Home » Family Style Dinners » Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Recipe with Ground Beef

Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Recipe with Ground Beef

If your family loves spaghetti but they’re sick of the same old pasta and sauce, they are going to LOVE this cheesy easy baked spaghetti recipe! It’s a cross between spaghetti and meatballs and cheesy lasagna so you’ve got a hearty layer of cheesy noodles topped with a tasty meat sauce and plenty of ooey gooey cheese.

Overhead shot of a baking dish filled with baked spaghetti garnished with parsley


 

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Ground Beef – I typically use 80/20 ground beef for my recipes – don’t forget, fat equals flavor so skip the lean ground beef for this pasta. If you want to spice it up a bit, try using Italian sausage or spicy Italian turkey sausage in place of the beef. You could also use ground turkey or chicken.
  • Yellow Onion –  I prefer using yellow onion for this baked spaghetti, but white onion will also work. I don’t recommend using red onion, though.
  • Fresh Garlic – Freshly minced garlic will always give you the best flavor. But if you don’t have any on hand, just sub 1/2 a teaspoon or so of garlic powder in place of the minced garlic. Add more to taste.
  • Italian SeasoningIf you don’t have Italian Seasoning in your spice cupboard, you can substitute with dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.
  • Spaghetti Sauce – Feel free to use your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce for this recipe. Marinara sauce will work too! Feel free to bulk up the sauce with canned diced tomatoes as well.
  • Spaghetti – I use regular ol’ spaghetti noodles for this pasta casserole, but you can use your favorite long or short cut of pasta. Angel hair, linguine, penne, rigatoni, or rotini will all work great! Just make sure you cook the pasta a couple minutes less than al dente so it doesn’t end up mushy after baking.
  • Cottage Cheese/Whole Milk Ricotta – I like to use small curd 4% whole milk cottage cheese for this baked spaghetti. I love the flavor and texture that it offers. If you want a smoother texture, try pulsing it in the food processor until smooth or using whole milk ricotta in place of the cottage cheese. Some recipes call for eggs, but the cottage cheese/ricotta does a great job of holding the casserole together without eggs.
  • Whole Milk Mozzarella – I love the flavor and texture of whole milk mozzarella compared to part-skim mozzarella. Keep in mind, whole milk mozzarella is not the same as fresh mozzarella. If your grocery store doesn’t have a block of whole milk mozzarella that you can grate yourself, look for pre-shredded whole milk mozzarella. I’ve tried this baked spaghetti recipe with shredded cheddar cheese too and it was delicious!
  • Parmesan Cheese – I like to shred my own Parmesan, so I usually get a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano at the store. But, pre-shredded Parmesan will work as well for this recipe!
  • Heavy Cream – Heavy cream adds another level of creamy deliciousness to the cheesy pasta layer. You can skip it if you don’t have any on hand or sub half the amount called for with half and half.
White marble counter top with bowls of ingredients to make baked spaghetti

How to Make Baked Spaghetti

Boil spaghetti in a large pot of water just until al dente. Brown ground beef in a large skillet, then add onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning along with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper.

Large sauté pan filled with ground beef diced onion and minced garlic

Cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent.

Large sauté pan filled with ground beef diced onion and minced garlic

Add pasta sauce to the beef and onion mixture and stir to combine.

A large sauté pan filled with meat sauce for spaghetti

In a large bowl combine cooked spaghetti noodles, cottage cheese (or ricotta if prefer), mozzarella, Parmesan, heavy cream, Kosher salt, and black pepper.

Large white bowl filled with spaghetti cheese and cottage cheese

Use tongs to toss the ingredients together.

Large white bowl filled with spaghetti noodles coated in cottage cheese and cheese

Transfer to the pan and spread in an even layer.

White baking dish filled with creamy spaghetti noodles coated in cheese

Top pasta with meat sauce.

Creamy spaghetti noodles topped with meaty pasta sauce

Then add mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Homemade spaghetti casserole topped with tons of shredded cheese

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes. Broil for a couple minutes.

Freshly baked spaghetti casserole in a white baking dish

Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut the baked spaghetti casserole into slices. Garnish with Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley and enjoy! Try adding red pepper flakes or fresh basil for a little extra flavor.

Overhead shot of a baking dish filled with baked spaghetti garnished with parsley

Why You Will Love this Baked Spaghetti Recipe

  • It takes just minutes to prepare and can be made in advance! This baked spaghetti recipe has all the feels of a Sunday night dinner but it can be easily thrown together on a weeknight. Spaghetti noodles are mixed with a trifecta of cheeses, then topped with a jazzed-up store-bought pasta sauce and plenty of shredded cheese. Throw it together while the kids are at school and then pop it in the oven about an hour before you’re ready to eat! Don’t forget to serve it with my Easy 5 Minute Garlic Bread!
  • If you loved this cheesy baked spaghetti recipe, be sure to check out my Easy Cottage Cheese Lasagna, my One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta, or my 20 Minute Baked Ravioli Casserole

Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

  • Make-Ahead: This baked spaghetti is the perfect make-ahead meal! You can prep it while the kids are at school and then pop it in the fridge for the afternoon. A couple hours before you’re ready to eat, set the casserole out on the counter for about an hour to come back to room temp, then bake according to the recipe instructions until warmed through.
  • Freezing: To freeze this recipe, follow the recipe instructions but before baking, tightly wrap the casserole in foil, then place in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then let sit on the counter for an hour before baking according to package directions. You may need to add a bit of baking time to account for it being previously frozen. Just follow my tip above for making sure that the casserole is warmed through.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • Reheating: Your leftover baked spaghetti can be reheated in the oven at 350 degrees until it is warmed through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. You can also microwave leftovers in 30-60 second increments until warmed through.
Overhead shot of a baking dish filled with baked spaghetti garnished with parsley

Serve Baked Spaghetti With

Tips

  • Dice the onion super small if your kids don’t like them. They’ll cook down a lot in the meat sauce and then again in the oven and will virtually disappear – the kids will never know!
  • You can skip the ground beef in this recipe for baked spaghetti recipe to keep it vegetarian. We don’t always have ground beef on hand, so sometimes I’ll replace the beef with a few finely diced portabella mushrooms or I’ll just skip it altogether.
  • The grease from cooked ground beef is going to help to sauté the onion and garlic so don’t drain it unless there is a TON. Remember that fat equals flavor and if you’re using local grass-fed beef, you’re likely not going to end up with too much excess grease anyway.
  • Spray the tin foil with cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking to it while it bakes. Covering the dish with tin foil helps heat everything through, but if you don’t spray it with oil it may end up taking that delicious layer of cheese right off the casserole once you uncover it. A thin layer of cooking spray will make sure no cheese is lost. 
  • To test and see if the center of the baked spaghetti is warm, carefully insert a metal butter knife directly into the center of the dish for a few seconds. Remove the knife and carefully feel if it is warm/hot. If it’s still cold, cover the pan tightly with foil and continue baking until warmed through in the center. If it’s warm/hot then you know the casserole is warmed all the way through to the center.
A square slice of baked spaghetti on a white plate

FAQ

Do you cook pasta before making pasta bake?

Cooking pasta before adding it to a baked pasta dish is preferred. Usually, the pasta is only cooked partway so that it finishes cooking in the oven. Dry pasta can be added to a baked pasta dish, but it will require more liquid and longer in the oven to make sure the noodles are done. That’s why I love this simple baked spaghetti recipe!

How do you make baked spaghetti with cheese?

This recipe for baked spaghetti with cheese is made by mixing partially cooked spaghetti noodles with three kinds of cheese, then topping it with a quick and easy meat sauce, and more shredded cheese. Bake at 350 and dinner is done!

Do you cook pasta bake covered or uncovered?

Covering the spaghetti bake with foil is going to help finish cooking the noodles and warm everything through. It also ensures that the top of the casserole doesn’t burn while everything else is cooking. If you bake pasta uncovered you’ll lose a lot of the moisture as well. Don’t forget my pro tip – spray your foil before covering the baked spaghetti so that the cheese doesn’t stick to the foil!

How long should I bake spaghetti?

This easy baked spaghetti will need about 40-50 minutes, covered, in the oven plus another 5-10 minutes uncovered to allow the cheese to melt and brown.

Easy Pasta Recipes

Did you love this recipe?

Please leave a 5-star rating and review below!

Print

Cheesy Baked Spaghetti with Ground Beef

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

If your family loves spaghetti but they’re sick of the same old pasta and sauce, they are going to LOVE this cheesy baked spaghetti recipe! It’s a cross between spaghetti and meatballs and cheesy lasagna so you’ve got a hearty layer of cheesy noodles topped with a tasty meat sauce and plenty of ooey gooey cheese.

  • Author: Kylie
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1012 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stove Top + Oven
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 oz. ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
  • 16 oz. spaghetti noodles
  • 16 oz. whole milk cottage cheese or whole milk ricotta
  • 3 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella
  • 1.5 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions recommend. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, brown ground beef in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
  4. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for about 4 minutes or until the onions become translucent.
  5. Add pasta sauce and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. In a large bowl combine spaghetti noodles, cottage cheese/ricotta cheese, 1/2 the mozzarella, 1/2 the Parmesan, heavy cream, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Use tongs to toss the ingredients together.
  7. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and transfer the spaghetti mixture to the pan. Spread spaghetti in an even layer.
  8. Top pasta with meat sauce. Then add the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
  9. Tightly cover the pan with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the pasta is warmed through, the cheese is melted, and the edges of the pasta are bubbling. Broil for 1-2 minutes if desired to brown the cheese.
  10. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut into slices. Garnish with Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!

Notes

  • Dice the onion super small if your kids don’t like them. They’ll cook down a lot in the meat sauce and then again in the oven and will virtually disappear – the kids will never know!
  • You can skip the ground beef in this baked spaghetti recipe to keep it vegetarian. We don’t always have ground beef on hand, so sometimes I’ll replace the beef with a few finely diced portabella mushrooms or I’ll just skip it all together.
  • The grease from cooked ground beef is going to help to sauté the onion and garlic so don’t drain it unless there is a TON. Remember that fat equals flavor and if you’re using a local grass-fed beef, you’re likely not going to end up with too much excess grease anyway.
  • Spray the tin foil with cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking to it while it bakes. Covering the dish with tin foil helps heat everything through, but if you don’t spray it with oil it may end up taking that delicious layer of cheese right off the casserole once you uncover it. A thin layer of cooking spray will make sure no cheese is lost. 
  • To test and see if the center of the baked spaghetti is warm, carefully insert a metal butter knife directly into the center of the dish for a few seconds. Remove the knife and carefully feel if it is warm/hot. If it’s still cold, cover the pan tightly with foil and continue baking until warmed through in the center. If it’s warm/hot then you know the casserole is warmed all the way through to the center.

18 Comments

  1. Sounds really good. I see you can double the recipe, but would it work if I halved it? There is only 2 of us and we couldn’t eat all this in 3 months even if I froze it. thank you

  2. And – what about using ‘leftover” spaghetti noodles that are still quite al dente? (from freezer) Sometimes I end up throwing them out, but could maybe use them here – ?

  3. I admit I haven’t tried this yet, but have a question: Why would you not put a small amount of sauce (without onions/garlic) onto the bottom of the pan before adding the rest?) That would more simulate lasagna, wouldn’t it – ?

    1. You’re welcome to add some sauce to the bottom of the pan if you’re looking for something lasagna-esque. I like the division of a layer of creamy, cheesy noodles, then a layer of meat sauce, and then a layer of melty cheese. You’re welcome to assemble any way you like 🙂

  4. No rating, just a comment. Please, please review your recipe in relation the 5 minute prep time you say it takes. Absolutely no way. Please adjust to a realistic time it would actually take to prepare. You lose credibility when you publish numbers like this.

    1. Hi Lauren! Unfortunately I think you might be confused on what “prep time” means. Prep time is the amount of time it takes you to prepare THE INGREDIENTS for the recipe. “Cook time” refers to the time it takes to COOK THE RECIPE. In this recipe, the only prep work you have to do is dice an onion and mince garlic. 5 minutes is a more than a realistic amount of time to dice an onion and mince 4 cloves of garlic, even for a novice cook. All the steps listed in the recipe are card are included in the 60 minute cooking time because that’s when you’re actually cooking the food – boiling the pasta, browning the beef, and then baking. I hope that helps to clarify this amount of prep time for you. This article might help clarify further: https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/cook-vs-prepare

  5. I wasn’t sure how I felt waiting an hour for “spaghetti” BUT then it came out of the oven and it AIN’T spaghetti! ALL 3 of my kids agreed it was so delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe! I plan to bring it to a group dinner in a few weeks!






  6. This was so simple and delicious. It will feed a crowd. And everyone in my family went back for seconds! Thanks!






    1. I am so glad to hear that your family loved this baked spaghetti! It is one of our family’s favorites as well. Thanks for leaving a review, Miranda – I really appreciate it 🙂

  7. Made with ground turkey and it was delish! The heavy cream and whole milk mozzarella gave it such a nice rich and creamy taste!






    1. I am so glad to hear that, Jen! This is one of our family’s favorite recipes 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review – I really appreciate it!

    2. Easy and delicious alternative to lasagna. I used 1/2-and-1/2 in place of heavy cream (I don’t keep heavy cream on hand), rotini, and Italian turkey sausage. All the ingredients are usually in my fridge or pantry, which makes this a great go-to meal.

  8. Made the recipe exactly how it reads and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Wonderful flavor, creative, and tasty! 5 star Italian Restaraunts should serve this dish. My husband and I got three meals out of this dish! We will be making this again real soon!






Please leave a rating, review, or comment!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star