Baked Spaghetti

This recipe is one that is great for a family dinner, potluck, or even for a crowd. You can easily double or triple it, and customize each pan. I love pasta and especially one with a lot of cheese in it. So here is the recipe I use to make Baked Spaghetti, and know that you can 100% change this up to meet the flavors your family prefers.

• Ingredients:
  • 1 pound of spaghetti, cooked al dente
  • 1 large jar of spaghetti sauce, any flavor
  • 1 container of cottage cheese (2 pounds)
  • Oregano or Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

• Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and move a rack to the middle of the oven.
  • Cook spaghetti al dente, or to desired tenderness, remember it will cook more in the oven. Be sure to salt the water as this is the only time you can flavor the pasta.
  • Prepare a baking dish by spraying the bottom and sides with cooking spray.
  • When the pasta is done, drain the water and transfer the pasta to the baking dish. What I like to do is sprinkle a little oregano, basil, or Italian seasoning on top of the noodles.
  • Spread the entire container of cottage cheese on top of the noodles. If you are completely against cottage cheese, you can use ricotta, but trust me, you won’t even notice the cottage cheese when eating it. Again I sprinkle more seasoning on top of the cottage cheese.
  • Using as much sauce as you prefer, pour that on top of the cottage cheese, I use at least one jar, sometimes more to make sure it’s not dry. After you pour on the sauce, cover the top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • After taking out of the oven, wait 10 minutes before serving. I usually serve this with garlic bread and a nice green salad.

Alternatives to try: Add a pound of cooked ground beef or turkey with the sauce. Load in the veggies and have mushrooms, onions, and peppers, as an additional layer in the bake.

Happy Eating my Friends!