Spaghetti Casserole

This Spaghetti Casserole takes inspiration from the simple retro recipe I grew up on. I incorporated some tasty new twists, which are definitely upgrades to the original recipe. Just like my Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole and Tater Tot Hotdish, my family is speedy to the table when this baked spaghetti dish is coming out of the oven!

What You’ll Need

The ingredient list here overlaps a lot with Classic Lasagna. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.

Meat Sauce:

• Sausage – Bulk Italian pork sausage packs in lots of big, bold flavor.
• Ground beef – For that traditional spaghetti-and-meat-sauce flavor and texture.
• Onion and garlic – These are an easy way to take store-bought sauce to the next level.
• Marinara sauce – Use a good one, but don’t feel like you need to break the bank here. That’s what the meat, onion, garlic, and basil are for — they’ll make even budget sauces tastier!
• Basil – Fresh basil adds a pop of flavor and freshness.
• Salt & pepper – I like to use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cheesy Yum:

• Ricotta – Whole-milk ricotta will give you the richest, creamiest flavor.
• Egg – This helps the cheesy yum “set” in the casserole, plus it provides rich flavor and texture.
• Mozzarella – I like to use whole milk mozzarella, which is richer and creamier than the typical part-skim.
• Parmesan – Freshly grated Parmesan is always best, but this is a recipe where you can get away with using the kind in the green shaker container. 
• Seasonings – Dried Italian herb mix, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried red pepper flakes add just the perfect flavor.

Spaghetti:

• Spaghetti – This is what makes spaghetti casserole spaghetti casserole. But if you’ve got a box of rotini in the pantry just begging to be used, you can absolutely use that and still have a delicious hotdish.
• Cream cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese, cut into pieces so it melts more quickly.
• Butter – A little bit of butter adds a wonderful touch of rich, creamy flavor and texture.
• Pasta water – Scoop some of the water out of the spaghetti pot before draining it. If you want to loosen up the spaghetti mixture a bit, you can use this reserved pasta water to do so.
• Salt – This simple seasoning is all the spaghetti mixture needs.
• Mozzarella – For the ultimate melty, cheesy spaghetti.

How to Make Spaghetti Casserole

Scroll on down to the bottom of the page if you’re making this spaghetti casserole right now and need the full instructions. This is just an overview!

• Cook the meat and veggies. Brown the sausage and beef in a skillet on the stovetop. When meats are about half-way cooked, stir in the onion and garlic. Keep cooking, breaking up the meat as it browns, until the onions are softened and the meat is fully cooked. Drain off the grease.
• Make it saucy. Pour in the marinara and stir in the basil. Cook until the sauce is warm, then season to taste.

• Make the Cheesy Yum. Stir together the ricotta and egg, then fold in the mozzarella, Parmesan, dried Italian herb mix, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Prep the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti to al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain away the rest. Return the spaghetti to the pot and add the cream cheese, butter, 1 cup of prepared meat sauce, half of the pasta water, and salt. Stir to coat, adding more pasta water if needed.

• Put it all together. Add half of the spaghetti mixture to a casserole dish, then spread half the Cheesy Yum over the spaghetti. Add the remaining spaghetti mixture, followed by the remaining Cheesy Yum and meat sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top. 
• Bake. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in a 350ºF oven for 45 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted. (If you’d like, you can broil it to brown the top — just for a minute or two.) Rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.

Serving Suggestions  

This baked spaghetti casserole is a hearty, complete meal on its own, but if you ask me, you just can’t serve it without Cheesy Homemade Garlic Bread. A light and fresh salad is also a delicious pairing — this Italian Chopped Salad or a big bowl of romaine lettuce with a jar of my family’s favorite Caesar Dressing on the side is fantastic with this pasta.

Where This Recipe Comes From

The original spaghetti hotdish recipe my Mom made for us when I was growing up came from a community cookbook, with recipes submitted by family, friends, and neighbors in the northeastern corner of South Dakota. On the opposite page of the spaghetti hotdish recipe is a recipe from Ruby Bredvik, grandmother of my best-friend-since-Kindergarten. Ruby and Arnold used to live in a big ol’ two-story house, painted white, right across from the school I attended. I can still smell their inviting little kitchen and see the knick-knacks on the window sill. Flipping through this cookbook, seeing name after familiar name, brings back many fond memories of my childhood.