This Easy Baked Spaghetti is a one-pan meal that’s always a hit at the supper table or at a covered dish supper. With a creamy, cheesy center, and a meaty sauce, this pasta casserole is comfort food taken to a whole new level!
Baked Spaghetti Casserole is one of those feel-good dinners I turn to when I want something easy and satisfying. This cozy casserole is loaded with savory beef, rich sauce, and lots of cheese—all baked together into one happy, hearty meal. It’s weeknight comfort made easy.
5-Star Reader Comment
This is the best baked spaghetti I have ever had! Husband and guest loved it!
Sue
Don’t miss my spaghetti casserole recipes like Rotel Chicken Spaghetti and Easy Taco Spaghetti, which are hearty, delicious meals that are also freezer-friendly.
Spaghetti Casserole Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I use lean ground beef for this recipe.
- Medium Onion: Adding a yellow onion to the sauce is a trick to enhance store-bought marinara.
- Marinara Sauce: I like to use Rao’s because it uses very simple ingredients with no additives from other store-bought sauces. You can also use my homemade spaghetti sauce.
- Cottage Cheese: This is one of the ingredients that really sets this spaghetti bake recipe apart. Cottage cheese is much creamier than ricotta and packs in more protein.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated parmesan cheese to add a wonderful saltiness and rich flavor.
- Eggs: Helps to bind the parmesan mixture, making a true casserole that can be cut and served.
- Spaghetti: Classic spaghetti is my favorite, but you can also use whole wheat pasta as well.
- Cream Cheese: Our reader Angela said, “The cream cheese makes this recipe pop with creamy cheesiness,” and I agree.
- Mozzarella: No Italian spaghetti bake is complete without that mouthwatering mozzarella cheese pull!
Variations and Additions
- Substitute ground turkey or Italian sausage (like in my Italian Sausage Ravioli Bake) for the beef.
- If you are trying to eat more vegetables, this sauce is a great place to toss in mushrooms, zucchini, and diced bell pepper.
- Fancy up the meat sauce with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
What You’ll Need to Make It
- A 9×13-inch baking dish (go ahead and lightly grease it for easy cleanup.)
- A large skillet for cooking the beef.
- A stirring spoon and cheese grater for prepping ingredients.
- Kitchen tongs for mixing pasta and sauce.
How to Make Easy Baked Spaghetti
Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet.
Step 2 – Drain the fat, mix in the marinara sauce, and let simmer. While that cooks, make the spaghetti noodles as directed on the package.
How Long Should I Cook Spaghetti?
Pasta should always be cooked in a large pot of salted water to al dente, which means cooked through but still having a bite to it. This is especially important because the spaghetti in the oven will continue to cook in the sauce and cheese mixture.
Step 3 – When the spaghetti is drained, add the cream cheese and mix well to completely coat the noodles. The mixture will be thick, so I recommend tongs to stir the noodles.
Step 4 – Place approximately ½ cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Place half of the spaghetti on top of the meat mixture, smoothing to the edges of the baking dish. Layer on cottage cheese mixture, covering all of the spaghetti.
Step 5 – Layer remaining spaghetti over cheese. Spoon the remaining meat mixture over all layers. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake.
Step 6 – Remove the foil, sprinkle on Parmesan cheese, and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut and serve.
Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly Tips
- Prep ahead: Assemble the casserole the night before and refrigerate. Bake it fresh in the morning—no stress, no fuss!
- Freeze and reheat: Bake once, cool, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, bake at 350°F until warmed through, and expect a hearty, delicious casserole anytime.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Microwave individual portions or reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes—just like fresh!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small to medium onion – chopped
- 1 24 oz jar Marinara sauce – I use Rao’s
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese – grated
- 1 egg
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese – grated
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until done. Drain off fat. Pour Mariana sauce over the meat and mix well.
- In a large pot, cook spaghetti to al dente (firm and not over cooked). When done, drain. Add the softened cream cheese and mix well, coating all spaghetti. The mixture will be thick, so I recommend using tongs to stir.
- Mix together, in a medium size bowl, cottage cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese and egg.
- To build baked spaghetti, place approximately ½ cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Place half of the spaghetti on top of the meat mixture, smoothing to the edges of the casserole dish. Layer on cottage cheese mixture, covering all of the spaghetti. Layer remaining spaghetti over cheese.
- Spoon the remaining meat mixture over all layers. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle on ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden brown.
- Remove from and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
Video
Notes
- For more sauce: this easy baked spaghetti with jar sauce recipe is great because you can easily add a little more or less sauce, depending on your family’s preferences. You can also heat leftover sauce and serve it on the side if you like.
- To make ahead: follow the recipe, but do not bake. Cover with foil and store in the fridge until you’re ready to cook and serve.
- To freeze: follow the recipe as written, but instead of baking it, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, let it thaw overnight the night before, then bake as directed.
- Store leftover baked spaghetti covered with aluminum foil or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven or individual servings in the microwave.
Nutrition
Questions And Answers
Yes! Use sautéed mushrooms and bell peppers instead of beef, and add extra herbs for flavor.
Absolutely—just use two 9×13 pans. One’s for now, one’s for later!
Try Pepper Jack for spice, or a combination of ricotta and mozzarella for extra creaminess.
What To Serve With Oven Baked Spaghetti
My favorite way to turn this into a full spaghetti dinner is with Antipasto Skewers, garlic parmesan skillet rolls, easy everyday green salad, and everyone’s favorite cinnamon sugar dessert pizza!
Craving More? Try These Pasta Recipes
If you tried this Easy Baked Spaghetti Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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I made this with ground italian sausage. Everybody LOVED it!!! Thanks for a new family favorite!!
This was so good and very flaverful. We used ricotta instead of cottage cheese. We will be making this a lot thanks for sharing!
I made this wonderful recipe last night. I loved it going to take it now to share with friends. This is the perfect bring u close meal for the times we are now in. Of course I double the recipe which was simple ? Thank you for I look forward to making many more of your recipes.
So sad I didn’t read the comments before I made it. I don’t like cottage cheese and meant to use ricotta. ;-(
Hey Stephanie.
I hope you’ll give the recipe another try and switch out the cottage cheese for ricotta.
Have a great day,
~Donya
Its coming along nicely. And I think I like the cottage cheese. Wonderful recipe, thank you!
Hey Stephanie!
I am thrilled to hear it turned out well, and I am so glad you ended up liking it with the cottage cheese! I hope you make it again, and if you try it with the ricotta let me know how it goes! I hope you have a great day!
~Donya
There should not have been any difference in the flavor at all.
Hey Katie!
Thanks so much for your great rating, I appreciate it! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, and you’re right there shouldn’t be a real difference in flavor if you substitute the cottage cheese for ricotta. Have a great day!
~Donya
Donya, I love how kindly you respond to people who “change” the recipe or add or subtract some ingredients. I admire you and love your dishes.
Hey there Evelyn!
You are so sweet thank you so much! I’ve always thought about recipes as something to find inspiration from. When you cook it’s either for yourself or the people you love, and either way you have to make food the way you want to eat it. I share with y’all the way I like to make these dishes, but it’s important to tweak the recipe to fit your own tastes. Thank you so very much for this kind comment, it truly warmed my heart to read, I appreciate your support. I hope you’re having a great summer!
Best,
~Donya
Can this dish be frozen? If so, do the cooking directions change?
Hey there Richella!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, that’s a terrific question! Yes, this dish is absolutely freezer-friendly! You’ll want to prepare the recipe exactly as stated in the directions, but instead of placing it in the oven to bake, simply wrap it up so it’s airtight and then freeze it. To bake or reheat the dish, bake it for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out if you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
It was a hit with the family. Made it for Christmas Eve dinner. I’m always looking for recipes that don’t keep me in the kitchen while everyone is visiting in the living room. Put it together the day before and refrigerated it. served with salad and hot rolls. Lots of compliments, even the littlest one loved it.
I made this for dinner tonight, and OMG it is truly OUT of this world with delicious flavor. Thanks so much for posting.
You are welcome, Toni! I’m so glad you liked it.
Have a great day,
~Donya
How can I halve this recipe? It’s only me I’m cooking for and don’t like freezing food.
Hey Lisa, you sure can! Just measure out everything for half the recipes and it should turn out beautifully. Enjoy!~
XO,
~Donya
Thank you! Should I still use a 13×9 pan or a smaller one? I want it to come out thick like the picture.
Hey Lisa. I’d use a square 8×8 inch dish. If you don’t have one at home, you could buy a metal one from the grocery. You’ll get a deep layered turn out that way.
Hope this helps,
~Donya
Thanks so much for replying, Donya! It looks and sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it!
I made this it was awesome,
The flavors marry over night, I did split the ground beef with half the amount
Using Italian sweet sausage casings removed
GREAT DISH
I love this! Thanks for the great rating.
Have a good day,
~Donya
This would be an amazing dinner any night of the week!
Oh my gosh!! So good! I did substitute ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese because we don’t like cottage cheese, other than that made exactly as written. We loved it! Will make this regularly.
Thanks so much for letting me know! I love your substitution. I am just ticked you loved the recipe.
XO,
~Donya
It was inhaled….it was that good!!!
Do you have a particular brand of marinara sauce you use? It can make all the difference in taste.
I use Raos sauce. I love them!
XO,
~Donya
We made this for supper tonight!! It was wonderful! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Made this for Dinner today it was delicious but next time I’m going to use 2 lbs of hamburger and 2 24 oz of spaghetti sauce.
Awesome recipe. I made some changes. I didn’t use spaghetti. I used rigatoni. Changed cottage cheese to ricotta. I didn’t cook the pasta to time. I did about 2/12 minutes less. In the ricotta mix I used fresh basil. Seasoned to taste the meat sauce. A little pesto in the cream cheese/ pasta mixture. Parmesan and parsley the last step and it was amazing
Hey Tyra!
Let me just say, that sounds absolutely delicious! I’m glad you made the recipe your own, that’s what cooking is all about after all. Thank you so much for your fantastic rating, I am thrilled you liked the recipe!
~Donya
Well this just sounds so creamy and yummy… I’m going to make this tomorrow !! Thank You for sharing it.