Baked Spasagna – The BEST Baked Spaghetti

Baked Spasagna – lasagna and spaghetti in one! Baked pasta with mozzarella, ricotta, sour cream, half-and-half and parmesan. Topped with a quick meat sauce. SOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too. Perfect for a potluck!

Baked Spasanga - lasagna and spaghetti in one! Baked pasta with mozzarella, ricotta, sour cream, half-and-half and parmesan. Topped with a quick meat sauce. SOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too. Perfect for a potluck!

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The BEST Baked Spaghetti

I came across this recipe for Baked Spasagna on the internet.  The description said this was the recipe for a dish at the restaurant Cheddar’s.  I’ve never been to (or heard of) Cheddar’s, but the recipes sounded delicious. I immediately added it to the weekly menu.

We both really liked this dish.  It makes a ton.  We made half of the recipe below and it was easily enough for 6 to 8 people.  This would be a great dish for a potluck or any other time to need to feed a crowd.

How to Make Baked Spasagna

This was similar to my Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole, but cheesier.  It uses 2 pounds of mozzarella cheese. Yes, 2 pounds. I told you it was cheesier! It came together quickly.  I mixed the cheese mixture up while the pasta cooked and finished the meat sauce off while the casserole was in the oven.  

  • Can use Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey in this recipe.
  • I used 2 pounds of shredded mozzarella cheese. Feel free to use an Italian cheese blend or provolone.
  • Can I make Baked Spasagna Casserole ahead of time? Yes! You can make the casserole ahead of time and refrigerate. You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
  • Can I freeze Baked Spasagna Casserole? Yes! You can assemble the casserole and freeze for later.
  • To bake casserole after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed below.
  • Can I half the recipe? Yes. You can make half of the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch baking dish. The cooking time would stay the same.
  • This makes a lot of pasta. I sometimes divide the recipe into two pans and bake one and freeze one for later.
  • I used a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce. My favorite brands are Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Marinara (green label), Rao’s, or La Famiglia DelGrosso sauce.
  • If you don’t like ricotta, you can try substituting cottage cheese.
Baked Spasanga - lasagna and spaghetti in one! Baked pasta with mozzarella, ricotta, sour cream, half-and-half and parmesan. Topped with a quick meat sauce. SOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too. Perfect for a potluck!

What to Serve with Cheddar’s Baked Spasagna

This Baked Spasagna has quickly become a family favorite. It is super easy to make and everyone LOVES it. This is a very hearty dish so you don’t need very many side dishes to go with it. A simple salad and some garlic bread is perfect! Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this cheesy spaghetti casserole:

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cheddars baked spasagna

Baked Spasagna

Yield: 8 people
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Baked Spasagna – lasagna and spaghetti in one! Baked pasta with mozzarella, ricotta, sour cream, half-and-half and parmesan. Topped with a quick meat sauce. SOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too. Perfect for a potluck!

Ingredients:

  • 24- oz spaghetti
  • 4 (8-oz) packages shredded mozzarella cheese (yes – 2 lb of cheese)
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • cups half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 (26-oz) jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  • Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain.
  • In a large bowl, stir together sour cream, ricotta, half-and-half, mozzarella, oregano, basil, pepper, garlic, salt, and half the Parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti and toss until well coated.
  • Pour spaghetti mixture into 9×13 pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top spaghetti with remaining Parmesan cheese.
  • Cover dish aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.
  • While pasta is baking, prepare meat sauce. Brown Italian sausage in skillet. Drain and return to skillet. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove pasta from the oven. Cut into squares and top with meat sauce. Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan cheese.

Notes:

Can use Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey in this recipe.
I used 2 pounds of shredded mozzarella cheese. Feel free to use an Italian cheese blend or provolone.
You can make the casserole ahead of time and refrigerate. You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
You can assemble the casserole and freeze for later.
To bake casserole after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed below.
You can make half of the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch baking dish. The cooking time would stay the same.
This makes a lot of pasta. I sometimes divide the recipe into two pans and bake one and freeze one for later.
I used a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce. My favorite brands are Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Marinara (green label), Rao’s, or La Famiglia DelGrosso sauce.
If you don’t like ricotta, you can try substituting cottage cheese.

Steph

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Comments

  1. Soooooo good. It’s not a web of dried out baked spaghetti because you top it with the sauce afterwards. And just the proportions of the ingredients in the pasta mix keep it from being dried out. I roast garlic on my stove top and caramelize some chopped onions to add to it for us. This is a repeat tonight. Thank you 🙂

  2. Made it! It was fantastic! My family practically licked their plates! This will be a staple from now on at my house.

  3. EVERYONE LOVED IT! I loved it because it was so much easier than lasagna! Thanks for the great recipe, will be a keeper!

  4. I made the recipe and cooked it all. Can I freeze 1/2 after cooking it? I’d assume so – just wondering if you’ve ever done it this way.

  5. Sorry, can’t rate yet, I haven’t made it. I have a question though – why don’t you mix the spaghetti sauce in with the noodles? Could you do that? It seems like the spaghetti part would be dry without the sauce mixed in. I want to make it for Christmas but don’t want it to be dry. Thanks!

  6. I made this using spaghetti squash instead of noodles. It turned out great and my super picky daughter didn't even notice the difference. In fact, I am making it again tonight at her request! Thanks for sharing!

  7. My family LOVES this recipe almost as much as they love my lasagna recipe (which also has a couple of pounds of cheese). Thanks!

  8. I made my own version of this using linguine instead of spaghetti noodles and 16oz filled a 9×13 pan to the top. No way would 32oz work in a 9×13, mine was piled up as is. I mixed the cooked noodles with a mixture of cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream, 8oz mozzarella, parmesan. Put it in the pan then topped with crumbled italian sausage and chopped smoked sausage. then poured pasta and alfredo on top, then provel cheese. Baked 30min with foil on top. Came out good, going to use more seasoning in the cheese mixture next time. Thanks for the concept!!

  9. TC – I would still cook it for about 30 minutes even if you half it. I would check it at 25 minutes. It just needs to be heated through and starting to bubble. I didn't think it was too cheesy, but feel free to reduce the cheese to your liking. Enjoy!!

  10. I am planning on making this soon. Just wondering, if I half the recipe and make it in a 8X8 dish, should I decrease the cook time? Also, is it too cheesy? Thinking of using less cheese than the recipe calls for.

  11. Oh my gosh, I have been looking for this recipe for for over a year. I made it once and everybody loved it and I lost the recipe. Thank you so much. Making it tonight!

  12. I'm going to mix the spaghetti sauce in with everything else and bake it that way. I think it will turn out fine. Bought the ingredients the other day and can't wait to make it! I live alone, though, and have another casserole to finish before I make this one. I'm already certain I will love it!

  13. Wow….this sounds really good! I like to find recipes that make a lot. This would feed a crowd or my 6'3", 235lb 14year old stepson! lol

  14. We have Cheddars here but I have never been there. If they serve what you have here I may have to get my son to take me on my bday or mother's day lol. Looks scrumptious!!!

  15. Ate the leftover noodle mixture with chicken parmesan tonight and it was a hit again! Just take chicken tenders, dip in egg wash and then grated parmesan and fry in some EVOO. Once it's done, let it simmer in spaghetti sauce and cover each chicken strip with mozzarella cheese!

  16. Made this tonight and it was absolutely fantastic!!!! I only used a 16 oz package of spaghetti, and I didn't use all the mozzerella because it seemed a little thick. Next time I will make more meat and use 2 jars of sauce. But, this was a big hit with the hubby and my 10 year old. It makes ALOT though, so I may even split it in half next time, or make two 8×8 dishes, keep one and give one away or freeze it.

  17. Made this tonite, only used 6 cups mozzarella, then added 93/7% ground beef with the sausage for the sauce. I did use 2 (12 oz) boxes of "Smart" spaghetti. It was so delicious and everyone asked for the recipe. This is a keeper for sure. Thanks.

  18. This was great! Yum yum. I used 2 lbs of spaghetti and the cheese called for. Made a meat sauce with 2 jars of sauce and about a pound and a half of ground meat. Great hit with the crowd!

  19. I made this tonight, but I cut it down to 1 lb. of spaghetti, 2 C. of Moz. cheese, 1/4 C. sour cream and 3/4 C. 2% milk (instead of half and half). It was still really creamy. I also added 2 tsp. of crushed red pepper to my sauce. It gave it a nice zing.

  20. Are you SURE its 24oz spaghetti?? I made it according to the directions and needed a 9X13, and TWO 8X8's. That is a TON of spaghetti. There is no way you used that much spaghetti (2 boxes) in your picture.

    1. I made half of the recipe and it fit in an 8×8 pan. I did use 12oz of spaghetti for the half recipe

  21. I just made a similar version of this last night and posted it. I'm going to try your version as well and maybe make some combinations. Your photos are awesome. Gonna start following you now and also on Pinterest where I found your pins! Thanks for sharing! Hope you can stop by too.

  22. Just went to the store planning to get the ingredients for this dish tonight! Wowzers. All that cheese and everything added up to lots of $$$ just for hubby and I. I'm definitely bookmarking this recipe for our next potluck… but for right now, it's out of my bowling lane.

  23. Take a trip up to Nashville – Lots of Cheddar's to choose from! And you will love everything you eat there! :)Their baked Spasagna is my favorite!

  24. Cheddars is a great restaurant, though I've never had this dish. I'm excited to try it out – it looks soooo cheesy and good!

  25. Holey moley that looks good! We're big cheese lovers over here, so this one is definitely getting bookmarked. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  26. We have Cheddar's here in TN and they are AMAZING!! You get HUGE portions of food for great prices. I feel bad for you guys that don't have them. 🙂

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