Ingredient: extra old white cheddar cheese, grated

The concept of baking pasta with sauce, meats, and cheese has deep roots in the Campania and Sicily regions of Southern Italy. Historically, aristocratic and peasant households baked grand pasta dishes for festive occasions like Sundays and Easter. These early versions were often made with tubular pasta, hard-boiled eggs, meatballs, and regional cheeses layered together.

When Italian immigrants arrived in North America, they adapted these celebratory, labor-intensive dishes into a more accessible, convenient, and hearty weeknight casserole using spaghetti. The dish was highly economical, making it perfect for feeding large families and feeding crowds at community potlucks.

Today, baked spaghetti is recognized as a classic comfort food fusion. While traditional Italian versions use ridged shapes like rigatoni or ziti, the North American approach generally focuses on tossing cooked spaghetti with a rich meat or marinara sauce, mixing it with ricotta or cottage cheese, and baking it with a generous layer of melted mozzarella on top.

I have always preferred ‘baked’ spaghetti over just boiling it and adding the meat sauce. My favorite recipe is one I developed using a ‘secret’ ingredient, Classico fire roasted tomato pizza sauce. The recipe is basic and easy to prepare but has a wonderful flavor. Add some garlic bread and you have a winner every time!

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Baked Spaghetti

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Rating: 5
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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Italian

Keyword

baked spaghetti

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 227 gm spaghetti
• 250 gm lean ground pork/beef combo
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 284 ml mushrooms, stems & pieces, drained, optional
• 100 gm broccoli florets OR 1 small zucchini, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp EACH salt & pepper
• 284 ml cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup water
• 410 ml Classico Fire Roasted Tomato pizza sauce
• 85 gm extra old white cheddar cheese, grated
• 25 gm parmesan cheese, grated, optional

Course Main Dish Cuisine Italian Keyword baked spaghetti Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 227 gm spaghetti 250 gm lean ground pork/beef combo 1 small onion, chopped 284 ml mushrooms, stems & pieces, drained, optional 100 gm broccoli florets OR 1 small zucchini, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp EACH salt & pepper 284 ml cream of mushroom soup 1/4 cup water 410 ml Classico Fire Roasted Tomato pizza sauce 85 gm extra old white cheddar cheese, grated 25 gm parmesan cheese, grated, optional

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti & cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain & set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
3. Sauté ground meat, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, garlic & herbs & spices in a large skillet over medium heat until meat is browned, about 10 minutes; drain. Microwave broccoli florets until tender, crisp if using & add to meat mixture.
4. Combine soup, water & pizza sauce in the pot you cooked spaghetti in. Stir in meat mixture & spaghetti; combine well.
5. Spread mixture into a 11" x 7.5" x 2.5" baking dish (or baking dish of choice) & top with cheese.
6. Bake until bubbly & cheese is lightly browned, 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven & serve.