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Home » Recipes

Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

baked spaghetti casserole

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Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

If your family loves spaghetti, then get ready for a baked spaghetti casserole recipe that's part comfort food and part one-pan convenience meal! This is a kicked up version of your old favorite with the addition of some different yummy cheeses and whole wheat breadcrumbs on top.

I remember when my 7-year-old tried to help herself to thirds of this dish before I told her "no" because she was going to give herself a tummy ache! Serve this with a big green salad, and you'll have a healthy weeknight crowd pleaser. Also, check out this breakfast casserole to add some delightful Mexican flavor to your busy mornings!

Whole Wheat Pasta Bake

As per usual, we're taking a comfort food favorite and making a few simple swaps so you can enjoy it as a nutritious weeknight meal that's easy and satisfying! Here, it's all about the whole wheat.

Regular spaghetti makes for a good pasta night, but lacks fiber and nutrients that its whole wheat counterpart brings to the table. On top of that, whole wheat breadcrumbs add a crave-able 'crunch' that seals the deal with this spaghetti casserole bake that might just become your family's next favorite. (Also, whole wheat noodles work well in lasagnas too!)

Can you Freeze Baked Spaghetti Casseroles?

You absolutely can! Cooked spaghetti freezes easily, and while it does take a little while to heat up it's most certainly worth the wait. If you're looking to make this ahead of time, or just get the most out of your leftovers, freezing this spaghetti casserole is definitely an option. Making freezer meals ahead of time can have a surprising impact on your budget and your time!

For this spaghetti casserole bake, we'd recommend freezing it the same way whether you're prepping ahead of time, or saving your leftovers. To do so, transfer the fully cooled casserole to a large freezer container or freezer bag. We recommend reheating and eating this casserole sometime in the next 2 months if kept fully frozen for the best flavor and texture, but you can go longer if you wish.

How to Reheat Frozen Spaghetti Casseroles

You can throw it in the oven from frozen! Don't let it cool at room temperature, since you don't want the ground beef sitting at room temperature for any longer than necessary. Here's how to reheat frozen spaghetti casseroles:

  • Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit
  • Place the frozen baked spaghetti in the oven with an aluminum foil cover
  • Let heat for 40 minutes
  • Remove foil and heat for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is remelted and bubbling up

How to Make Baked Spaghetti Recipe

Check out our recipe for this whole wheat baked spaghetti with ricotta below! All it takes is some cooked noodles and a baking dish to create this quick and easy cheesy baked spaghetti for yourself.

Be sure to try this Chicken Casserole or this Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo too! For leftovers, make this Fried Spaghetti.

baked spaghetti casserole

Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

This Baked Spaghetti Casserole recipe is a kicked-up version of your old favorite with the addition of some different yummy cheeses and whole-wheat breadcrumbs on top. Be sure to serve with a simple salad for a complete meal.
5 Reviews / 5 Average
Prep Time: 25 minutes mins
Cook Time: 35 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Peanut/Tree Nut-Free
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

  • ½ pound whole-wheat spaghetti
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese (grated and divided)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (+ extra for greasing the casserole dish)
  • ½ onion (peeled and diced)
  • ½ green bell pepper (deseeded and diced)
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • crushed red pepper (to taste (a few firm shakes for us))
  • 1 - 26 oz pasta sauce (or 3 cups homemade (link in notes))
  • ¾ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
  • ¼ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a rectangular baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
  • Cook the spaghetti noodles al dente, drain, and then mix with the eggs and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese. Put in the bottom of the casserole dish.
  • In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the beef to the pan and break up the meat with a spatula. Cook until the beef is brown all the way through. Drain and discard the fat (I find putting a lid on the pan helps with this job).
  • Add the garlic, salt, and red pepper, and cook for 1 more minute before adding the red sauce to pan. Heat for an additional few minutes.
  • Pour the meat/sauce mixture on top of the noodles in the casserole dish. Top with dollops of ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella, breadcrumbs, and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm and enjoy.

Notes

Find the recipe for homemade spaghetti sauce here - Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 869 Calories from Fat 423
% Daily Value*
Fat 47g72%
Saturated Fat 21g131%
Cholesterol 224mg75%
Sodium 1943mg84%
Potassium 1231mg35%
Carbohydrates 63g21%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 53g106%
Vitamin A 1560IU31%
Vitamin C 28mg34%
Calcium 528mg53%
Iron 7.6mg42%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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8.5K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. LL says

    October 15, 2016 at 5:50 pm

    5 stars
    So so good!!

    Reply
  2. Caroline says

    September 27, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    Do you know if this dish would freeze well either before or after baking?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 06, 2016 at 9:46 am

      Hi. I have frozen it after baking.

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        May 25, 2017 at 5:26 pm

        Could it be frozen before, or is after better?

      • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

        June 02, 2017 at 8:45 am

        I've not tried freezing it before cooking.

  3. Brandi says

    August 31, 2016 at 9:50 am

    5 stars
    Do you know how many servings this will make per dish? I am making this soon for our family vacation and have to feed 22 people with it ;)

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      September 06, 2016 at 1:17 pm

      Hi. Sorry, we can rarely respond to questions in real time. Lisa's recipes are designed to feed a family of four with leftovers. I've found this one to be 6-8 servings.

      Reply
  4. Lynne says

    February 11, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    Made this for dinner tonight and my husband who is not fond of spaghetti , loved it. Another great recipe! Thank You.

    Reply
  5. Sarah says

    January 23, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    Just made this for the first time and it was delicious! I added 3 carrots and subbed a whole orange bell pepper for the 1/2 green bell pepper to sneak some extra veggies in, and my husband and kids loved it!

    Reply
  6. Amy says

    October 23, 2015 at 3:15 pm

    Do you think this could work with spaghetti squash? As anyone ever tried that?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 02, 2015 at 11:51 am

      Hi there. We've not tried but here is a recipe that is similar: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spaghetti-squash-casserole.

      Reply
  7. Michelle says

    September 08, 2015 at 8:55 pm

    5 stars
    This was so good!!! I made a couple small changes tho. I used hot Italian turkey sausage instead of beef. And I used Italian seasoned Panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs. Will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  8. lola merrick says

    September 07, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    This spaghetti recipe is just what I've been looking for. Thank you.

    Reply
  9. Julie says

    August 24, 2015 at 11:38 am

    Has you tried using ground turkey? Wasn't sure if that would be too dry and not as flavorful.

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      August 26, 2015 at 1:11 pm

      Hi Julie. We've not tried but I imagine that ground turkey would work fine.

      Reply
  10. Karen says

    February 19, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    We made this for dinner tonight. It was a BIG hit with the entire family!

    Reply
  11. Megan says

    October 24, 2014 at 6:52 pm

    I made this tonight and it was great! I made it meat free and had to sub plain yogurt for ricotta because I couldn't get to the store today.

    Reply
  12. Lisa says

    October 22, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    Jane, that was going to be my suggestion to make it gluten free! I've done a "lasagna" with spaghetti squash instead of regular noodles. Even my non-healthy family members liked it!

    Reply
  13. Jane says

    September 22, 2014 at 11:30 am

    This dish is absolutely delicious. I'm curious if anyone has tried substituting spaghetti squash for the spaghetti noodles.

    Reply
  14. Kellie says

    September 15, 2014 at 9:08 pm

    Delicious! Made this tonight and my husband and I loved it. Will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  15. Tiffanie says

    September 14, 2014 at 3:45 pm

    What can be used instead of ricotta cheese? I saw people mentioned cottage cheese, that is not something we enjoy either. Would another type of cheese work?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 17, 2014 at 10:53 am

      Hi there. In many traditional Italian recipes Bechamel sauce is used: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Sauce-or-Bechamel-Sauce-40046. You could also just use fresh mozzarella in addition to the grated mozzarella. ~Amy

      Reply
  16. Elaine Arteaga says

    September 14, 2014 at 2:19 pm

    Hi,

    Has anyone tried preparing this dish the night before, putting it in the fridge and baking it the next day? Trying to save time.

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 17, 2014 at 10:47 am

      Hi Elaine. You can absolutely prepare it the day before.

      Reply
  17. rachel dietrich says

    September 12, 2014 at 8:54 pm

    What are your thoughts about leaving the meat out to make it vegetarian? I am looking for a "side dish" for a school function.

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 16, 2014 at 1:04 pm

      Hi Rachel. I make this as a vegetarian dish all the time. I up the noodles, onions, peppers and add spinach. ;)

      Reply
  18. Andrea @Butter is Better says

    September 08, 2014 at 6:58 am

    We made this for dinner last night - AMAZING! I forgot to buy ricotta so I subbed in 1 cup of provolone and it was delicious! We fed 4 adults and 2 kids with enough leftover for 4 lunches today!

    Reply
  19. Laurel says

    August 20, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    We've been making a similar recipe for years - it's one of our family's favorites! (Adults and children alike!) Sometimes, to cut down on the grain amounts (I follow a diabetic diet), I'll use substitute spaghetti squash or grated zucchini for 1/2 of the pasta. The kids barely notice and I love being able to eat a second helping guilt-free! :)

    Reply
    • sherry says

      February 12, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      Zucchini "noodles" for half the pasta--I would never have thought of that! Amazing idea!!

      Reply
  20. Matthew says

    August 20, 2014 at 11:50 am

    5 stars
    Looks amazing! I'll try this out tonight and share this recipe!

    Reply
  21. Hillary says

    August 20, 2014 at 3:20 am

    I'm wondering about the grated mozzarella. In the past I've noticed that you don't use pre-packaged grated cheeses, which is generally my rule of thumb as well. However, I've had zero luck at trying to grate fresh mozzarella at home. Is there a brand you like for grating or a pre-packaged brand that meets your approval? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      August 22, 2014 at 5:55 pm

      Hi Hillary. Nope, not really. We would look for an organic brand. I buy Organic Valley most often but the shredded cheeses usually have cellulose added so go for a block. ~Amy

      Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      September 13, 2014 at 3:47 pm

      The problem might be that you are using "fresh" mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is softer and moister than regular mozzarella which would make it a lot harder to shred. Fresh mozzarella is the kind you would typically find in a caprese salad or something similar. Try to find a regular mozzarella cheese (not labeled as "fresh"), and you shouldn't have a problem.

      Reply
  22. MICKEY says

    August 18, 2014 at 11:30 am

    Hello! I am brand new to clean eating and I just started my challenge today. I am getting all of my information off of this website(which is great by the way) but I am confused about using the jar spaghetti sauce. Isn't that a processed food? I am just trying to do this right and any information that anybody has to help clarify would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      August 19, 2014 at 11:00 pm

      Hi Mickey. Products that have five or less ingredients with no additives and preservatives are fine for our real food pledge. There aren't a lot of them, though. :) We stick mostly to whole foods and whole food ingredients. ~Amy

      Reply
  23. Mignon says

    August 17, 2014 at 8:00 am

    Does your recipes include nutrition facts such as calories, fat and carb content per serving? That's important to me as I am on a weight loss journey. :-)

    Reply
    • Mark says

      August 17, 2014 at 11:30 am

      Mignon, here are nutrition facts* for this recipe (per 100g):
      Energy (calories): 181 kcal
      Protein: 8.91 g
      Fat: 10.85 g
      Carbohydrates: 12.25 g
      Fiber: 1 g
      Cholesterol: 42 mg

      * Estimated values checked on http://happyforks.com/analyzer

      Reply
  24. Barbara says

    August 16, 2014 at 8:01 pm

    Could I do steps 1-5 on the previous day or two and leave it in the fridge before cooking it in oven? Or will it make the spaghetti noodles too soggy? Thank you

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      August 18, 2014 at 4:37 pm

      Hi Barbara. We've not tried that. Let us know if you do. ~Amy

      Reply
  25. Trish says

    August 14, 2014 at 10:40 pm

    We have an egg allergy. What could I replace it with? Thanks

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      August 16, 2014 at 11:42 pm

      Maybe applesauce? I know I use it in cake recipes as a substitute for egg(egg allergy here too). Have not tried the applesauce, but just a thought.

      Reply
    • sherry says

      February 12, 2015 at 3:00 pm

      I have an egg allergy and for something like this, I use the "Egg Replacer" found in most grocery store baking aisles. Its got stuff like Tapioca starch, potato starch, things like that and gets mixed with water.

      Reply
  26. Kristin says

    August 12, 2014 at 10:43 pm

    This recipe is very similar to "Spaghetti Pie" that my Mom used to make when I was a child I updated the recipe (pastured Italian pork sausage from a local farm for the ground beef, whole milk ricotta instead of cottage cheese, whole milk mozzarella, whole wheat spaghetti, etc.) and it has been a family favorite ever since. My recipe makes half as much and is made in a pie plate(hence the name spaghetti pie) then cut in wedges to serve. I double my recipe and make 2 pie plates, one for dinner and 1 for the freezer.

    Reply
  27. Martha Cook says

    August 12, 2014 at 4:46 pm

    How many calories per serving please?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      August 13, 2014 at 7:39 pm

      Hello Martha. We do not provide nutrition information on our recipes. Our focus is on getting people eating real food and not so much on numbers. There are many online tools that can help you calculate those details. Some readers use My Fitness Pal. ~Amy

      Reply
  28. Megan says

    August 12, 2014 at 8:36 am

    5 stars
    I was planning on making spaghetti and your meatball recipe, but this was a great twist without having to take the time and mess to form the meatballs. I didn't have green pepper or all the cheeses but added some mushrooms and just used extra parmesan. It was delish!

    Reply
  29. Emily says

    August 11, 2014 at 8:53 pm

    I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Even my three year old (who doesn't like any ingredients mixed together) tried a bite and said, "It's kind of good. I'll try it again sometime." I'll take it!!! :)

    Thank you for so many tasty and healthy recipes and ideas!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 11, 2014 at 10:53 pm

      Sounds like progress to me ...love it! :)

      Reply
  30. Kari @ Cooking with Toddlers says

    August 11, 2014 at 6:22 pm

    This sounds so delicious! I'll certainly be trying this recipe out soon!

    Reply
  31. Margaret Anne @ Natural Chow says

    August 11, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    Ooh I need to make this. It sounds wonderful!

    Reply
  32. Sue says

    August 11, 2014 at 4:32 pm

    I use italian sausage instead of the ground beef. Gives this a way different flavour.

    Reply
  33. Dana says

    August 11, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    Could I make this and freeze it? Would you bake it first and then freeze?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      August 13, 2014 at 7:31 pm

      Hi Dana. You can freeze it baked or unbaked. I would thaw it over-night either way before baking/reheating. ~Amy

      Reply
  34. Emma says

    August 11, 2014 at 1:52 pm

    Just checked my pantry and fridge and my five year old is very excited - we are going to make this tonight! We don't like ricotta cheese, so I'm replacing with cottage cheese (which I use in place of ricotta all the time without problems)...also replacing ground beef with ground turkey - we'll see how it turns out :)

    Reply
  35. Hannah says

    August 11, 2014 at 1:35 pm

    I will be making this for dinner! Yum Yum!!!

    Reply
  36. Judy says

    August 11, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    If I sub all cottage cheese for the ricotta, will it make the texture weird? My husband can eat cottage cheese, but ricotta gets his lactose intolerance going. Weird, I know. :)

    Reply
    • Amy says

      August 12, 2014 at 9:37 am

      Judy - I'm no expert but I'm thinking it will be just fine. I use the two interchangeably!

      Reply
  37. Sarah McKay says

    August 11, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    I will be trying this tonight! I think my kids will love it, thanks for another great recipe! Love your site!

    Reply
  38. Megan says

    August 11, 2014 at 12:19 pm

    Sounds fantastic!! I would absolutely love this, but my husband LOATHES tomatoes...therefore I can never make any pasta casseroles. Anyone have an idea for what I can substitute for the tomatoes? Maybe some pesto mixed with a little alfredo? I still think I will be making this for myself and freeze portions to have for lunch or single dinners! Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 11, 2014 at 12:39 pm

      Megan - Did you see this recipe? I bet he'd love this! https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/02/06/recipe-white-chicken-lasagna/

      Reply
      • Megan says

        August 11, 2014 at 3:00 pm

        I did not see that recipe, it sounds delicious! Thank you for pointing it out! And thank you for all of the work that you do, I have been following your blog for years, and it keep encouraging me to continue eating real food!

  39. Nana Phyllis says

    August 11, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    I'll try this, but I don't eat beef so I bill use ground turkey. Yum!

    Reply

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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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