Easy Baked Spaghetti with Cheddar Cheese
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
371 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Easy Baked Spaghetti with Cheddar Cheese
Description
This dish starts by browning lean ground beef and mixing it with ready spaghetti sauce, salt, and pepper to create a seasoned meat sauce. Pasta is cooked separately according to package instructions and drained. The casserole is assembled in layers: a third of the meat sauce at the bottom, followed by half the pasta, half the cheddar cheese, repeating the layers, and finishing with remaining sauce, cheddar, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top.
The casserole is baked at 350°F until the cheese on top melts and turns golden, binding the layers together. The result is a dish with a moist interior, combining savory meat sauce with tender pasta and melted cheese. The varied textures from the cheeses complement the hearty sauce.
Make-ahead instructions allow assembling this casserole a day prior and refrigerating until baking. It can also be frozen for up to two months before baking, making it flexible for meal planning. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for several days and reheat thoroughly in the microwave or oven.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef lean
- 24 ounces spaghetti sauce (recommended: Ragu traditional spaghetti sauce)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 16 ounces pasta (see notes)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
- Start by putting a large pot of salted water on to boil and preheating the oven to 350.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef and cook, stirring until it's nicely browned with no visible pink color remaining. Drain off any excess fat and return the ground beef to the pan.
- Add the spaghetti sauce, salt, and pepper, and stir that together with the ground beef.
- Bring the mixture to a bubble, cover it, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- By this time, the water should be boiling so you can drop in your pasta and let it cook according to the package directions. When the pasta is done, drain it and start assembling the casserole.
- Put about 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of your casserole dish.
- Add about half the cooked pasta.
- Top with half the cheddar cheese.
- Add another third of the sauce and the remaining pasta.
- End with the rest of the sauce and top with the remaining one cup of cheddar and the Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Assemble the casserole a day ahead and refrigerate it until ready to bake for convenience.
- The dish can be frozen for up to two months before baking, then thawed before use.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for three to four days and reheat in the microwave or oven.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 371 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 371kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 38g | 76% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 114mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 1750mg | 73% |
| Potassium | 1062mg | 23% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 1233IU | 25% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 354mg | 35% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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