Baked Spaghetti Recipe

4.65 from 74 votes

This Southern Baked Spaghetti contains several indulgent layers of rich and meaty Bolognese, pasta and luscious cheesy creamy filling making this THE dish to serve at every potluck, game day and celebration you have!

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Resting Time15

Total Time2 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, soul food, Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 446kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Spaghetti Sauce

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 lb Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped green peppers
Seasoned salt to taste
1/4 tsp Black pepper to taste
1 tbsp minced garlic
42 oz crushed tomatoes
29 oz tomato sauce
2 tbsp red wine
¼ cup chicken stock
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

For the Ricotta Filling

15 oz ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 ½ tsp basil chopped
¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt

For the Remaining Ingredients

16 ounces spaghetti
3-4 cups mozzarella or Italian blend shredded cheese
Parsley for garnish

Instructions

For the Spaghetti Sauce

Add olive oil to large pot over medium high heat on stove.
Add ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, green pepper and salt and pepper. Brown until cooked.
Next add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Then add in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, chicken stock, Italian seasoning, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Continue to simmer until sauce has thickened about 30-40 minutes.

For the Ricotta Filling

Combine ricotta cheese, egg, basil, parmesan cheese and salt in a large bowl and mix until combined.
Set aside.

For the Spaghetti Pasta

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil then add spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Don't cook all the way. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Add sauce to spaghetti and toss to combine then set sauced spaghetti aside.
Preheat oven to 375.

For Assembly

Begin layering by adding ⅓ of sauced spaghetti to bottom of the 9x13 deep baking dish.
Next spread with half of ricotta filling then top with a large amount of mozzarella cheese..
Repeat steps with layering of spaghetti then the remaining half of ricotta cheese and mozzarella.
Finally add final layer of spaghetti then top with shredded cheese.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly and delicious. Cool for 10-15 minutes, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes

How to store & reheat baked spaghetti

Cool the spaghetti casserole down to room temp then store in an airtight container.

Reheat a single portion in the microwave or you can reheat the casserole dish in the oven until hot and bubbly again (about 15-25 minutes at 350°F).

How long will baked spaghetti last in the fridge?

It should last up to 3-4 days.

Can I freeze spaghetti casserole?

For sure boos. You can freeze spaghetti bake before or after you cook it up. Just wrap super tightly in plastic wrap then in foil and freeze. Add the date. It should last up to 3 months.

Nutrition