Baked spaghetti and meatballs is an easy casserole with layers of spaghetti coated in sauce, cheese, and meatballs! This tasty comfort food dinner can be loaded with cheesy goodness to please your entire family. Plus, it's the perfect use of leftovers from a spaghetti dinner!
Easy Baked Spaghetti And Meatballs
If you love hearty, satisfying family meals that are also an incredible use of leftovers then this casserole is calling your name! It's a personal favorite for using up any of my spaghetti and meatball dinners.
No one will complain, and chances are they won't even notice that they're enjoying a family meal that took you just minutes to assemble! It's a wonderful make-ahead dish that your whole family will love!
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🥘 Ingredients
This tasty recipe only requires a few simple ingredients! If you need to save some time, you may use canned spaghetti sauce and store-bought meatballs.
Baked Spaghetti
- Spaghetti Noodles: 8 ounces of spaghetti or thin spaghetti pasta noodles are my preferred picks. Any long pasta will work in this dish. However, smaller kinds of pasta like penne, rigatoni, farfalle (bowtie pasta), shells, or whatever you have on hand will work in a pinch!
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon of olive oil (EVOO).
- Italian seasoning - 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. You may use my recipe or use your favorite Italian seasoning blend.
- Spaghetti Sauce - 24 ounces of spaghetti sauce. Use homemade spaghetti sauce, arrabbiata sauce, or marinara are all wonderful, but for the sake of time, your favorite store-bought sauces can also be used.
- Mozzarella Cheese - 1 cup of freshly grated mozzarella. Mix freshly grated mozzarella into the spaghetti and sauce layers, or add in between layers. A layer of Ricotta or mascarpone cheese can also be added between spaghetti layers. You also can make your cream cheese or cottage cheese 'Italian-ey' with added fresh basil for a substitution.
- Vegetable Stir-Ins (Optional) - Add your favorite vegetables to this saucy dish! Mushrooms are a family favorite, plus everyone likes some zucchini or red peppers, and my daughter requests olives on occasion.
Homemade Meatballs
- Meatballs - 18 meatballs fully cooked (if using store-bought).
- Ground Beef - 1 pound of ground beef.
- Egg - 1 large egg (beaten).
- Parmesan Cheese - ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, or Parmesan/Romano cheese blend).
- Breadcrumbs - ¼ cup breadcrumbs (Italian flavored is preferred - breadcrumbs or Panko).
- Garlic Powder - ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Onion Powder - ¼ teaspoon of onion powder.
- Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of each, salt & pepper (or to taste).
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon of olive oil (extra virgin).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
This baked spaghetti and meatballs dish is very easy to make, in fact, the oven does most of the work! Take out a casserole or baking dish, measuring utensils, a large stock pot (or Dutch oven), and a colander to get started!
This spaghetti casserole recipe will yield roughly 8 servings. There is plenty for the whole family to enjoy, plus you might even have some leftovers for lunch!
- Prep. Start by preheating your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Next, grease or spray your casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray while you cook your pasta. Start your pasta in a large pot or Dutch oven with salted water. Boil and cook the 8 ounces of pasta per the package instructions, minus 2 minutes for an al denté texture. (Since the pasta will cook while baking too.)
- Drain noodles. Drain the cooked pasta without rinsing and return it to your stock pot or Dutch oven. Toss to coat the pasta with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- Add sauce. Add the 24 ounces of marinara or spaghetti sauce, the fully cooked 18 meatballs (see below for homemade beef meatballs instructions), and a half-cup portion of the grated mozzarella cheese. Toss to combine thoroughly.
- Assemble casserole. Transfer the combined casserole ingredients into your prepared baking dish, spreading the contents evenly. Reserve several meatballs to place on top of the pasta. Cut fresh, baby mozzarella balls into halves and place them between the meatballs. (Instead of topping the casserole with the remaining ½ cup portion of grated mozzarella after 30 minutes of baking time).
- Bake. Bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and top with the remaining half-cup portion of grated mozzarella cheese.
- Continue to bake. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the casserole bubbles slightly around the edges.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, young basil leaves, chopped fresh basil or parsley, and/or Italian seasoning.
Bake Your Homemade Meatballs
- Combine ingredients. Combine all of your meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl: 1 pound of ground beef, 1 large beaten egg, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup of breadcrumbs (or Panko), ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt & pepper. Use clean hands or a large mixing spoon to combine thoroughly.
- Form meatballs. Roll out your meatballs into roughly 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inch-sized meatballs. Then transfer to your casserole or baking dish that has been coated with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Bake. Bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are no longer pink inside.
- Transfer meatballs. Remove the meatballs from the oven when done. Then combine with pasta and sauce as directed above and in the recipe card below.
Of course, this baked spaghetti and meatball casserole is delicious on its own, but if you'd like to serve a few sides, try oven garlic bread and Caesar salad recipes. For more ideas, check out my article on what to serve with baked spaghetti! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Fully cooked meatballs should have an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC) as read by your digital meat thermometer. This is more important in the case of a casserole that you are putting together to bake later.
- Store-bought meatballs, a can or jar of spaghetti sauce, and some boiled pasta work in a pinch for a freshly made version that comes together ALMOST as quickly as leftovers!
- Make ahead and bake later, or freeze! This casserole is a great way to use leftovers but is also a great dish for freezing.
- To make your homemade meatballs you can use one pound of beef as noted in the recipe below. You can also use a combination of beef and ground pork or Italian sausage, all ground pork, or all Italian sausage. (I like mild or sweet Italian sausage for meatballs).
- Spice up commercial sauces to taste homemade by adding fresh Italian herbs. One of my secrets for amazing spaghetti sauce is to grind up dried fennel seeds and add them to any store-bought or homemade sauce.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place your leftover baked spaghetti and meatball casserole in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
You may freeze this dish in a freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Reheating Baked Spaghetti And Meatballs
To reheat your baked spaghetti and meatballs, put individual portions in the microwave and cook until heated to your liking.
If you want to reheat a larger portion, cover your casserole with aluminum foil and cook in the oven at 350ºF (175ºC) until the center is heated through.
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❓ FAQ
Yes! This recipe is a great make-ahead recipe because it will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. For best results, I would assemble the day before and cook within 24 hours. This dish also freezes well, so if you'd like to make it well in advance, it will keep for 3 months.
To ensure that your baked spaghetti and meatballs won't dry out in the dry, make sure that there is enough sauce to cover all of the pasta on top.
No! It would seem that you'd need to cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil before you bake it so that the cheese doesn't burn. However, it's not necessary to cover it. Plus, the cheese will melt to make a bubbly crust on top!
😋 More Great Pasta Recipes
- Spaghetti Bolognese - This Italian classic recipe features spaghetti with a meaty red sauce, fresh veggies, and a blend of Italian herbs!
- Chicken Spaghetti With Rotel - If you are a cheese lover, you have to make this chicken spaghetti with Velveeta and cream cheese!
- Cream Cheese Pasta - Cream cheese pasta is not only super quick to make, but it is also wonderfully comforting!
- Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta - This tangy shrimp pasta dish is easy to make, inexpensive, and perfect for any occasion!
- Cajun Sausage Pasta - If you are looking for a delicious comforting pasta recipe, you have to try this Cajun recipe!
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta - This tasty shrimp pasta is incredibly easy to prepare and only takes a total of 20 minutes to make!
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📋 Recipe
Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
- 1 8 oz spaghetti noodles (cooked - al dente, drained)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (ectra virgin)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24 oz spaghetti sauce (or marinara sauce - about 4 cups)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (freshly grated, 2 equal portions of ½ cup each)
Beef Meatballs
- 18 meatballs fully cooked (if using store bought)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, or Parmesan/Romano cheese blend)
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs (Italian flavored is preferred - breadcrumbs or Panko)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
Instructions
Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and grease or coat your casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. *You can use the same baking dish that the meatballs are baked in, if making homemade meatballs (see below).
- Cook the pasta in a large stock pot or Dutch oven according to the package instructions, minus 2 minutes for an al dente texture. Drain but do not rinse the pasta, then return to your pot.
- Toss the cooked pasta with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Add the marinara (or spaghetti) sauce, fully cooked meatballs, and half of the grated mozzarella cheese. Toss to combine.
- Transfer the combined casserole ingredients to your greased casserole or baking dish. Spread evenly. *To make your casserole look like the photo, I reserved several of my meatballs and used fresh baby mozzarella balls, cut in half and placed between the meatballs (instead of the remaining portion of grated mozzarella that is added after 30 minutes of cooking time). Bake for 35 minutes.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and add the remaining half cup portion of grated mozzarella cheese to the top of the pasta. Continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is fully melted. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and basil, or chopped parsley or Italian seasoning, if desired.
Beef Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, egg, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Use your hands or a large mixing spoon to combine thoroughly. Roll out meatballs into 1 ¼ - 1 ½ inch meatballs, or roughly 18 meatballs.
- Grease your casserole or baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place the meatballs in the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until no longer pink inside and they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) as read by a digital meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and add to the pasta casserole.
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Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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