Crowd Pleasing Spaghetti Casserole

This spaghetti casserole is a delicious dinner that will become one of your regular dinners.  A comforting casserole with plenty of melted cheese is the perfect dish for potlucks, family gatherings, or when you want to take a friend to a meal.

Typically you will find pasta casseroles are crowd-pleasing.  A few variations and jarred sauce and you have spaghetti pie, another family favorite meal.  

Related: My family loves Italian meals like crock pot lasagna. We also love these easy skillet meals.

It makes two pies, and can be frozen ahead! It doesn’t get easier than that. Two meals for the work of one.  This baked spaghetti recipe can also be frozen.

Spaghetti Casserole

You will love the simple homemade tomato sauce that covers the spaghetti noodles. While it takes time to simmer the tomato sauce it goes together quickly.  Use the time to make a beautiful salad. The cheddar cheese tops it off perfectly.  A kid-pleasing meal for sure. My friend Kim has made it for us many times so I had to have the recipe.

If you need something gluten-free just use gluten-free noodles and skip the bread.

Baked Spaghetti Casserole Ingredients

• ground beef
• green pepper 
• onions 
• olive oil
• tomato paste
• canned whole tomatoes
• canned mushrooms
• spaghetti (Barilla gluten-free is what I used)
• grated cheddar cheese

Steps for making Spaghetti Casserole

Saute

1. Brown 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, green pepper, and onions in a skillet. Once cooked, drain the fat.

Simmer

1. Mix together 1/2 cup olive oil,  cans of tomato paste, cans of tomatoes, and drained mushrooms. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Once the sauce is finished add the ground beef mixture.
3. Cook 1 pound spaghetti and drain. Place spaghetti in a large 3-quart casserole dish. Place sauce on top of spaghetti and top with grated cheddar cheese. Bake 350 for about 30-40 minutes.

Once baked you have a yummy meal! Did you know cooked spaghetti freezes beautifully? This baked spaghetti makes a tone so  I can divide it and have one to serve and one to freeze. For making ahead the only difference in the directions would be to follow all the steps until it says to put it in the oven. At that point, top with foil and freeze. Make sure you choose a freezer-safe container.  Remove from the freezer the day before you plan on serving so it can defrost in the refrigerator. If you don’t remember to remove it, you can expect your cook time to be about an hour long at least. 

While your spaghetti bakes whip up a Toll House Pie and let it bake while you eat.  This would be a great menu for company or to take to a friend in need.

If you are looking for more simple dinners I have now been using my Instant Pot for years now.  I use it about four times a week.  Here are some of our favorite Instant Pot Pasta meals.

other pleasing pastas

• Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Sauce is an easy pressure cooker recipe.
• If you need a quick and easy recipe for busy weeknight meals you will love this Pressure Cooker Pasta with Meat Sauce
• Pressure Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs everything goes all at once into the Instant Pot and it all cooks together to make a yummy pasta dish.
• Creamy One Pot Pasta is a super creamy dairy-free comfort food you can prepare in 30 minutes or less!
• Baked Penne Pasta Casserole Recipe is a casserole that will curb your cravings for Italian food any time of the week.
• Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta is a great pasta meal with the added bonus of delicious shrimp.
• One Pot Pizza Pasta is a deliciously easy dinner and a super hit with my kids.

Let me know what you think of this baked spaghetti casserole!