaghetti

This Cheesy Baked spaghetti is traditional, but with a delicious twist! It is made super cheesy with the addition of American, and other delicious shredded cheeses, and a super flavorful sauce.

Print Recipe Save Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 40

Course: dinner, Italian Inspired

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken spaghetti, ground beef, ground beef recipes

Servings: Servings

Calories: 526kcal

Author: Tamara J.

Ingredients

1 pound Ground beef
1 small Onion diced
1 clove Garlic minced
16 ounces Tomato sauce or a jar of spaghetti sauce of choice
2 cups Water reserved water that pasta cooked in
1 tablespoon Seasoned salt
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ tablespoon Garlic powder
½ tablespoon Onion powder
1 teaspoon Black pepper
1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon Sugar (optional)
8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
3 cups Mozzarella cheese
2 cups Italian cheese blend
16 ounces Spaghetti noodles
Enough water to cover and boil spaghetti
1 teaspoon Salt for water to boil pasta

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large stockpot of water to a rapid boil. Put enough water in the stockpot to cover the spaghetti noodles. Add the teaspoon of salt to the water.
Once the water comes to a rapid boil, slowly add the pasta. Use a large spoon to separate the spaghetti noodles while they cook.
Reserve two cups of the cooking liquid and set aside. Once the pasta reaches an al dente texture, about 7-8 minutes of cooking (tender, but not soggy), strain the water and rinse the spaghetti with cold water to stop the cooking process; and set aside.
While the pasta is boiling, in a separate, deep skillet, add the ground beef and cook over medium heat. Use a spoon or spatula to break the ground beef up into small pieces.
After almost all of the pink is cooked out of the beef, add the onions and garlic. Continue to stir the mixture until all of the pink is cooked out of the ground beef.
Use a strainer to drain the grease off of the ground beef mixture, (do not rinse the meat). Add the ground beef back to the skillet, and turn heat to low-med.
Gently pour the tomato sauce into the skillet with the ground beef, and mix well. Add one cup of the reserved pasta water into the skillet and mix it together.
Sprinkle in all of the seasonings, and sugar (optional), and mix until combined. Next, add the Velveeta cheese and stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce. If it is too thick, slowly add in the remaining one cup of water.
Spray a deep casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Gently pour the spaghetti sauce into the dish. Next pour the cooked spaghetti noodles into the dish.
Add half of the mozzarella cheese into the dish with the pasta. Using tongs or a spoon, mix the sauce into the pasta and cheese until combined well.
Sprinkle the remaining remaining cheeses on over the top of the spaghetti. Add fresh basil or Italian seasoning over the top if desired.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. After the spaghetti bakes for 30 minutes, remove the foil and set the oven to broil.
Optional: Broil the spaghetti for 2-3 minutes KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IT SO IT DOES NOT BURN! This step is to brown and crisp up the cheese on top of the spaghetti.
Remove the spaghetti from the oven and let it set for 5-7 minutes before serving. And enjoy!