Satisfy your craving for comforting Italian flavors with our Baked Spaghetti Casserole, a hearty pasta casserole that’s sure to become a family favorite.
This recipe takes classic spaghetti to the next level with layers of saucy pasta, creamy cheese, and a zesty sauce that will have your taste buds dancing.
This is the best casserole recipe if you ask me. It pulls all the delicious spaghetti flavors and melts it wonderfully with the gooey cheese added in.
Ingredient Notes
Easy baked spaghetti casserole ingredients:
- Spaghetti noodles
- Ground beef
- Medium onion (chopped)
- Meatless spaghetti sauce
- Seasoned salt
- Eggs
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Butter
- Cottage cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
How to make Baked Spaghetti Casserole
- Start by boiling the water and cooking the pasta according to the package directions.
- While the noodles are cooking, cook the ground beef and onions over medium heat in a large skillet.
- After the meat is browned, drain the grease and return the meat to the pan.
- Add in the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt, stir it together and then set it aside for now.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, Parmesan cheese, and butter until they are well combined.
- When the pasta is done cooking, drain the noodles and then add them to the egg mixture, tossing the noodles making sure to coat all the pasta.
- In a greased 9×13 pan, place half of the noodle mixture into the bottom and then top it with half the cottage cheese, and then a layer of meat sauce and finally mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat this one more time and then cover the pan with tin foil and bake it at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
- After the 40 minutes, uncover the casserole and bake it for another 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Storage and Other Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
We get it. Not everyone likes cottage cheese and that is okay! If you do not want to put cottage cheese in this casserole, feel free to replace it with ricotta cheese.
If you do not like ricotta cheese, then simply omit the cottage cheese and maybe amp up the mozzarella cheese a little bit.
Add-Ins for this Easy Baked Spaghetti Recipe:
- Zucchini
- Green bell pepper pepper
- Chopped spinach
- Frozen peas
- Red onion
- Pepperoni slices
- Black olives
- Red bell pepper
- Cooked chicken and Alfredo sauce in place of the spaghetti sauce and ground beef
Serving Suggestions
- Seven Layer Green Salad Recipe
- Twisted Cheese Breadsticks Recipe
- Strawberry Spinach Salad and Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
- 30 Minute Homemade Rolls
Baked Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce package spaghetti noodles
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 26 ounce jar meatless spaghetti sauce
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 5 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain grease.
- Stir in the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
- Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Our family loves spaghetti too! I am going to make this asap! Thanks for the recipe and what a great blog you have! I think this would be a great back to school dinner with fresh salad and bread!
Have a great week!
Yummmm! Who doesn’t love spaghetti?? I could live off it too!
This dish is striking me as something I want for dinner. Can I really change my weekly menu on Monday?
Yeah, gotta agree with your husband – I could eat spaghetti every day of the week, too! And so could MY husband. This is not a good combination. 😉
Ah, I just love everything you put on here! This is FAB-U-LOUS!!
cooking this tonight 🙂 My husband loves spaghetti!!
trying this tonight, but wondering what you think of the cooking time– if the beef and spaghetti are already cooked, 60+ total minutes seems like a lot when you’ve only got cheese and two eggs left to be cooked/melted. thoughts? 🙂
I thought the same thing when I first made it, but it seemed to come out just right! Let us know how it goes!
I pinned this! Great website:)
I’ve got this in the oven…..it’s smelling GREAT!!
This is delicious… My husband loves it more than spaghetti and meatballs…and so do I. I Baked it just as directed and it is great and freezes well. Have to keep some on hand just in case..lol
I can’t stand cottage cheese….you think it would be just as good if I left it out?
I can’t stand cottage cheese….you think it would be just as good if I left it out?
Hi Lorraine!
I have never tried it without cottage cheese but I am sure you could substitute it with a little ricotta cheese or try omitting it. Let us know how it goes!
Phenomenal! I will be making this again…and again…and again! Hoping the leftovers are just as tasty!
Im a new follower. As soon as i saw this recipe i decided to try it and it came out great! Hopefully i will get a chance to blog about it this weekend!
Did you freeze it after baking it or before?
Made this baked spaghetti last night using lean meat and fat free/low fat dairy products and it was still delicious : ) Hubby ate two big plate fulls. Would be great for company.
I saw you suggested using ricotta if you don’t like cottage cheese. I want to use ricotta because that’s what I already have on hand 🙂 Would I use the same amount of ricotta?
Yes! Just use the same amount!
This was AWFUL! Save your time and ingredients. Find another recipe or just make some plain ol spaghetti.
Made it tonight for dinner and was YUM!!! Only cooked it for 30min and turned out fine!
I am so happy I found this recipe here! I couldn’t find it on All Recipe’s website anymore and this is my favorite one! It is so good! I omit the cottage cheese and use more sauce, the 26oz jar didn’t seem to be enough the first time I made this, but it was a HUGE hit! I had a group of friends over when I made this and they loved it. The guys couldn’t get enough! Sent leftovers home with everyone 🙂 Very good recipe!
It is GREAT with out the cottage cheese. I didn’t substitute it for anything either, just left it out completely and it was so good. I used extra sauce though, b/c I ran out the first time. Just a little tip – if you like sauce. Def give this recipe an A+! I’ve had so many people ask me for it b/c they liked it so much!
good recipe
I guess it doesn’t turn out as good without the cheese…but still tastes incredibly delicious!
If I want to freeze this should I bake it before freezing it? Thanks!
If I want to freeze this, should I bake it before or after freezing? Thanks!
You can bake it before you freeze it. Then just thaw and reheat!
I have this in the oven note and it smells amaaaazing! My babe has a huge appetite so I don’t expect many leftovers 😛
I have been baking left over spaghetti for a long time by just adding some additional butter and cheese on top. I usually start the spaghetti warming in oven while I grate the cheddar cheese, when I put on the cheese I cover top for 30 mins or maybe longer then uncover for additional 15 mins. To get the “baked” effect you will need it to bake at least this long. I like the edges to get a little crispy. 🙂
I make something similar to this (no meat) and use ricotta instead of the cottage cheese. I bake it in a pie dish and call it spaghetti pie to entice the kids. Serve it in pie slices and everything. They love it.
Keeper! Made this for dinner tonight. I half it and use homemade sauce. Always comes out delish 🙂
I’ve been making this exact recipe for 12 years but I only bake it for 35 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered. It’s the best! Glad to see so many people enjoying it. You guys always find the best recipes!
I found this recipe on Pinterest. We made it without the cottage cheese and it turned out great! I am planning on making it again, but adding extra sauce. My husband and son loved it! Said it was better than baked spaghetti from one of our local Italian restaurants!
Loved this recipe!!! I baked half in an 8×8 and froze the other half to bake later! My hubby even asked if I can remember where I found the recipe so I can make it again!
I was so excited for this recipe, but I was disappointed. I thought it turned out kinda dry and there was definitely not enough spaghetti sauce even though I used a larger sized jar. I would not make this again without some heavy tweaks.
Freeze before baking.
Hi,
If I cut this recipe in half and put it in am 8×8 or 9×9 pan, how long should I cook it?
Thanks!
You could reduce the cooking time when making this in an 8 x 8 pan. We don’t have the exact baking time for you. Be sure to watch it closely. The main thing is that it is heated all the way through and the cheese is melted.
I love this recipe, i use about 3/4 pounds of ground beef and i substitute the cottage cheese for ricotta. I’ve made this numerous times and love it every time. Thanks for a great recipe!
Could you be more specific about the “seasoned salt” ingredient? Also, what are your thoughts on substituting 1 lb. of bulk sausage for the ground beef?
There are many brands of seasoned salt. Any of them will work fine. We often use Lawry’s. Bulk sausage should work just fine in place of ground beef.
This looks great, but here’s a question. If we don’t like Parmesan, would you suggest using a different cheese or just omitting it?
You could omit it or Mozzarella would be good and cheesy!
This recipe is so delicious!!! My whole family loves it, including my 1 and 4 year old! Definitely going to be making again!
I made this recipe a few months ago. It was wonderful. My young adult son works weird hours. He liked it so much he said he could eat it everyday. He also said I should keep the leftovers on hand frequently because he would love to have it as a go to food for lunch or dinner on a busy day. It took a little bit of time to make but the leftovers were great. Well worth the effort. Thanks for this great recipe.
I was worried about comments on it being dry but stuck to the recipe and it was perfect! Far from dry. Maybe others mismeasured or just like a dripping spaghetti. It was very moist but not watery. It had a great taste and all 5 of my very picky eaters loved it. I just had to keep it a secret that it was cottage cheese, until of course they were done. We will definitely be making it again. Maybe next time I might use Italian sausage instead of ground beef.
This is an awesome recipe. My husband and I both love it!!
This looks delicious and doable for me, so I’m considering making this for a Pot Luck dinner. How many servings does this make because I need to have a dish that serves 15 people?
Funny your the only one with a negative comment..
Made this last night. Used ricotta instead of cottage cheese. My husband, who is extremely picky and doesn’t care for spaghetti the traditional way, LOVED it. When I make it again, I will use more sauce, but that is just a personal preference. Turned out great! Having leftovers for lunch today?
I made this last night and my son and I really like it but my husband thought it didn’t have enough sauce in it, which is what I liked about it, lol! So I guess I’m going to have to find a way to add some sauce but not too much for a happy medium.
could this be done in the crock pot?
Husband loved baked spaghetti. Will make it again.
Kids loved Brownies. Took to school for 6th birthday. Made 25 squares. Her classmates licked their fingers and asked for more
Thanks Raiya! You made our day!
I have a question on freezing it too. how is it best container wise to freeze? I want to make this for a new mom and am worried that it will be too big if I freeze the whole portion… and do you thaw it prior to baking or just add time? Sorry new to the freezer meals…
Megan – Jodi’s response to this question is incorrect. You bake it first, let it cool, then cut it into individual serving-sized portions. Wrap each portion in foil or put it in a Ziploc baggie, then put the wrapped portions on a baking sheet in the freezer until they’re frozen solid. Once frozen, you can stack them directly on the freezer shelf. These can be microwaved directly from the freezer, but they tend to end up a little tough around the edges before the middle gets hot, so I like to thaw them out in the fridge overnight.
You can also use ricotta cheese instead of the cottage cheese. I am 1/2 Italian and we cringe every time we see an “Italian” pasta recipe that calls for cottage cheese. YUCK!!
Subbing cottage cheese for ricotta? Wish me luck!! Looks great!
Thank you for asking this because my husband feels the same way yet it sounds delish!
Yay to this answer! Pinning now!
Hahahaha…good idea.
Can I make this without cottage cheese or ricotta cheese? I only have parmesan and mozarella on hand
We have only made it as directed on the recipe. You will want the cottage cheese because it gives the recipe some moisture.
I want to make this for a friend. I’m going to freeze it. I’ve read the comments. From what I take you bake it. Then freeze it. Thaw it in the overnight fridge before baking. My question is how long do you bake it after it is frozen and at what temp? I want it to turn out delicious for her and her family. Thanks!!
Ditto! I also will not use cottage cheese in pasta recipes. I used Ricotta cheese and this pasta dish was great!
Delicious but how did you all fit it into 1 13 X 9 baking dish. I had to use two baking dished with just 1 layer of goodies each. Still yum.
I love this recipe. It’s easy and good and makes a lot! Your prep time allowance of 10 minuets is totally wrong though. I cook regularly and feel like i can easily read a recipe and then make it myself…I could never prep this in 10 minuets.
Fresh grated Parmesan or the bottled powdery kind?
You can use fresh grated Parmesan Cheese or the kind that you shake out of the bottle. They will both work fine.
Yes, I have made a very similar dish with neither the cottage cheese nor the ricotta. I love zucchini so I included that. Everyone, including picky grandchildren love it.
Could I substitute spaghetti squash for the noodles or do you think it might be watery?
Hi Vicky. That sounds amazing by adding the baked spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash has a lot more moisture in it. We have not tried this recipe using spaghetti squash in place of the pasta. Sorry, I wish we were more help. If there is a way to get a lot of the moisture out with a paper towel. It might be worth trying.
Made this tonight! Killer! Easy and so delicious!
Any suggestions for egg substitute? We have an egg allergy in the family. Would an egg replacement powder work?
We have not used an egg replacement for this recipe. If you use them in most of your recipes and they work well as a substitute, I’m sure it would work in this recipe too.
You mentioned an alternative would be to use baked chicken and Alfredo. Would you make it exactly the same way just subbing Alfredo sauce for tomatoes and tomato sauce? Same amount of Alfredo?
Just replace the spaghetti sauce and ground beef for chicken and Alfredo sauce and make the same.
This sounds soooo good! I cant wait to make it! Has anyone made it with gluten free noodles? I feel like if I baked it to long they will fall apart or if I freeze it ahead of time, when I go to heat it they will turn into mush..
Looks yummy! What is the purpose of adding the cottage cheese (or ricotta)? Creamier texture?
This was really good! Used ground turkey, seasoned with poultry seasoning instead of seasoning salt. Added crushed red peppers for zing along with chopped summer squash, mushrooms, onion, and thawed, squeezed spinach. The other thing I did was run the cottage cheese through the food processor to make it smoother. Made plenty for leftovers and to share.
Really, only 3 carbs in this recipe ??
Planning an Open House in Feb. (OK, hoping to have an Open House in Feb.) Could these be made in muffin tins to be easier to serve?
I’m sure they would turn out. But this is something you’ll want to experiment with since it’s for an Open House. 🙂
It adds to the creaminess, flavor, texture of the casserole, and helps hold it all together. You’ll definitely want to add it to the recipe.
I think the Carbohydrate count on this is inaccurate. With all those spaghetti noodles, I doubt it is only 3 carbs! When I carb counted for my diabetic son I got 34 per serving. Just FYI. 🙂
Can I freeze this recipe. HVe a family of three. Thinking breaking up to 2 pans freezing one???
Yes, you should be able to freeze it just fine. Freezing them after cooking may cause them to become just a little mushy after reheating. Aim to cook your pasta al dente, and it should be just fine when reheating after thawing.
Even the pickiest grandchild loved it! Made it as written.
Can this be made a day ahead?
I love this recipe. I make it every couple of weeks.
You can easily make this a day ahead and then pop it in the oven.
My family LOVES this recipe!! It is something that I can make a day ahead, or even freeze, so I am not in the kitchen when I would like to be with them. It is delicious, wonderful to serve with a salad and some garlic bread, and they think I am a wizard! I even took a picture of it, but can’t see how to add the picture 🙁
It was really good but needed more sauce and meat. Also used the ricotta in place of the cottage cheese and it worked great.
Recipe was delicious but im definitely going to be using more sauce next time. The bottom was just a tiny bit too sticky for me. But otherwise delicious!
Could I assemble this casserole ahead of time then baked later or will the noodles get mushy?
You could assemble this ahead of time.
Allergic to egg. Can eat boiled egg bc there is a complete chemical change that takes place when boiled. But can’t eat scrambled eggs(for example) for breakfast without an allergic reaction. What could i substitute with?
That’s a great question. You could try omitting it all together, or try 2 tablespoons of buttermilk per egg, 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt per egg, or 1/4 cup ricotta cheese per egg.
Can you make this without cottage cheese or ricotta.
You can omit the cottage or ricotta cheese – it will have a different texture and may feel a little drier but will taste good!