This Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Recipe is easy enough for weekdays and dressy enough for company.
It serves eight people and costs around $17.38 to make! So that works out to be about $2.17 per serving.
For another easy spaghetti recipe, check out our Instant Pot Spaghetti.
Do you love spaghetti? Us too. It’s a classic, right? Well, what if we told you, you could up your spaghetti game and take it from a good meal to an AMAZING dinner?
When we first made this recipe for our family, one family member said, “I never knew spaghetti could taste this good!” And it’s true! Baked spaghetti is a cheesy pasta lover’s dream come true.
It makes a great weeknight meal for busy nights, a meal to take to a friend, or a meal for having company over. Once you make this easy Baked Spaghetti recipe you will see just how easy it is, and you, too, will have family and friends telling you they never knew spaghetti could taste this good!
Ingredients & Estimated Cost:
- 1 pound spaghetti – $0.92
- 1 pound lean ground beef – $3.33
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder – $0.06
- 2 teaspoons onion powder – $0.06
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings – $0.07
- 32 ounces pasta sauce – $5.00
- 4 tablespoons butter – $0.44
- 2 large eggs – $0.46
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese – $0.20
- 16 oz container small curd cottage cheese – $2.88
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese – $3.90
To learn more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
How to make Cheesy Baked Spaghetti
- First, cook the spaghetti noodles according to the recipe directions. Then, cook the beef until it is no longer pink and drain the beef.
- Next, stir in the seasonings and spaghetti sauce. Whisk together eggs, Parmesan cheese, and butter in a separate bowl. Then, drain the spaghetti and add it to the egg mixture, ensuring to coat the noodles well.
- Finally, place half of the mixture in a greased 9×13 baking dish. To assemble the spaghetti recipe, top half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat step 3 until you have reached the dish’s top or run out of the mixtures.
- Finally, cover and bake the dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
***For complete recipe instructions and a recipe video, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- If you are looking for a healthier option, substitute ground beef for ground turkey.
- You can also add in some fresh veggies like mushrooms or zucchini.
- Some of my kids do not like pasta sauce or ground beef, so for my picky eaters, I always leave a little of the noodles out of the Baked Spaghetti dish for them to eat.
Storage Tips
Serve: You can keep this dish at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Allow the dish to cool and then wrap it with two layers of tin foil before placing it in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Thaw the baked spaghetti in the refrigerator overnight. Then, cover the dish with foil and bake in a 350-degree F oven until heated through about 20-30 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
You can place the frozen dish directly in the oven (assuming it is a heatproof dish) and bake it at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, checking to ensure the center is baked through.
Absolutely! What a time saver for those busy days. You can cook the noodles up to a day in advance. The best way to keep them fresh is to place the cooked noodles in a large Ziploc bag and add 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Make sure to coat the noodles well. This helps them from drying out. No one likes dry and clumpy noodles!
Follow these simple steps:
1. Bring water to a boil in a pot. To ensure the pasta does not stick together, you should use 4 quarts of water for every one pound of noodles.
2. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water to help flavor the pasta.
3. Add pasta noodles to the boiling water.
4. Next, stir the pasta occasionally and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
5. Then, when you believe the pasta is ready, taste one piece to ensure it is not still hard.
6. Finally, drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Get Kids Involved
Ages 2-3: Let them break the noodles in half. They can also help you whisk together butter, eggs, and Parmesan.
Ages 4-5: Have them help you layer the baking dish with the various layers. They can also put the foil on the casserole dish.
Ages 6-8: Let them crack the eggs and make the egg mixture to coat the noodles.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
Budget Tips
This is a great meal for feeding a crowd. For around $2.17 per serving, that is more cost-effective than taking your family out to eat at an Italian restaurant.
More Main Dish Recipes
- 15-Minute Skillet Tilapia
- American Goulash
- Cindy’s Easy Sausage Gumbo
- Easy Baked Pork Chops with Apples
- Easy Beef Chili
- Green Chile Enchilada Casserole
- Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls
- One Pan Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Rice
- Skillet Lasagna
- Dorito Taco Salad
Baked Spaghetti
Recipe Cost 17.38 Serving Cost 2.17Equipment
- large pasta pot
- large bowl
- 12-inch skillet
- 9×13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 32 ounces pasta sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 16 oz container small curd cottage cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
PREP OVEN AND BAKING DISH:
- Move oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
COOK SPAGHETTI:
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
COOK MEAT:
- Cook ground beef in a large skillet until completely browned. Drain off the fat, and then stir in onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and pasta sauce.
MIX TOGETHER SPAGHETTI LAYER:
- In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, and Parmesan cheese.
- Once the spaghetti is done cooking, drain, and add spaghetti to the butter and egg mixture. Toss spaghetti until evenly coated.
ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
- Place half of the spaghetti into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Evenly distribute half of the cottage cheese on top, then half of the meat mixture, followed by half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layers and cover the baking dish with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, and then uncover, rotate the pan, and bake 8-10 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.
Video
Nutrition
Sophie Heath says
Spaghetti is my absolute favorite! I can’t wait to make this recipe again because it was so easy and so yummy! Thank you!!!
Jess Jankowski says
Spaghetti is a classic dish that never gets old! Thanks for stopping by.
Maria says
I love that you can put this meal in the freezer. I usually try to save any left overs. I also like the cost of this recipe.
Jess Jankowski says
I love it for leftovers! Thank you for your comments!
Sue says
Great family weeknight recipe! I appreciate the tip for how to cook the pasta ahead and still keep it fresh.
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you!
shelly says
yum!
Jess Jankowski says
Agreed! Thank you!
Kamna Choudhry says
Omg..this recipe truly is making my mouth water…simple and easy to make yetlwill leave everyone wanting more…awesome. thanks for sharing.
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you so much for your feedback! Our goal is to make every recipe mouth watering so we totally appreciate your feedback!
Jessica Walker says
I cant wait to make this. The only thing I will add is 2 tsp of sugar to the sauce.
Jess Jankowski says
Perfect!
Wendy Collins says
Baked spaghetti and homemade French bread for the win tonight!! Even my picky eaters who have never liked eating spaghetti loved it!!! So excited about this website, and all the good ideas for meals I’m finding. Especially right now when I’m turning more to my pantry and looking for simple, inexpensive recipes!
Jess Jankowski says
This made our day!! Thank you SO much!
Michael Coovert says
Everyone loves spaghetti, especially me. And this looks and sound incredible.
Jess Jankowski says
My family is obsessed with spaghetti!