Turn Spaghetti into a baked dish! This Spaghetti Bake is easy to make and packed with crunchy peppers and mushrooms plus all the cheesy goodness. This classic dish is transformed into a delicious and comforting casserole perfect for any weeknight meal!
Original recipe posted: March 2012 | Recipe updated: October 2019
Recently I’ve given priority to refining old recipes from this website. Some of my older recipes, while delicious, need new photos, new words and a refreshed perspective. I originally posted this Spaghetti Bake back in 2012 and it was in need of a makeover! I had forgotten just how yummy this casserole is and devoured it waaaay too quickly.
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE
Having a favorite recipe for those busy nights is key to getting a filling meal into your family’s bellies. Everyone loves spaghetti but sometimes it needs changing up. This recipe helps you do that! Whether you use a jar of spaghetti sauce from the grocery store or my homemade recipe, this recipe comes together quickly and you’ll still be on track with your evening.
HOW TO MAKE BAKED SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE
I love that this Spaghetti Bake is super easy to make. Feel free to pack in any veggies that are hanging out in your fridge and adjust the ingredients based on what your family loves!
STEP 1 – PREPARE THE NOODLES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to the package minus 3 minutes and drain. You don’t want the noodles to be quite al dente because you are going to bake it further.
STEP 2 – PREPARE THE MEAT SAUCE
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Add spaghetti sauce and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
STEP 3 – BUILDING THE CASSEROLE
Layer the baking dish as follows: half of the spaghetti noodles, half of the sauce mixture, ricotta cheese, oregano, the remaining spaghetti noodles, the remaining sauce, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve warm with a crusty bread and salad.
MAKING A BATCH OF INSTANT POT SPAGHETTI SAUCE IS EASY! WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR A QUICK TUTORIAL:
RECIPE TIPS
In order to make this recipe super delicious, prepare my Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce to WOW everyone with a tasty sauce that upgrades your spaghetti from just ok to AHmazing.
Mozzarella cheese can be substituted for any cheese or to make it cheesier!
If you don’t have ricotta cheese, cottage cheese is a great substitute.
Not a fan of peppers? Chop up some zucchini or dice some kale!
Spaghetti noodles are the go-to for this meal most of the time, but when you’re layering food and baking it, anything goes! Farfalle or penne pasta would be a fun change up, too.
Reheat your casserole easily by tossing it in the oven! Keep it covered so you don’t lose any moisture and the food heats throughout the dish evenly, then take the top off the last few minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning for even more of an Italian flare.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH YOUR DISH
Serve yourself up a large bowl of baked spaghetti and pair it with one of these recipes!
OTHER COMFORTING MEALS
If you’re looking for more delicious, easy, comforting recipes, check out these hearty, Italian flavors and other change ups: Spaghetti and Meatballs, Reuben Braid or 4-Cheese Stuffed Shells. Check out this Chicken and Rice Bake that you can make in the Instant Pot too that will KNOCK the socks right off your feet.
DO I NEED TO COVER A CASSEROLE IN THE OVEN?
There is no hard and fast rule for whether or not a casserole should be covered with foil during baking. All recipes differ, but here are some things to consider when deciding whether or not to cover your baking dish.
Covering a dish during the baking process traps in moisture and keeps ingredients from getting crispy or burnt. If the dish contains exposed noodles or bread or something that may burn or dry out easily, then it should be covered for a majority of the cook time. Also, if the recipe contains uncooked rice, pasta or grains, it is important to cover the pan in order to trap steam inside which help it to cook more quickly and evenly.
Leaving a dish uncovered during baking will ensure that the top layer gets browned and it also aids in reducing liquids inside the dish. If all of the ingredients in the dish are pre-cooked, baking uncovered is recommended.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO FREEZE CASSEROLES
If you want to freeze a casserole for later use, you have a couple options:
Freeze unbaked – Assemble the layers as directed in an aluminum baking pan and wrap tightly in foil. Place into resealable freezer bags and freeze for 3-4 months. When you are ready to enjoy the casserole, let it thaw completely (preferably in the fridge overnight) and bake as directed on the recipe.
Freeze baked – Assemble the layers and bake as directed in an aluminum baking pan. Let the casserole cool completely and wrap tightly in foil. Place into resealable freezer bags and freeze for 3-4 months. When you are ready to enjoy the casserole, let it thaw completely (preferably in the fridge overnight). Reheat in a 250 degree F oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Easy Baked Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper seeded, stem removed, chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium zucchini sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 oz spaghetti sauce jar
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti 3 minutes short of package instructions and drain.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Add spaghetti sauce and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Layer the baking dish as follows: half of the spaghetti noodles, half of the sauce mixture, ricotta cheese, oregano, the remaining spaghetti noodles, the remaining sauce, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve warm with a crusty bread and salad.
I definitely need to cook with ricotta more often. What an underrated cheese! What a great finishing picture! Delicious!
This was SO yummy, Megan! I am going to make this for Chris for sure!
This sounds and looks amazing!! Yummy 🙂
The dish looks so good. My kids would eat the whole batch.
Thanks so much for the delicious recipe!!! We had this for dinner tonight and we loved it!!!!