Description
Baked spaghetti and meatballs blends two Italian favorites into one cozy dish. Saucy pasta and tender meatballs are finished with melted cheese for a homestyle classic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 dozen meatballs (prefabricated/fully cooked)
- 24 oz (680 g) San Marzano marinara sauce
- 3/4 pound (340 g) spaghetti noodles
- 1–2 cups (240–480 ml) grated cheese (combination of colby-jack and mozzarella)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 yellow onion (finely diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Caramelize finely chopped onions in olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent, then add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Introduce fully cooked meatballs to the skillet with the softened aromatics.
- Pour marinara sauce and Italian seasoning into the skillet, allowing the mixture to simmer for 20-25 minutes, developing rich flavors.
- Cook spaghetti in a separate pot, deliberately undercooking by 2 minutes to prevent overcooking during baking.
- Remove meatballs from sauce using a slotted spoon and set aside temporarily.
- Add the spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce, along with ½ cup of the pasta water. Toss until the noodles are coated.
- Gently return meatballs to the sauced spaghetti, distributing them evenly throughout the dish.
- Generously sprinkle a blend of grated cheese and parmesan across the surface, ensuring complete coverage.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes until the cheese melts completely and the edges turn golden brown, creating a crispy, bubbling casserole.
Notes
- Achieving the perfect sauté requires patience, keeping heat low and stirring occasionally to prevent burning onions and garlic.
- Undercooking pasta by 2 minutes ensures it won’t become mushy when baked, allowing it to absorb sauce and finish cooking in the oven.
- Adding pasta water helps create a silky, clingy sauce that evenly coats noodles, enhancing overall flavor and texture.
- For gluten-free adaptation, substitute regular spaghetti with gluten-free pasta and ensure marinara sauce contains no wheat-based additives.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg