Description
This hearty baked spaghetti recipe features tender pasta combined with a rich tomato cream sauce, spicy Italian sausage, and layers of melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for a comforting family meal, it's baked to bubbly perfection and garnished with fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Spaghetti and Cheese
- 1 lb. thin spaghetti
- 3 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
Tomato Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 small onion
- 1 carrot (optional)
- 1 stalk celery (optional)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional for more heat)
- 2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes in puree
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon base, crushed cubes or powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar more or less to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (may substitute evaporated milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the spaghetti casserole.
- Cook spaghetti: Cook the thin spaghetti in salted boiling water according to the package directions until it's just 1 minute shy of al dente to avoid overcooking since it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Chop vegetables: Roughly chop the onion, celery, and carrot so they fit in a food processor. Pulse about 12 times until finely chopped, or chop finely by hand.
- Brown sausage and veggies: In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, brown the hot Italian sausage along with the chopped onion, celery, and carrot over medium heat until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are softened. Add minced garlic and red chili pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add sauce ingredients: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef bouillon, sugar, dried basil, dried parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Mix well.
- Simmer sauce: Cover the pot leaving a 1-inch gap for steam and gently simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend flavors.
- Add spaghetti and cream: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream until fully combined. Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and toss with tongs until evenly coated with the sauce.
- Layer casserole: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread half of the spaghetti mixture evenly in the dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella over the pasta. Add the remaining spaghetti mixture on top, including any leftover sauce in the pot. Finish by topping with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Cover the casserole with foil and bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake for a few additional minutes if you want toasted cheese on top.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm and enjoy your baked spaghetti.
Notes
- Sausage substitutions: You can substitute the hot Italian pork sausage with hot Italian chicken or turkey sausage, or plain lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey. If using plain meat, add extra Italian seasonings, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and about 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel for flavor.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator covered tightly with foil for up to 5 days.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole a day in advance, tightly cover, and refrigerate without baking. Bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking and increase baking time by about 10 minutes.
- Freezing: Assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe dish without baking. Wrap tightly with two layers of plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour covered with foil, then bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 30 minutes until melted and heated through.
- For more heat, increase red chili pepper flakes in the sauce to your taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
