The Best Baked Spaghetti
The Best Baked Spaghetti also known as ‘Spasagna’ is inspired by the meal that used to be served at Cheddar’s restaurants. Alfredo coated spaghetti topped with meat sauce and cheese!
A DELICIOUS SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE
Sometimes the meals I make are inspired by my favorite restaurant foods. If you’ve ever been to a Cheddar’s restaurant then this will be a familiar dish to you. They call it Spasagna* (spaghetti plus lasagna.) If you’ve never heard of it, well, it’s about time you do. Basically, it is cooked spaghetti noodles tossed with alfredo (cheese) sauce, topped with a meaty red sauce, cheese and then baked.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes. For most pasta casseroles/bakes, the pasta does need to be cooked before adding to the rest of the ingredients in the dish.
Most of the times it is because there is not enough liquid or sauce coating the pasta as it bakes. In this recipe the spaghetti is coated with Alfredo sauce which keeps the spaghetti from drying out.
Yes. This helps to keep the pasta from drying out as well as it keeps the steam contained within the casserole dish.
This can be made ahead of time and frozen. Then just pull it out of your freezer when ready to cook. Just be sure to add on a few minutes to the cooking time.
Place any leftovers in a lidded container. Place into the refrigerator and eat within 3 days. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- spaghetti noodles
- ground beef
- spaghetti sauce
- jar alfredo sauce (cheese sauce)
- Italian seasoning
- shredded mozzarella
HOW DO YOU MAKE BAKED SPAGHETTI
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles very well.
While the spaghetti noodles are cooking, brown and crumble ground beef in a large sauce pan. Drain excess grease.
Put ground beef back in pan and add spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine well.
Meanwhile, once the cooked noodles are drained, put them back into the pot. Stir in alfredo (cheese) sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir well to thoroughly coat noodles.
Place spaghetti noodles into prepared baking dish.
Cover with spaghetti sauce mixture.
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes (until cheese is melted and bubbly.)
Allow to cool for about 5-8 minutes. Then slice.
Serve with a salad and garlic bread!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: June 2011
Updated and republished: March 2021
The Best Baked Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 1 pound ground beef
- 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
- 16 ounce jar alfredo sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles very well.
- While the spaghetti noodles are cooking, brown and crumble ground beef in a large sauce pan. Drain excess grease.
- Put ground beef back in pan and add spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine well.
- Meanwhile, once the cooked noodles are drained, put them back into the pot. Stir in alfredo (cheese) sauce and Italian seasoning.
- Stir well to thoroughly coat noodles.
- Place spaghetti noodles into prepared baking dish.
- Cover with spaghetti sauce mixture.
- Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes (until cheese is melted and bubbly.)
Video
Notes
- Allow to cool for about 5-8 minutes then slice and serve with a salad and garlic bread.
- Baked Spaghetti can be frozen (see my tips above).
- Other pasta can be used: fettuccine, linguine, etc.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
*Spasagna is a registered trademark of Cheddar’s Restaurant
I love you brandie as always only thing Is I will add mushrooms onions an green peppers when I make spaghetti sauce thats what is in it when I make spaghetti I be trying this my daughter want spaghetti so this will be made next in my house thank you for your recipes ive enjoyed them for almost 2 years now got another one for the books. Im a crockpotter thanks to u
You are the sweetest! Thank you Tabbitha!! That really means so much! I personally love green peppers and onions but my picky eaters have issues with the green peppers. LOL!
This has been my family’s favorite recipe for a few years! But I can’t find the creamy mozzarella anymore. Please has anyone found a substitute!? ????
My family loves it and it’s easy to make!
Yay!! Thanks so much Wendy!!
I love this recipe and have used it for years!! Ragu no longer makes creamy mozzarella. Has anyone found an alternative??
Can you please post your videos on Youtube too? That way, I can link them easier. These videos don’t allow me to link right to them. I plan on making this, because it looks really good.
Can I make it ahead say……2days. Then bake.
OMG! This is going to be my go-to for “spaghetti dinner” from now on! This dish is better than Cheddar’s, I think. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
My picky teenage daughter LOVED this. She ate two helpings and made me save her some for lunch the next day. This is definitely going into my recipe rotation. Thank you very much!
This is a winner it’s delicious
Delicious!!!! So much better than plain spaghetti!!
Has anyone made this and frozen it for later?
Spasagna! Inspiring! New variation
Found this recipe today and headed to the store. Added salt, pepper, onion & garlic powder to meat sauce and used a pinch more of Italian seasoning in pasta. Baked and sampled……this is absolutely DELICIOUS! I can’t wait for the feedback from my family. This will be my new potluck signature dish! Thanks for sharing!
Does anybody have the cooking instructions if freezing and know if it freezes well?
Excellent and so easy to make. There are only two of us in the house and this makes enough to freeze a portion for another date and still have enough for a lunch one day.
This has been a household favorite for a couple of years now! My go to recipe when I just don’t know what to make! Whatever protein I have works with it!
Makes my heart SO happy to read that September!! Thank you!
Hey,
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! This is such a unique take on two classic meals! I will definitely be trying this out!
Best,
Dennis
This recipe was a hit at our house and I can’t say that about many new things that I try. Will definitely be make no this again.
Tried it and LOVED it! Thank you so much for making spaghetti exciting again!
I’m new to your site. Could you recommend some of your favorite or most popular recipes? Looking for ideas on what to try next. Thank you!!!
Hi Gina! Yay!!! So happy you found a recipe you love! If you are a spaghetti fan then you should definitely try my Chicken Spaghetti. It is hands-down, one of my faves!
Loved it!! Fed my family of six with leftovers that were just as flavorful! will definitely make this again!
Thanks for a quick and easy meal for my family! It was a hit with everyone!
Made this before and my family loved!! If I doubled do you think I would bake for an hour? Thanks for your help!
Hi Becky! Yahoo! 🙂 It may not need a full hour. Perhaps 45 minutes. You may have to play it by ear. Hope that helps!
Our family LOVES Cheddar’s!
MADE THIS LAST WEEK! JUST HAD TO COME BACK AND COMMENT ABOUT HOW MUCH MY FAMILY LOVED THIS MEAL. WHAT DIDN’T GET EATEN THE FIRST NIGHT WAS READY FOR THE NEXT DAY. SO EASY TO PUT TOGETHER AND TASTES SO GOOD!