Description
Make spaghetti night exciting with these spaghetti recipes six ways. This collection includes Rotel chicken spaghetti, baked spaghetti, baked spaghetti with meatballs, million dollar spaghetti casserole, creamy bacon pasta, and spaghetti stuffed garlic bread. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and make-ahead meals, these spaghetti dishes are easy to make and full of comfort food flavor. Save this pin for spaghetti dinner ideas, pasta casseroles, and crowd-pleasing pasta recipes.
1.Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- ▢1 pound spaghetti
- ▢1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ▢½ cup diced onion
- ▢½ cup diced bell pepper
- ▢10 ounces can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (do not drain)
- ▢2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast You can substitute rotisserie chicken
- ▢½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢½ teaspoon chili powder
- ▢½ teaspoon cumin optional
- ▢¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢2 cups cubed Velveeta cheese
- ▢10.5 ounces can cream of chicken soup
- ▢¾ cup chicken broth
- ▢1 cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
- ▢2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley optional garnish – you can substitute chopped cilantro for the parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13 (or 13×9) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.1 pound spaghetti
- Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet and sauté until the onion and bell pepper are tender.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil,½ cup diced onion,½ cup diced bell pepper
- Add the Rotel tomatoes and green chilies with juice to the skillet. Continue cooking for a few minutes.10 ounces can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
- Stir in the shredded chicken, chili powder, cumin (if using), salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast,½ teaspoon kosher salt,½ teaspoon chili powder,½ teaspoon cumin,¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the cubed Velveeta cheese, cream of chicken soup, and chicken broth. Stir continuously until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.2 cups cubed Velveeta cheese,10.5 ounces can cream of chicken soup,¾ cup chicken broth
- Combine the cooked spaghetti with the cheese and chicken mixture. Toss everything together until the spaghetti is well-coated.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese.1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top is melted and the casserole is bubbling. Allow the spaghetti to rest for a few minutes before serving.2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley
Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Leftover casserole should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the baked casserole for up to 1 month. Allow the casserole to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and serving.
- To Reheat: Reheat in the oven until heated through.
Tips:
- You can use pre-shredded cheese instead of freshly shredded cheese, but it will not be as creamy or melt as well. Pre-shredded cheese adds cellulose to the cheese and has a powdery texture.
- Although this recipe is called “spaghetti”, any noodle will work. Just make sure to prepare the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Feel free to add extra veggies to your casserole. Corn, peas, broccoli, and cauliflower would all be delicious in this dish.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 1555mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1179IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 477mg | Iron: 2mg
2.Baked Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- ▢1 pound ground beef
- ▢1 pound ground pork
- ▢1 onion diced
- ▢1 green bell pepper diced
- ▢5 cloves garlic divided
- ▢28 ounces marinara sauce
- ▢16 ounces spaghetti
- ▢½ cup butter
- ▢2 cups heavy cream
- ▢1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ▢1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ▢1 teaspoon salt
- ▢1 teaspoon pepper
- ▢8 ounces mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook your beef, pork, onion, pepper, and half the garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is cooked through. Mix in the marinara sauce. Set the sauce to the side.1 pound ground beef,1 pound ground pork,1 onion,1 green bell pepper,5 cloves garlic,28 ounces marinara sauce
- Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box.16 ounces spaghetti
- Melt your butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix in the remaining garlic, heavy cream, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until the sauce has started to thicken. Add in the spaghetti and toss until the noodles are coated. Pour the spaghetti into a 9 x 13 casserole pan.½ cup butter,2 cups heavy cream,1 cup grated Parmesan cheese,1 teaspoon Italian seasoning,1 teaspoon salt,1 teaspoon pepper
- Pour the meat sauce over the spaghetti and top with the mozzarella cheese.8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store leftovers covered in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator.
- To Reheat: To reheat, simply microwave until heated through or place in a 350 degree oven until warmed through.
Tips:
- You can substitute the jar of store-bought sauce for a homemade sauce. If it already has meat in it, you will not need to add the extra meat.
- I prefer to use lean ground beef for this recipe, which is 80-85% lean. If there is any grease, drain it or soak it up with a paper towel before mixing it into the marinara sauce.
- Feel free to bake this spaghetti meal in any oven safe dish you have. A casserole dish, baking pan, cast iron skillet, or a disposable aluminum pan will all work well.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 1220kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 79g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 276mg | Sodium: 1785mg | Potassium: 1260mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2698IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 465mg | Iron: 5mg
3.Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ▢1 lb lean ground beef
- ▢1 lb Italian ground pork
- ▢½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ▢¼ cup whole milk
- ▢1 tbsp minced garlic
- ▢2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ▢2 tsp onion powder
- ▢1 tbsp dried parsley
- ▢1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ▢1 tsp salt
- ▢½ tsp pepper
- ▢2 eggs lightly beaten
Pasta
- ▢8 ounces spaghetti noodles cooked per package directions
- ▢1 tbsp olive oil
- ▢¾ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ▢¼ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ▢1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- ▢⅛ tsp black pepper
- ▢32 ounces your favorite red pasta sauce
Casserole Toppings
- ▢1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ▢¼ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ▢1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, Italian breadcrumbs, whole milk, minced garlic, Italian seasonings, onion powder, dried parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and lightly beaten eggs. Using your hands mix all ingredients in the bowl until just combined, being careful not to overmix the meat.
- Use a small scoop to form small meatballs, or a large scoop to form large meatballs. A small scoop will make about 34 meatballs, a larger ice cream scoop will form about 17 meatballs.
- Place the meatballs on the foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes if making small meatballs, 25 minutes if making large meatballs. They should be cooked through at this point and browned on the top. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Cook spaghetti per package directions. Drain water and add noodles back to the pot. Drizzle olive oil over noodles and toss to coat. Add ¾ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, and ⅛ tsp ground black pepper. Toss pasta to coat with cheese and seasonings.
- Turn the heat down on your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add noodle mixture to the bottom of the baking dish.
- Remove meatballs from the baking sheet and place them on top of the noodle mixture. Nestle each meatball down in the noodles so that only the top half is sticking out.
- Add 32 ounces of your favorite pasta sauce to the top of the casserole. Use a fork to kind of spread out the noodles in-between the meatballs so the sauce can fall down in the noodles.
- Cover the casserole and place in the oven at 375 degrees. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining cheeses over the top of the casserole.
- Place back in the oven at 375 degrees and continue to cook for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and the sides are bubbling.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 629kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 2039mg | Potassium: 1123mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1322IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 558mg | Iron: 6mg
4.Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
- ▢16 ounces spaghetti
- ▢1 pound ground beef
- ▢1 pound Italian Sausage
- ▢3-4 cloves garlic minced
- ▢1 medium onion diced (or ½ cup)
- ▢2 24-ounce jars spaghetti sauce
- ▢1 cup cottage cheese
- ▢8 ounce cream cheese softened
- ▢¼ cup sour cream
- ▢3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- ▢8 tablespoons butter cut in half (4 tablespoons in each half). Each 4 tablespoons cut into slices.
- ▢Chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the spaghetti per package directions to al dente (about 8 minutes). Drain and return to the pot it was cooked in. Stir 4 tablespoons of sliced butter into the hot spaghetti.
- Stir one jar of the spaghetti sauce into the cooked noodles. Set aside.
- In a large skillet brown the ground beef, Italian sausage and onions. Add the garlic and cook one more minute. Drain any extra grease. Pour the remaining jar of spaghetti sauce into the meat mixture. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl mix together the cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream and 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
- In a deep dish 9×13 (or a 10×14 lasagne pan) place the remaining 4 tablespoons butter slices into the bottom of the pan.
- Spread half of the spaghetti noodles in the bottom of the pan.
- Next spread the cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Next place the remaining spaghetti noodles over the cheese mixture.
- Pour the meat sauce on top of this layer of spaghetti.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese on top of the casserole.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes. Let the casserole sit 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
FAQs & TIPS
- Ricotta cheese can be substituted for the cottage cheese
- If you want more of a cheese filling the cheese components could easily be doubled!
- You can use all ground beef instead of the mixture of meats
- This is even better as leftover (see tips in post above!_
Nutrition Info
Calories: 854kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 1013mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1096IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 305mg | Iron: 3mg
5.Creamy Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
- ▢1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢1 onion chopped
- ▢3 cloves garlic minced
- ▢3½ cups milk
- ▢10.5 ounces can cream of chicken soup
- ▢8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢1 teaspoon salt
- ▢½ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢1 pound uncooked spaghetti
- ▢1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ▢1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- ▢¾ cup bacon cooked and crumbled
- ▢2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cook the spaghetti al dente as directed on the package. Rinse and drain under cold water1 pound uncooked spaghetti
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, once the oil is hot add the onion and cook until the onion has softened, add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.1 tablespoon olive oil,1 onion,3 cloves garlic
- Reduce heat, add the milk, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, and spices, cook until the cream cheese is all melted.3½ cups milk,10.5 ounces can cream of chicken soup,8 ounces cream cheese,1 teaspoon salt,½ teaspoon black pepper
- Toss the spaghetti in the sauce to coat and place in a baking dish.
- Top with grated cheese and bacon.1 cup grated mozzarella cheese,1 cup grated cheddar cheese,¾ cup bacon
- Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes
- Remove foil and continue cooking for 10 minutes, place under broil in the last 5 minutes, check closely so that it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from the oven, serve warm, and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze, place the pasta in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: To reheat, place desired servings on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 45 to 60 seconds.
Tips:
- Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature so that it melts well into the sauce.
- I prefer to use whole milk for this recipe because it makes a thicker sauce, however you can use 2% milk if you don’t mind your sauce a bit thinner.
- You will need to cook and crumble the bacon beforehand. You can make your bacon by frying, baking or grilling it.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 1123mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 427mg | Iron: 1mg
6.Spaghetti Stuffed Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- ▢1 pound loaf of frozen garlic bread thawed
- ▢8 ounce (½ of a 1 lb. box) thin spaghetti cooked according to package directions
- ▢8 ounce block mozzarella cheese shred
- ▢56 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ▢1½ pounds ground beef
- ▢1 cup onion small diced
- ▢2 tbsp olive oil
- ▢1 tbsp garlic minced
- ▢1 tbsp italian seasoning
- ▢1 tsp dried basil
- ▢1 tsp kosher salt
- ▢¼ tsp black pepper
- ▢¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, place the olive oil. Once it is hot add the onions, garlic, italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, black and red pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Once the onions and spices have started to soften, add the ground beef and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease from the cooked beef.
- Add the crushed tomatoes to the cooked beef and turn the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a piece of aluminum foil onto a large baking sheet and set aside.
- While the sauce is simmering, remove your garlic bread from the package and allow it to thaw completely. Once thawed, cut your bread in half so that you have 4 equal sized portions. Place the pieces of garlic bread onto the prepared baking sheet garlic/butter side up.
- With a sharp knife, carefully cut a slit (following the shape of the bread) about ¼ inch from the sides of the bread. **Make sure you do not go all the way through the bread. You are wanting to create a border to hold the spaghetti and sauce in the bread boat**
- With the bottom of a large soup spoon, press down the center part of the garlic bread making sure to leave your ¼ inch border you created with your knife cut. *You should have created a garlic bread boat*
- In a large bowl add your, cooked & drained, thin spaghetti noodles with 4 cups of your sauce. Combine them so that all of your spaghetti noodles are coated with sauce.
- Divide your sauce coated noodles into 4 equal amounts and fill your garlic bread boats with the spaghetti. Make sure to keep your spaghetti neatly piled onto the garlic bread.
- Top each of your spaghetti filled garlic boats with a ¼ of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. **If you want your cheese a little more golden, than you can turn on your broiler for 2-3 minutes or until desired doneness**
Notes
Storage :
- To Store: Leftover spaghetti stuffed garlic bread can be stored in a covered container and refrigerated for 1-2 days. Any longer than that and your bread will get soggy.
- To Freeze: While I don’t recommend freezing this dish, it can be frozen for up to 2 months if you store the components separately. See FAQs below.
- To Reheat: Reheat the spaghetti stuffed garlic bread on a baking sheet, in a 350* oven, for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Tips:
- These spaghetti stuffed garlic breads should be served hot.
- Using a sturdy bread is essential to this recipe! You need bread that can hold its own underneath the weight of the spaghetti and sauce.
- I use spaghetti for this recipe but you can easily use whatever pasta you have in your pantry. Spaghetti holds its shape and fills the garlic bread bowl really nicely. You also want to use pasta that stays in place.
- If you add the spaghetti and sauce to the bread boat too early, the sauce will get absorbed by the bread and change the texture. You will lose the crunchy sides of the garlic bread.
- If you want to make a 2nd loaf of spaghetti stuffed garlic bread later in the week, I would suggest keeping the bread and spaghetti separate from each other until you are ready to bake them together.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 1154kcal | Carbohydrates: 142g | Protein: 77g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 2163mg | Potassium: 2159mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 1298IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 538mg | Iron: 15mg
