American
Baked Spaghetti
Spaghetti is mixed with a seasoned beef and tomato sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until the edges bubble. It tastes savory and tomato-rich, with a melted cheese layer on top.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The beef is cooked to 160°F before it is mixed with the pasta.
- Baking melts the cheese and thickens the sauce at the edges.
- A little pasta water, held in the sauce, keeps the noodles from drying.
- Resting the pan makes neat squares instead of a slide of sauce.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375°F. Boil the spaghetti in salted water until just tender. Drain it.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing. Cook the onion for 4 minutes.
- 3
Add the garlic, then the ground beef, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the beef reaches 160°F, about 7 minutes.
- 4
Stir in the marinara and simmer 5 minutes. Fold in the spaghetti.
- 5
Top with the mozzarella and cheddar.
- 6
Bake until the cheese is melted and the edges bubble, about 20 minutes. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Pro tips
- Undercook the spaghetti by a minute because it finishes in the oven.
- If your skillet is not oven-safe, move the mixture to a baking dish before the cheese goes on.
- Use a mix of mozzarella and cheddar so the top browns and still stretches.
Easy substitutions
- ground beef
- ground turkey cooked to 165°F
- cheddar cheese
- more mozzarella
- marinara sauce
- a jar of tomato-basil pasta sauce
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers covered for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat covered at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until the center is hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 484
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Budget friendly · Oven, Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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