Baked Spaghetti Casserole – Some days you just have to change things up a bit to fit what you have in your pantry. I had planned to make lasagna with tubs of ricotta cheese and cottage cheese in the fridge. However, I was out of lasagna noodles, but had plenty of spaghetti. I hopped on the net to see if there were any recipes for lasagna using spaghetti noodles as a substitute and how best to proceed with it. There was and this is what I came up with according to what I had on hand. This recipe is basically a cross between spaghetti and lasagna and is put together like a casserole. It’s so good it’s now a family favorite!
Don’t let the number of ingredients scare you! This comes together quicker than it sounds and the taste is worth every minute of the prep time. 🙂
Baked Spaghetti Casserole
- 24 oz. spaghetti noodles
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
- 8 oz. ricotta cheese
- 16 oz. cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 heaping tsp. jarred minced garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 jar (32 oz.) spaghetti sauce
- 1 lb. ground beef
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook spaghetti in boiling, salted water according to package directions to al dente consistency. Drain well.
In a large bowl, mix eggs, cottage cheese, ricotta, shredded cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Add cooked spaghetti and mix well. Pour into 9” x 13” or larger baking dish/pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with foil and bake 25-30 minutes. Spaghetti casserole should be lightly browned on top and not runny.
While spaghetti casserole is baking, brown ground beef. Drain off fat then add pasta sauce and simmer. Cut the spaghetti casserole into squares and top with meat sauce. Sprinkle top with more Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Happy eating! 😊
Culinary Craftiness 