Skillet Baked Spaghetti
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Course
Main Course
Skillet Baked Spaghetti
Description
This recipe combines broken 2-inch spaghetti pieces with cooked ground beef or turkey, garlic, and Italian herbs in a large skillet. Crushed tomatoes and water create the cooking liquid, allowing the pasta to simmer covered until it absorbs most of the liquid and becomes tender. The skillet is then transferred to a broiler-safe environment to brown the cream cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan added on top, forming a creamy, cheesy topping.
The texture balances the tender pasta with a rich and slightly gooey cheese layer. Spices and herbs provide classic Italian flavor alongside the savory notes from the ground meat and garlic, while the crushed tomatoes give a balanced acidity.
Preparation requires careful breaking of the spaghetti into short, manageable pieces to fit the skillet and avoid overflow. Sufficient skillet size (at least 12 inches) is essential due to the large volume of ingredients to prevent spillage during cooking and stirring.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean, or turkey
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon basil dried
- ¼ teaspoon thyme dried
- 12 ounces spaghetti broken into 2-inch pieces (see note)
- 3 (15-ounces each) (15-ounces each) cans crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened and cubed, light
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet (see note above) that is oven-safe, cook the ground beef or turkey with the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium to medium-high heat, breaking the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Drain any excess grease, if needed.
- Stir in the oregano, basil, thyme, spaghetti, crushed tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. The skillet will be very full! You are going to want to curse my name. It's ok. I still love you. If you stir carefully, you'll be fine. Just kind of lift the pasta up and over to get everything well combined.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook, covered, stirring every once in a while to prevent sticking and break up the noodles, for 12-14 minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. It's ok if it still looks quite liquidy as it will continue to thicken while it broils and rests. While the pasta cooks, preheat the broiler.
- Stir in the cubed cream cheese until it has melted and combined with the pasta. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the top and broil until golden and bubbly, 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let it sit for 5 or so minutes before serving.
Notes
- Break spaghetti into 2-inch pieces by rolling it in a bag and pressing with a counter edge to speed up preparation and reduce mess.
- Use a skillet at least 12 inches wide to prevent overflow during cooking; larger skillets may be better.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 465kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 60g | 20% |
| Protein | 32g | 64% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 1126mg | 47% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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