Easy Baked Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 454 g (1 lb)thin spaghetti
• 340 g (3 cups)freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
• 30 g (⅓ cup)freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• al gustofresh parsley, optional, for garnish
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)olive oil
• 454 g (1 lb)hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 smallonion (or 10 ml onion powder)
• 1carrot, optional
• 1 stalkcelery, optional
• 6 clovesgarlic, minced
• a pinch to 1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon)red chilli flakes, optional, for extra heat
• 2 cans, 794 g (28 oz) eachcrushed tomatoes in purée
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons)beef bouillon, paste, crushed cubes or powder
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon), more or less to tastesugar
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) eachdried basil and dried parsley (or 45 ml (3 tablespoons) minced fresh herbs)
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)dried oregano
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) eachdried thyme and salt
• 1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon)pepper
• 1bay leaf
• 180 ml (¾ cup)heavy cream (or evaporated milk)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Cook the spaghetti

   Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to the packet directions, stopping 1 minute before it reaches al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water; it will continue cooking in the oven.

3. 3

   Chop the vegetables

   Roughly chop the onion, celery and carrot into pieces small enough for a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, about 12 pulses, or chop them by hand.

4. 4

   Brown the sausage

   In a large Dutch oven, brown the sausage with the onion, celery and carrot over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, if using, and cook for another 30 seconds. Pour off any excess grease.

5. 5

   Add the sauce ingredients

   Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bouillon, sugar, all the seasonings and the bay leaf.

6. 6

   Simmer the sauce

   Cover the pot, leaving a gap of about 2.5 cm (1 inch), and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. 7

   Toss with spaghetti

   Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cream, then add the spaghetti and toss with tongs until evenly coated.

8. 8

   Layer the pasta

   Lightly grease a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 inch) baking dish. Add half the spaghetti, followed by the Parmesan and 170 g (1½ cups) of the mozzarella. Add the remaining spaghetti, scraping in any sauce left in the pot, then top with the remaining 170 g (1½ cups) mozzarella.

9. 9

   Bake until melted

   Cover with foil and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Remove the foil and bake for a few more minutes if you would like toasted cheese. Garnish with parsley, if using.

What is baked spaghetti?

Baked spaghetti is an American-style pasta casserole: cooked pasta is combined with a savoury sauce, topped with cheese and baked until hot and melted. It draws on familiar Italian-American flavours, but turns them into a shareable oven dish.

This version mixes the spaghetti directly into a tomato, sausage and cream sauce rather than keeping pasta and sauce in separate layers. A Parmesan-and-mozzarella layer through the middle adds a cheesy centre, while more mozzarella melts over the top.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 670 calories, 33g protein, 75g carbs, 29g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the spaghetti and tomatoes, while the sausage, mozzarella, Parmesan and cream contribute much of the fat and protein. Serve a portion with salad or vegetables for a fresh contrast and a more balanced plate.

Build the tomato sauce

Sausage: Browning it with the chopped vegetables starts the sauce with savoury flavour. Removing the casings lets the meat crumble and mix through the pasta.

Tomatoes and seasoning: Crushed tomatoes form the base, while bouillon, herbs and a little sugar round out the flavour. The sugar amount can be adjusted to taste, particularly if you leave out the optional carrot.

Get the pasta texture right

Undercook slightly: Stop cooking the spaghetti 1 minute before al dente, as it will soften further in the oven. Rinsing it with cold water stops it cooking on and helps keep the strands manageable while you finish the sauce.

Coat evenly: Toss the pasta with the cream and sauce before assembling. This keeps the spaghetti saucy throughout, instead of leaving a dry layer beneath the cheese.

Chop and brown the vegetables

Fine pieces: The onion, carrot and celery are chopped finely so they blend into the sauce rather than creating large chunks. A food processor makes quick work of them, but a knife works just as well.

Garlic timing: Add the garlic and optional chilli flakes after the sausage and vegetables have started browning, then cook for only 30 seconds. This gives them a brief turn in the pan without letting the garlic burn.

Simmer before baking

A 10-minute gentle simmer brings the tomatoes and seasonings together before the cream and pasta go in. Keep the lid slightly ajar, with a gap of about 2.5 cm (1 inch), and stir occasionally.

The recipe takes about 60 minutes from start to finish, including the 30-minute oven bake. Cook the pasta and prepare the sauce while the oven heats to keep the stages moving.

Layer for a cheesy centre

Dish: Use a lightly greased 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 inch) baking dish so the spaghetti and sauce fit in two layers. Scrape in the extra sauce from the pot when adding the top layer of pasta.

Cheese: Parmesan and half the mozzarella go between the pasta layers, with the remaining mozzarella on top. Keep the dish covered with foil for the main bake, then uncover it briefly if you want the cheese to toast.

What to serve alongside

A crisp green salad or simply dressed leaves bring freshness alongside the rich tomato, cream and cheese. Steamed or roasted vegetables also make an easy side.

For a more substantial meal, serve with garlic bread or crusty bread to catch the sauce. Add parsley at the end for a fresh, colourful garnish.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use freshly shredded mozzarella if you want it to melt smoothly over the top.
• Taste the sauce before adding the pasta and adjust the sugar to suit the tomatoes.
• Drain the cooked spaghetti well so excess water does not thin the sauce.
• Lightly grease the baking dish to make serving and washing up easier.
• Leave the bay leaf in the sauce while it simmers, then remove it before adding the pasta.
• Let the baked spaghetti stand briefly before serving so portions are easier to lift out.

Variations

• Milder sausage: Use mild Italian sausage in place of hot sausage for a gentler flavour.
• More heat: Add the optional chilli flakes to the sausage and vegetables as they cook.
• Fresh herbs: Replace the dried basil and parsley with 45 ml (3 tablespoons) minced fresh herbs.
• Evaporated milk: Swap the heavy cream for evaporated milk as suggested in the recipe.
• Extra vegetables: Keep the optional carrot and celery in the sauce for added vegetable flavour.
• Toasted topping: Remove the foil near the end and bake a few more minutes for lightly toasted cheese.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the pasta: Stop 1 minute short of al dente because the spaghetti keeps cooking in the oven.
• Skipping the rinse: Rinse the drained spaghetti with cold water to halt the cooking before it goes into the sauce.
• Burning the garlic: Add it after browning the sausage and vegetables and cook for just 30 seconds.
• Boiling the sauce hard: Keep it at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, with the lid slightly ajar.
• Leaving the bay leaf in: Remove it before tossing the sauce with the cream and spaghetti.
• Drying the top: Keep the dish covered with foil for the 30-minute bake, uncovering only briefly if you want toasted cheese.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, cover or transfer them to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat portions until piping hot in the oven or microwave, adding a small splash of water if the pasta seems dry. The assembled dish can also be frozen; thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating until piping hot.

Frequently asked questions