If you love family friendly casserole recipes like this one, be sure to also try our Tuna Noodle Casserole, Easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole, and Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole. There is just something so incredibly comforting about a good, hearty casserole that I can’t resist. This cheesy baked spaghetti casserole is one of my favorites from my childhood. I remember my mom making it on Halloween night, year after year, before we went out trick-or-treating because she wanted us to have something healthy and filling in our bellies before we glutted ourselves on our hoard of candy. She knew that all five of her children would eat up this kid-friendly dinner super fast so we could get out trick-or-treating. Baked spaghetti casserole is so good and so timeless that I am still making it as an adult for my own family. We love it with breadsticks or garlic bread and a fresh, crispy green salad with Olive Garden salad dressing on the side.
What is baked spaghetti?
Baked spaghetti (sometimes called Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti) has layers of pasta, a hearty, meaty spaghetti sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and a unique filling of cottage cheese and sour cream that gives this casserole a wonderful flavor. Other versions call for ricotta cheese, or cream cheese, or some combination of the above, but we like the cottage cheese and sour cream approach best. I usually have both of those ingredients on hand since I like cottage cheese but no one else in my family will eat it except in this spaghetti casserole, so this is a great way of using it up. If you really want to make things easy, go ahead and just use your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce with the browned ground beef and onions to create the meat sauce. But if you have never tried my classic homemade marinara sauce, it’s absolutely delicious and takes baked spaghetti casserole to a whole other level! This baked spaghetti recipe makes enough to feed an army, filling a 9×13-inch baking dish right up to the top. But like most baked pasta dishes, this easy baked spaghetti is just as good (if not better) as leftovers the next day. O you can divide it between two square baking dishes and just bake one for tonight and freeze the other for a future meal, which is what I typically do for my family of 4. Because baked spaghetti freeze so well, it’s also a great option for taking to a friend who just had a baby or is going through a difficult time.
How to Make Baked Spaghetti Casserole
How do I cook spaghetti?
When I was little, my mom never set a timer and I remember learning that one way you could tell if spaghetti was done was by throwing one of the spaghetti noodles at a wall or the fridge to see if it would stick. If it didn’t stick, the pasta wasn’t done yet and needed to cook longer. If it stuck there, then it was done! Now I don’t mess around and just set a timer. I’m so boring in my old age, lol.
How long do you bake frozen spaghetti casserole?
If you made this baked spaghetti recipe as a freezer meal, you can bake it straight from frozen without bothering to let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Just make sure the casserole is covered in foil and place it in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 60-75 minutes until it is hot all the way through. Remove the foil and let the cheese brown a bit on the top of the baked spaghetti, about 10 minutes or so, then serve like normal. To cut down on the cooking time, move the frozen spaghetti casserole from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan to serve it and let it thaw, then bake as normal. When I know I’m making this as a freezer meal and don’t want to tie up my regular baking dishes, I will either buy those disposable aluminum foil pans, or line my baking dishes with a couple layers of foil before filling with the casserole. Once the casserole is frozen, you can easily remove the entire thing from the pan in a block and transfer it to a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Then when you want to bake it, just unwrap it from the plastic and settle it into your regular baking dish to bake.
Can you freeze cooked baked spaghetti?
Yes, you can freeze the leftovers, even if they have already been baked. In this case, I recommend letting the frozen baked spaghetti thaw completely in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a 375 degree F oven, covered with foil, until hot all the way through (about 45 minutes). You can also portion out individual servings of the cooked baked spaghetti and freeze them that way in individual freezer safe ziploc bags. Then it is easy to take to work and just thaw and reheat one portion in the microwave.
Variations & Substitutions
Sometimes I will add 8 ounces of chopped mushrooms to the ground beef and onions because I love mushrooms in spaghetti sauce. You could probably sneak in diced carrots or zucchini the same way for added veggies.You can use sweet Italian sausage in place of the ground beef. Ricotta cheese works in place of the cottage cheese. Just mix with sour cream as directed. The flavor is slightly different and not as creamy as with cottage cheese, but still wonderful.
More Pasta Recipes Your Family Will Love
Chicken Spaghetti CasseroleWhite Chicken Spinach LasagnaThe Best Spaghetti and Meatballs RecipeHomemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Pasta SkilletOne Pot Bruschetta Chicken PastaEasy Homemade German SpaetzleOne Pot Lasagna SoupCheesy Tortellini & Chicken Pumpkin Alfredo BakeStuffed ShellsBaked ManicottiMy Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
