I don’t know how everyone can make meal plans for the week and stick to them. I am secretly envious of your planning what you are going to be craving skills. For me, I usually have a craving and make what I am craving. Something like 3-Cheese Baked Spaghetti just hits me on a random Wednesday night.

Something cheesy.

Something salty.

Something creamy.

Something carbalicious.

I bring you my latest creation based on what momma was craving…Three cheese baked spaghetti.

For a twist to the normal spaghetti and meatballs, try this creamy, 3 cheese baked spaghetti recipe on a quick weeknight dinner.

This baked spaghetti recipe is similar to the TikTok Spaghetti and similar to the baked spasagna. But this is most like the baked meat sauce tortellini or mostaccioli recipe. If your family is a lover of red sauce and pasta then they definitely want to try this recipe.

Table of Contents

Baked Spaghetti Ingredients

Similar to traditional spaghetti this oven baked spaghetti has very similar ingredients. Here is everything you need to make this 3-cheese baked spaghetti.

spaghetti – My first recommendation for baked spaghetti is to buy cut spaghetti. It is my new pasta love. I know, I could just break long spaghetti into pieces, but then you have spaghetti fly EVERYWHERE.
ground beef or pork – For most Italian recipes like spaghetti, I use ground pork or a combination of ground beef and pork.
spaghetti sauce – Your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce can work. You can also make your own marinara sauce like the garlic basil tomato sauce.
garlic
zesty spaghetti seasoning
salt and pepper
egg
cottage cheese or ricotta
shredded mozzarella cheese – This can be plain mozzarella or an Italian blend of Italian cheese. If you use an Italian blend you may not need to use separate parmesan cheese.
shredded Parmesan cheese

How to Make Baked Spaghetti

To get this baked spaghetti on the table quickly, get your oven preheating to 350 degrees and start boiling water to cook the spaghetti noodles. You can also cook the spaghetti quickly in the Instant Pot.

browning ground beef in a skillet with garlic for baked spaghetti.

Next start browning the ground meat. And of course, my recommendation is to cook a pound of meat in the micro cooker if you want to keep it simple. Or you can brown it in a large skillet or Dutch oven. When the ground beef is cooked, drain any grease off the meat.

put the spaghetti in a large bowl and add one egg, one cup of cottage cheese, one cup of mozzarella and a half a cup of Parmesan cheese.

Once the meat and spaghetti are cooked, put the spaghetti in a large bowl and add one egg, one cup of cottage cheese, one cup of mozzarella and a half a cup of Parmesan cheese.

Mix the spaghetti noodles completely with the mixture of the three cheeses.

To the browned meat add one jar of spaghetti sauce, add the zesty spaghetti seasoning packet. Stir to combine.

Then mix the meat sauce with the cheesy spaghetti noodles.

Pour the spaghetti mixture all into a large casserole baking dish or 13 x 9 pan.

Pour the mixture all into a large casserole baking dish or 13 x 9 pan.

Top the baked spaghetti with another cup to cup and a half of mozzarella cheese and half a cup of Parmesan cheese.

Baked spaghetti is oven baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Bake on 350 for 15 minutes and then cover with foil for the last 15 minutes, until it is bubbly and all the cheese is melted.

Plate the baked spaghetti up with a beer biscuit or garlic bread like these English muffin garlic toast.

Variations to Baked Spaghetti

Change up the ingredients to this simple base recipe. Here are ideas on how you can make various different kinds of baked spaghetti.

Substitute meats – Use Italian sausage, meatballs, ground turkey, chicken, or shrimp instead of or in addition to whatever protein is in the original recipe.
Add veggies – Mix in sautéed onion, mushrooms, spinach, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, zucchini or other veggies for extra flavor.
Swap the cheeses – Use different Italian cheeses like provolone, fontina, asiago, etc. Instead of just mozzarella and parmesan. Gruyere or gouda also work nicely.
Spice it up – Sprinkle on red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, or ground sausage with fennel seed.
Bake with a crust – Top with breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or a layer of baked polenta for crunch.
Go low carb – Replace the pasta with spiralized zucchini or Italian seasoned spaghetti squash.

Top Tips for the Ultimate Spaghetti
Here are some tips for making the best baked spaghetti:

Use high-quality ingredients. Splurge on authentic Italian sauces like San Marzano tomatoes and get fresh, flavorful cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan.
Cook the pasta al dente. Undercook the spaghetti slightly before baking so it doesn’t get overly soft and mushy in the oven.
Add meat for flavor. Italian sausage, spicy pepperoni, or ground beef can add tasty protein.
Don’t skimp on sauce. Make sure the pasta is well coated in sauce before baking to prevent dryness.
Use both shredded and grated cheese. Shredded melts better while grated gives a nice parmesan crunch.
Bake uncovered first. Bake for 10-15 minutes uncovered so the cheese gets nice and melty before covering with foil.
Let it rest before serving. Allow the baked spaghetti to rest for 5-10 minutes after baking so the sauce thickens up.
Add herbs and spices. Basil, oregano, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes enhance the Italian flavor.
Make ahead. You can assemble this casserole a day in advance then refrigerate and bake just before serving.
Broil to finish. Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end to brown the cheese. Keep a close eye to avoid burning.

Storing Leftovers and Freezer Baked Spaghetti

This baked spaghetti can be frozen for up to 3 months before baking. Remove 24 hours before baking and place in the fridge. Bake for 15 minutes longer or until the spaghetti is hot and bubbly.

Store the leftover baked spaghetti in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave.

Pairing Spaghetti

Want to make a nice salad to go with this baked spaghetti, here are some of our favorite salad recommendations.

More Italian Recipes

Get more pasta or Italian recipes from Beyer Eats and Drinks.

3 Cheese Baked Spaghetti

This baked spaghetti recipe is full of three cheeses and your favorite spaghetti sauce and then topped off with more mozzarella cheese.

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Course: Entree

Keyword: Million Dollar Spaghetti

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings: servings

Calories: 434kcal

Author: Leah Beyer

Ingredients

8 ounces dry spaghetti
1 lb ground beef or pork
2 cloves garlic
28 ounces spaghetti sauce
1 packet zesty spaghetti seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions and brown ground meat with the minced garlic.
Place cooked spaghetti in a large bowl and mix cottage cheese, half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella cheese, and egg together.
In a separate bowl mix together sauce, browned meat and seasoning packet.
Pour meat sauce into spaghetti and cheese and mix to combine.
Pour into a large greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake on 350 for 30 minutes till bubbly and cheese is melted.

Nutrition

For a twist to the normal spaghetti and meatballs, try this creamy, cheesy 3 cheese baked spaghetti recipe on a weeknight.

What have you been craving? Do share your recent cravings. Can’t wait to see what meaty creations you have feasted on!

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Leah

A working mom of two very active teenagers. My husband and I gave up running the 80-cow dairy farm that also included a couple of hundred acres of corn and soybeans to both work to support the agricultural industry. We still have about 20 head of dairy heifers and cows to help my kids appreciate the effort it takes to raise livestock. I consider myself a foodie as I love cooking and experimenting with recipes. My family just wishes I would make the same thing twice. Find my other blog, FarmWifeDrinks.com for all things cocktails.