Baked Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
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Baked Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce makes a wonderful, hearty meal for a family or even when entertaining.
Mercy! How is it possible to love Baked Spaghetti or Baked Ziti more and more every single time you taste it? Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve had it twice. Yes! You read that last sentence right. Twice in two weeks! It’s that good.
It reminds me of my Skillet Lasagna in how quick and easy it is to prepare and how much everyone loves it.
Baked Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
For this baked pasta recipe, you’ll need:
- pasta – spaghetti, penne, rigatoni, elbow, twirl, etc.
- olive oil – if you omit the onion, you will not need the olive oil
- onion – optional
- oregano – use dried oregano if you plan to make ahead this recipe as a freezer meal
- lean ground beef – you can also use ground turkey if you prefer.
- garlic
- tomato sauce
- diced tomatoes
- shredded Monterey Jack cheese
This baked pasta with a meaty spaghetti sauce makes one of the easiest meals you can throw together in a hurry.
One of the best parts of this recipe is that you can really use whatever type of pasta you have on hand and that you love. We’ve been rather obsessed with twirl noodles lately, so rather than using ziti noodles as I normally would, I used these. Of course you can use spaghetti noodles, ziti, penne, rigatoni, elbow, or any other type that will hold the sauce well.
As for us, we’re using twirls.
And there’s another little secret that this baked pasta recipe and I have for you, too. It is a wonderful make-ahead meal.
As in, the reason we had it twice in two weeks was that I made a double recipe and rather than freezing one of them, I stuck it in the refrigerator. I meant to share the second pan with my sister, but she’d already made dinner plans for her family so we had it again. And we loved it just as much!
We could have just as easily had a sandwich, a quick breakfast-type meal or any number of recipes that only take about 30 minutes or less to prepare. Heck, there are plenty of those on this website for goodness sake. But, I have to tell you. Right then and there, that pasta was even better than take out. Delivered at that.
Make Ahead Instructions
Freezer Instructions
Here’s my baked pasta with spaghetti sauce recipe. I hope it you love it, too.
Baked Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta, penne, elbow, or another favorite pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 (26-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain well. As pasta is cooking, drizzle olive oil into skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and half of oregano to skillet with onions and cook for about 2 minutes. Add ground beef to the skillet, stirring often.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and additional oregano to ground beef.
- Combine with the pasta and pour into prepared baking dish.
- Top with cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Sounds so delicious….I pinned it to try!!
I made this for my family tonight and they asked if we could have it once a week! So easy, so delicious.
Will this turn out alright if I dont add the meat?
I did everything except no onion and I forgot to mix the noodles with the sauce before I out the cheese on top and out it in oven but I’m sure it will turn out ok even if i didnt mix it all up…cross my fingers😁…smells yummy though!
Only 8oz of pasta? Are you sure about that part?
Ohmygosh – I made this as a “crazy night” meal – put it in a timed oven, came home to supper – it was delicious! I will definitely make this pasta dish again. Thanks Robyn, from a new fan!
If you had frozen the second one you made, how long and at what heat would you have cooked it at?
Hi Sarah,
I would allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then cook as normal.
Baking tomorrow. Quick question, do you bake this covered or uncovered?
What type if pasta did you use?
Hi Tesa,
I used a twirl pasta.
I made this for dinner tonight, and it is fabulous! Thanks, Robyn!
I want to try this tonight, would it be okay if i substitute the tomato sauce with a can of ragu sauce?