Baked Spaghetti

Baked spaghetti changes up traditional spaghetti a bit. I like that I can prepare it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven to warm up. It also is a great dish to freeze! In fact, make a double batch one day, have some for dinner that night and put the other half in the freezer for a future meal. I'm all about making things easy when it comes to meals. ;)

This recipe makes a full 8x8 size pan or double for a generous 9x13 pan.

6 oz of spaghetti noodles (or whatever kind you prefer)

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion finely, chopped

2 cloves of garlic

1 pepper, diced 

1/4 cup water

1 lb of loose sausage (any flavor)

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes (or sauce)

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp italian seasoning (or just use some oregano, basil, etc)

1 cup of cheddar cheese (or whatever kind you prefer, pepper jack adds a nice little kick)

Prepare pasta according to directions, drain & set aside. 

Heat the oil in a pan & saute the onion, pepper & garlic for 2-3 minutes, slightly browning. Add the 1/4 c of water and cook the veggies about 8 minutes until softened. Add the sausage to the veggies, breaking up the meat as it cooked & browned. Stir in the tomatoes, seasoned salt & italian seasoning. Reduced heat & simmer until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. Spray your 8x8 dish (or casserole pan) with non-stick spray. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet (or mix everything in a big bowl if your skillet isn't big enough). Toss everything well to combine. Layer half the pasta mix in your dish then top with half a cup of cheese followed by the rest of the pasta mix & top with the rest of the cheese. (if you are going to freeze it, do that now & don't bake it). Spray a piece of foil & cover the pan (slightly "tenting" it so the cheese doesn't stick to it). Bake it until the filling is hot & bubbly and cheese is melted, about 20-25 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Printable Recipe for Baked Spaghetti