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Cheesy baked spaghetti casserole in a 9x13 dish

Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti tossed in a quick lean beef and marinara meat sauce, topped with mozzarella and Parmesan, and baked until golden and bubbly.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat sauce
  • 1 lb lean ground beef 90% lean, or mild Italian sausage
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 32 oz marinara sauce 1 jar
  • 14.5 oz diced tomatoes 1 can, with juices
Casserole
  • 16 oz spaghetti regular or thin
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella 6 oz, divided
  • 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley or basil chopped, divided

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain without rinsing.
  3. Meanwhile, brown the beef with the onion, bell pepper and a pinch of salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 7–8 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute. Spoon off excess fat.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the marinara and diced tomatoes. Simmer 8–10 minutes. Keep the sauce slightly loose, adding a splash of water if needed.
  5. Toss the spaghetti with the sauce, half the parsley and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella. Spread in the baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan.
  6. Bake uncovered 25–30 minutes, until bubbly and golden in spots. Broil 1–2 minutes for a browner top if you like.
  7. Rest 10 minutes, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and cut into squares.

Notes

Make ahead: assemble, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours; add 10–15 minutes to the bake time. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen. Nutrition is an estimate using 90% lean beef and regular marinara.