Do you ever wonder how an already delicious dish can be modified to make it an even more satisfying version? Keep reading for our foolproof tutorial on how to elevate baked spaghetti into The Best Baked Spaghetti: First, you need the spaghetti, of course! It’s just so tender and delicious! Then, you need a beefy, rich homemade meat sauce, adding vibrancy and gorgeous color to the plate! Next, you need to coat the noodles in a cheesy and creamy sauce. That’s right, two sauces at once! Finally, you add in layers of tangy cheeses and bake it all to perfection. The path to The Best Baked Spaghetti will lead your tastebuds to the tastiest pasta around!
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups 4% cottage cheese
- 4 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- fresh basil, optional, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch or 3-quart baking dish.
Step 3 –Cook the spaghetti to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 4 –In a large skillet, cook the beef and the onion over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is tender, about 6-8 minutes. Break the beef up into crumbles as it cooks.
Step 5 –Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 6 –Stir in the pasta sauce and the seasoned salt.
Step 7 –In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, the parmesan, and the butter together.
Step 8 –Drain the spaghetti and add the warm noodles to the egg mixture, tossing to thoroughly coat and being vigorous to ensure the eggs do not scramble.
Step 9 –Place 1/2 of the spaghetti mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 10 –Top the spaghetti layer with 1/2 of the cottage cheese, 1/2 of the meat sauce, and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese.
Step 11 –Repeat the layers.
Step 12 –Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 13 –Cover and bake the spaghetti for 40 minutes.
Step 14 –Uncover and bake until heated through, about 20-25 minutes.
Step 15 –Let stand for 15 minutes.
Step 16 –Sprinkle with the basil and serve.
