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Baked Spaghetti

By Matt Price

5 from 2 votes

Sep 18, 2024, Updated Mar 15, 2026

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Baked Spaghetti Recipe by Mr. Make It Happen

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Introduction

Baked Spaghetti: A Cozy Classic with a Gourmet Twist

Welcome to your new favorite spaghetti recipe! This baked spaghetti is a comfort food classic with a gourmet twist that will have everyone coming back for seconds. With a rich tomato sauce, savory meat, and a cheesy, creamy topping, this dish is perfect for family dinners or a special occasion.

First things first, let’s get all of our ingredients prepped and measured. Here’s a peak at what you’re going to need.

For my spaghetti sauce, I like to add 1 diced onion. If you’re into bell peppers you can add that too, but today we are going leaving the peppers out.

Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook until the meat is browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain any excess fat.

We are kicking up the flavor a bit with roasted garlic.

Roasted garlic is a kitchen treasure that transforms the pungent, raw flavor of garlic into a sweet, mellow, and nutty delicacy. It’s incredibly easy to make at home and can elevate a variety of dishes with its rich, deep flavor. Here’s a simple guide on how to roast garlic and how you can use it to enhance your meals.

How to Roast Garlic

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Prepare the Garlic:
   • Take a whole bulb of garlic and peel away the outer layers of skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. You want to keep the bulb whole.
   • Slice off the top ¼ inch of the bulb to expose the individual garlic cloves.
3. Season:
   • Drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with olive oil. You can also sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
   • For added flavor, you can place a sprig of fresh herbs, like thyme or rosemary, on top of the garlic.
4. Wrap and Roast:
   • Wrap the garlic bulb in aluminum foil to keep it from drying out and to allow it to steam a bit, which helps in caramelizing the garlic.
   • Place the foil-wrapped garlic bulb on a baking sheet or in a small baking dish.
5. Roast:
   • Roast the garlic in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes. The exact time can vary depending on the size of the bulb. It’s done when the cloves are soft and golden brown. You can test it by squeezing a clove; it should be tender and easy to squeeze out.
6. Cool and Use:
   • Let the roasted garlic cool slightly before handling. To extract the cloves, gently squeeze the bulb from the bottom, pushing the cloves out of their skins.
   • The cloves can be spread on bread, added to mashed potatoes, mixed into sauces, or used in a variety of other dishes.

Uses for Roasted Garlic

1. Spread for Bread:
   • Roasted garlic makes a delicious spread for crusty bread. Just mash it with a fork and spread it on slices of baguette or toast.
2. Flavor Enhancer:
   • Incorporate roasted garlic into mashed potatoes, soups, or stews for a deeper, more complex flavor.
3. In Dressings and Sauces:
   • Blend roasted garlic into vinaigrettes, sauces, or dips for a subtle garlic flavor without the sharp bite.
4. Mix into Vegetables:
   • Toss roasted garlic cloves with roasted or sautéed vegetables for added richness.
5. In Pasta and Pizza:
   • Mix into pasta sauces or spread on pizza dough for an extra layer of flavor.
6. In Compound Butters:
   • Combine roasted garlic with butter and herbs to create a flavorful compound butter for steaks, seafood, or vegetables.

Once the ground beef is cooked along with the onion and roasted garlic, add in the tomato paste and mix to combine.

Season to taste and then deglaze with dry red wine. (You can omit the wine if you prefer and just use a bit of beef broth)

Next, once the wine has cooked off, add in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Mix to combine and simmer for 30-60 minutes.

I like to add a pinch of sugar to balance my sauce flavor profile. This step is optional, and the better quality you choose for your tomato products, the less you will need to use sugar.

Mix Cheeses: In a large bowl, combine the shredded Parmesan, mozzarella cheese, sour cream, and Boursin garlic and herb cheese. Mix until well combined. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

I like this cheese mixture better than the standard store bought ricotta that lacks flavor IMO.

Add your mozzarella and parmesan to the Boursin and sour cream

Add a little freshly diced parsley and season to taste. 

Now it’s time to build the casserole. First, add some sauce to the bottom of your dish and then add in the spagehetti.

Add a layer of your cheese mixture and then repeat (similar to making a lasagna) until your dish is full. Top with cheese and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Garnish with fresh parsley and also this to cool for 10 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

This baked spaghetti is a hearty, delicious meal that’s sure to please everyone at the table. Pair it with a side salad and some garlic bread for a complete Italian feast. Buon appetito!

Print & Download Baked Spaghetti Recipe

Baked Spaghetti

Matt Price

Welcome to your new favorite spaghetti recipe! This baked spaghetti is a comfort food classic with a gourmet twist that will have everyone coming back for seconds. With a rich tomato sauce, savory meat, and a cheesy, creamy topping, this dish is perfect for family dinners or a special occasion.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Favorites, Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

Calories 691 kcal

Equipment

1 Baking Dish

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Sauce:

• ▢ 1 28 oz can Tomato Sauce
• ▢ 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
• ▢ 1 Onion finely chopped
• ▢ 4 Cloves Garlic minced or roasted garlic
• ▢ 2 lbs Ground Beef 80/20
• ▢ ¼ cup Dry Red Wine
• ▢ Italian Seasoning to taste
• ▢ Red Pepper Flakes to taste
• ▢ Salt Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder (to taste)
• ▢ 2 Pinches of Sugar
• ▢ Fresh Basil a handful, chopped optional
• ▢ ¼ cupTomato Paste

For the Pasta:

• ▢ 1 Package Spaghetti
• ▢ Salt Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder (to taste)
• ▢ Sugar as needed to balance acidity

For the Cheese Layer:

• ▢ 1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• ▢ 16 oz Mozzarella Cheese reserve some for topping
• ▢ ½ cup Sour Cream
• ▢ 5.2 oz Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese
• ▢ Fresh Chopped Parsley
• ▢ Salt Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder (to taste)

Instructions

 

Spaghetti Sauce (Part 1):

• I like to add 1 diced onion. If you’re into bell peppers you can add that too, but today we are going leaving the peppers out.
• Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook until the meat is browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
• Drain any excess fat.

Roasted Garlic:

Preheat the Oven:

• * Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Prepare the Garlic:

• * Take a whole bulb of garlic and peel away the outer layers of skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. You want to keep the bulb whole.
• * Slice off the top ¼ inch of the bulb to expose the individual garlic cloves.

Season:

• * Drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with olive oil. You can also sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
• * For added flavor, you can place a sprig of fresh herbs, like thyme or rosemary, on top of the garlic.

Wrap and Roast:

• * Wrap the garlic bulb in aluminum foil to keep it from drying out and to allow it to steam a bit, which helps in caramelizing the garlic.
• * Place the foil-wrapped garlic bulb on a baking sheet or in a small baking dish.

Roast:

• * Roast the garlic in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes. The exact time can vary depending on the size of the bulb. It’s done when the cloves are soft and golden brown. You can test it by squeezing a clove; it should be tender and easy to squeeze out.

Cool and Use:

• * Let the roasted garlic cool slightly before handling.
• To extract the cloves, gently squeeze the bulb from the bottom, pushing the cloves out of their skins.
• * The cloves can be spread on bread, added to mashed potatoes, mixed into sauces, or used in a variety of other dishes.

Spaghetti Sauce (Part 2)

• Once the ground beef is cooked along with the onion and roasted garlic, add in the tomato paste and mix to combine.
• Season to taste and then deglaze with dry red wine. (You can omit the wine if you prefer and just use a bit of beef broth)
• Next, once the wine has cooked off, add in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Mix to combine and simmer for 30-60 minutes.
• I like to add a pinch of sugar to balance my sauce flavor profile. This step is optional, and the better quality you choose for your tomato products, the less you will need to use sugar.

Mix Cheeses:

• In a large bowl, combine the shredded Parmesan, mozzarella cheese, sour cream, and Boursin garlic and herb cheese.
• Mix until well combined. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Add your mozzarella and parmesan to the Boursin and sour cream
• Add a little freshly diced parsley and season to taste.
• Now it’s time to build the casserole. First, add some sauce to the bottom of your dish and then add in the spagehetti.
• Add a layer of your cheese mixture and the repeat (similar to making a lasagna) until your dish is full.
• Top with cheese and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and also this to cool for 10 minutes.

Notes

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees for Roasted Garlic

Bake at 375 degrees for the Baked Spaghetti 

Nutrition

Calories: 691kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 42gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 1439mgPotassium: 1094mgFiber: 4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1552IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 540mgIron: 5mg

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