Southern Baked Spaghetti Casserole

a spatula holding a serving of baked spaghetti over a pan of casserole

Southern Baked Spaghetti Casserole

An easy and high-protein spaghetti bake made with lean ground beef, peppers and onions, diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, fresh herbs, spices, and cheese.

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 411kcal

Author Amee

Equipment

1 Large skillet
1 large pot
9x13 baking dish

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lbs lean ground beef I used 93% lean
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup sweet onion finely chopped
1 large green pepper seeded and finely chopped
15 oz can of diced tomatoes drained
24 oz marinara sauce you can use 32 oz if you like it really saucy
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt you can use a little more, to taste
½ teaspoon pepper
14.5 oz spaghetti noodles I use the protein-plus pasta for a protein boost
½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
2 cups mozzarella shredded

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 4 minutes, breaking up the meat with a sturdy spoon.
Add the garlic, onions, and chopped peppers. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes more.
Drain the liquid from the meat mixture, then stir in the drained canned tomatoes, marinara, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and simmer while you cook the noodles.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. I cook it al dente, for the best texture. Drain well, and set aside.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish generously with olive oil spray. Add the spaghetti and toss with the parmesan cheese.
Spread the sauce mixture on top and stir gently to mix.
Top with the shredded mozzarella and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered, until lightly golden.

Notes

Tips:

- Modify the meat-to-sauce ratio to preference. If you like your spaghetti heavy on meat and light on sauce, stick with 24 ounces (3 cups) of marinara. If you prefer it on the saucier side, use 32 ounces (4 cups) of marinara instead.

- Cook the spaghetti al dente. This will prevent the pasta from overcooking when baked in the casserole and becoming mushy.

- Do not rinse the pasta. Drain the spaghetti well once it’s finished cooking, but do not rinse it. The excess starch gives the spaghetti sauce a surface to cling to.
- You can use homemade marinara for this recipe, or go with a high-quality store-bought marinara, like Rao's Homemade or Michael's of Brooklyn for best flavor. If you already have a favorite, go with what you love.

*Nutrition info calculated with regular spaghetti. The Barilla Protein Plus spaghetti provides 16 G more protein and 34 G less carbs for the entire recipe, which comes out to 1.6 G more protein and 3.4 G less carbs per serving.

Nutrition