Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs is a hearty and satisfying meal featuring perfectly cooked spaghetti noodles tossed in a your favorite tomato sauce, topped with tender and juicy meatballs, and finished with a layer of gooey melted cheese. Baked to perfection in the oven, this easy dinner is sure to become a dish the entire family will love!
There's nothing better than a dinner with only a few ingredients that is super filling and super easy! This delicious meal is a fun twist on the classic spaghetti and meatball dinner! This meatball pasta bake will definitely become a new family favorite!
When making this baked spaghetti recipe, make sure to check out all these amazing recipes to serve with spaghetti!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You only need a few ingredients! Since we are using jarred tomato sauce, it already has the Italian seasoning, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. It cuts down on the time to make a fresh sauce for this meatball casserole recipe.
- It's freezer friendly! Just like Pizza Casserole with Pasta, make the recipe completely and then cover it with aluminum foil and plastic wrap and freeze it for a quick dinner!
- It's a twist on the classic! We all love spaghetti and meatballs, but when you bake it up and add gooey cheese, it doesn't get more delicious!
Ingredients for Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Spaghetti. One pound of your favorite brand of traditional spaghetti.
- Olive oil. This will make sure the pasta does not stick to the large skillet or baking dish. You can also use cooking spray to spray the baking dish.
- Mozzarella Cheese. Shredded so it is easy to sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Italian Meatballs. One bag of your family's favorite meatballs. You can keep them frozen or thaw them. You don't have to have all the meatball ingredients on hand to make your own, buy the bags at the grocery store!
- Pasta Sauce. One 23 ounces jar of your favorite marinara sauce. If you are making your own tomato sauce, you will need 3-4 cups of marinara sauce.
- Parmesan. If you have fresh grated parmesan cheese, that's best, but whatever type you have is great!
See printable recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Variations
- Use homemade meatballs! I make this meatballs recipe all the time and it's so easy to make! If you have some extra time, feel free to make your own meatball recipe!
- Make homemade marinara sauce! If you prefer to make your own spaghetti sauce, you can use Instant Pot Marinara sauce or Bolognese sauce for an even more filling dinner!
- Use a different type of meatball! If you are making your own meatballs, you can use ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey meatballs.
- Change up the baking dish! You can use a 9x13 inch baking dish or a cast iron skillet.
Serving Suggestions
- Top this delicious casserole with fresh basil or fresh parsley.
- Serve this with your favorite garlic bread, sourdough dinner rolls, or whole wheat dinner rolls.
- Great sides for this meatball dinner would be a delicious Caesar salad or your favorite garden salad.
- Serve as a side dish for Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan.
Storage Tips
Keep leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To reheat the pasta, place it in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it for 2-3 minutes. You can also place it back in a casserole dish and bake it for 20 minutes.
This cheesy baked spaghetti is also freezer friendly! Once the casserole is put together, cover it with aluminum foil in a freezer safe container or even in a Ziploc freeze bag. If you are using a freezer bag, pour the spaghetti and meatballs ingredients into a baking dish once it is defrosted. Before you are ready to bake the pasta, place it in the refrigerator to defrost and then bake when ready.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can use gluten free pasta, chickpea pasta, or your favorite shape of pasta.
You would need to cook the meatballs before you place them in the spaghetti mixture.
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📖 Recipe
Cheesy Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 bag Italian Meatballs Defrosted
- 1 jar Marinara Sauce 24 ounces
- 2 cups Mozzarella Shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt well. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions.
- Add the olive oil and marinara sauce to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add the meatballs, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Mix well.
- When the spaghetti is al dente, drain it and pour it into the baking dish. Do not rinse the pasta.
- Mix well and top with the rest of the mozzarella. Cook for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
Notes
- Use homemade meatballs! I make this meatballs recipe all the time and it's so easy to make! If you have some extra time, feel free to make your own meatball recipe!
- Make homemade marinara sauce! If you prefer to make your own spaghetti sauce, you can use Instant Pot Marinara sauce or Bolognese sauce for an even more filling dinner!
- Change up the baking dish! You can use a 9x13 inch baking dish or a cast iron skillet.
- Top this delicious casserole with fresh basil or fresh parsley.
- Serve this with your favorite garlic bread, sourdough dinner rolls, or whole wheat dinner rolls.
- Great sides for this meatball dinner would be a delicious Caesar salad or your favorite garden salad.
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