Southern Baked Spaghetti Recipe – Baked Spaghetti
Southern Baked Spaghetti is the perfect meal for any occasion. Whether you’re entertaining or just want a healthy and satisfying meal, this dish is sure to please. And because it’s made with spaghetti, it’s easy to customize to your liking.
Southern Baked Spaghetti recipes are also varied and include various flavors, which makes them perfect for both savory and sweet dishes.
So what are you waiting for? Start baking up some Southern Baked Spaghetti today!
What is the Southern Baked Spaghetti?
It is a hearty pasta that is covered in a flavorful tomato sauce and topped with a layer of cheese. It is a great dish for the winter months when you want to make something hearty, but it is also a dish you can make any time of the year. Southern Baked Spaghetti is a delicious dish that is perfect for a family meal or a potluck.
It is a quick and easy dish to prepare and you can have it on the table in no time at all.
All You need to Know about Baked Spaghetti
It is a spaghetti dish that is served with a rich tomato sauce and topped with a layer of mozzarella cheese. It is a perfect dish for a family. To make Southern Baked Spaghetti, you will need to make a rich tomato sauce and top it with mozzarella cheese. You will also need to cook your spaghetti noodles and make the dish into a casserole. The casserole is baked until the cheese is melted and golden.
What is the difference between baked spaghetti and regular spaghetti?
baked spaghetti is a layer of pasta, tomato-based meat sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella/Parmesan cheeses baked into casserole. The two primary differences are that you use thin spaghetti noodles rather than large lasagna pasta and that you stir in a few beaten eggs with the noodles.
What is the difference between pasta sauce and pasta bake?
The consistency differs; a baked spaghetti sauce is often a little looser since it will thicken as it cooks.
Do you boil pasta before the pasta is baked?
The majority of baked pasta recipes advise boiling the noodles until they are halfway done before baking. By doing this, the pasta can finish cooking in the oven while soaking up the sauce.
How long does raw pasta take to cook in the oven?
Use tin foil or a lid to tightly cover. Bake the pasta for 35 to 40 minutes, or until it is done.
Can I use a normal pasta sauce for pasta bake?
Yes! as you bake the pasta it will surely thicken the sauce
What is the best temperature to bake pasta?
350 degrees. In a standard oven, baked pasta will gradually develop that golden, bubbling crust. The cheesy sauce will melt into the noodles beautifully if you bake it steadily at 350 degrees, but the temperature high enough to create golden brown color on the top layer of cheese.
Why do you put eggs in baked spaghetti?
Eggs and Ricotta are added to baked spaghetti along with the usual ingredients (noodles, sauce, meat, and cheese) to help the dish come together during baking.
Can I freeze it?
Yes! After you’ve finished cooking, wrap the spaghetti in pan foil and freeze it. When ready to serve, uncovered and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until golden and browned on top.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes, You can prepare it in advance but do not bake it. After you’ve finished cooking, cover the pan with foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
How to store leftovers
In an airtight container, leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Substitutions or Alternatives Ingredients of Southern Baked Spaghetti
- Cheese: Instead of using mozzarella, try another type of cheese. Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan are all delicious as well. Ricotta can easily be swapped out for cream cheese or cottage cheese!
- Ground beef: You can use ground turkey, ground ham, or even ground lamb if you don’t like ground beef.
- Herbs: My preferred herb for this dish is Italian seasoning. However, use the herbs that you enjoy most. Use fresh herbs instead of dried ones if you have access to them.
- Pasta: I like to use spaghetti in this dish, but you can also use angel hair or bucatini if you prefer thinner long noodles.
How to Make Southern Baked Spaghetti Recipe
Southern Baked Spaghetti is a Delicious and Satisfying Meal.
Ingredients
Spaghetti Sauce
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 28 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper (dice)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced )
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Ricotta Filling
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Additional Ingredients
- 1 pack Spaghetti
Instructions on How to make Baked Spaghetti SAUCE
- In a large skillet or pot, pour in 2 tablespoons of veg oil, heat and stir in the ground beef, to brown then add onion, and bell pepper until the beef is no longer pink and the onion and bell pepper are starting to soften.
- Secondly, add the garlic, spices, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine.
- Thirdly, bring to a boil and then reduce and allow to simmer as it reduce in volume while you start cooking the spaghetti.
Prepare the ricotta filling
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and egg.
- Mix and thoroughly combine then season with salt and pepper as desired.
How to Cook the spaghetti
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil.
- Add some salt and the spaghetti noodles.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta noodles are tender (like for 9-11 minutes or cook according to its package directions).
- Drain and place in a large sieve or bowl.
How to make Baked Spaghetti Recipe
Assemble your spaghetti casserole
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- Add the sauce to the pasta spaghetti noodles, reserving 2 cups. Toss to combine the spaghetti and sauce.
- In a deep baking dish, pour the 1 cup reserved sauce and spread around, covering the bottom of the dish.
- Add 1/3 of the spaghetti and sauce mixture, spreading it into a single, even layer.
- Add 1/2 the ricotta mixture over the spaghetti spreading to the edges.
- Top with another 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce mixture. Thereafter add the remaining ricotta mixture and spread out.
- Top with the remaining spaghetti and sauce mixture and cup of sauce.
- Cover the casserole with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until the casserole is golden and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and allow cooling slightly.
Serve and enjoy delicious baked spaghetti!
