Get ready to join the craze because our viral oven-baked
While we acknowledge that traditional Italian purists might raise an eyebrow at this method, we’re confident that anyone who values a hassle-free and speedy meal will fall head over heels for it! And if you’re not already sold on this super simple recipe, let’s just say that Food Network’s queen of Italian cuisine, Giada de Laurentiis, was enough of a fan that she posted her Food Dolls-inspired version on TikTok!
Table of Contents
- Want to learn the history of a real oven baked spaghetti? Keep reading!
- Oven-Baking Spaghetti: The History
- Ingredients You Need
- Different Ways of Making It
- What About Making Sauce From Scratch?
- How to Make Viral Baked Spaghetti Casserole
- Can Oven-Baked Spaghetti Be Healthy?
- Is It an Easy Dish To Make?
- How to Store
- Is It an Easy Dish To Make?
- Let Us Know How It Goes and Enjoy Your Spaghetti!
- More Spaghetti Recipes To Try
- Oven Baked Spaghetti Recipe
We do love to make classic spaghetti on the stovetop. However, that is not the goal of this recipe.
The beauty of oven-baked
Want to learn the history of a real oven baked spaghetti ? Keep reading!
Oven-baked
This dish has many variations across the globe, with some styles using more tomatoes than others. In this blog post, we explore oven-baked
Oven-Baking Spaghetti : The History
Neapolitan chefs created the recipe in Naples in the 1700s. However, it quickly spread throughout Europe and America during WWII largely as a result of limited food supplies.
In the early 19th century, Italian immigrants from Sicily arrived in New York City. They brought with them many types of traditional dishes; including, oven baked
Many iterations of the recipe became popular. For instance, a popular option features bread crumbs in place of pasta dough. However, this dish became particularly popular among Italians living abroad. It served as a great way to keep their culture alive even from across the globe!
Ingredients You Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions for this recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details and nutrition information!
- Spaghetti – Use your favorite
spaghetti noodles, and opt for gluten-free varieties to keep this recipe gluten-free-friendly. - Pasta Sauce – You’ll need a high-quality red pasta sauce. For the best results, we highly recommend creating a homemade marinara sauce.
- Seasonings – Incorporate dried oregano or Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper for added flavor. Feel free to add a dash of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, too!
- Aromatics – Freshly minced garlic and white or yellow onion add elements of savory, slightly sweet flavor to the dish.
- Oil – We recommend using a high-quality olive oil, but avocado oil would also work.
- Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds extra depth with a layer of nutty, savory flavor.
Different Ways of Making It
The most basic oven-baked
For example, some oven-baked
You can also make oven-baked
Different countries across Europe have their own signature style of oven-baked
You can even mix in protein! Try cooking lean ground beef, Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken in a large skillet. Then, use it to create a savory meat sauce to make this meal even more filling.
What About Making Sauce From Scratch?
Making your sauce from scratch can add a nice touch to oven-baked
For example, you could make an onion or garlic base for your sauce before adding any other ingredients. Just be sure to let the sauce cook for a good amount of time so that all the flavors have time to combine!
Making sauce for oven-baked
How to Make Viral Baked Spaghetti Casserole
Before you begin, set your oven to preheat.
- Combine. Add all the ingredients except for the cheese to a large baking dish, and stir to combine and coat.
- Bake. Cover and bake until the noodles are al dente.
- Rest. Uncover the dish, and allow the dish to rest. Then, stir the ingredients.
- Bake again. Top the
spaghetti with the mozzarella cheese and bake again until the cheese melts and is bubbly. Enjoy!
Can Oven-Baked Spaghetti Be Healthy?
Spaghetti is fairly healthy when prepared with simple ingredients and cooking methods! As always, the ingredients included affect the nutritional makeup of the dish.
For example, oven-baked pasta with a lot of vegetables and lean meats is a fairly healthy dish. Meanwhile, oven-baked pasta with processed foods like cheese or meat products is substantially less nutritious. That being said, this type of meal is better for you than a pizza!
Is It an Easy Dish To Make?
This recipe is relatively easy to make. You just need to follow some key steps to ensure the best results.
For example, mixing in enough sauce can be difficult without making a mess. So, it may require using more than one bowl or plate throughout the cooking process.
We also recommend lining your baking pan with aluminum foil before putting down any of the ingredients. This allows for easier clean-up afterward.
How to Store
Cover the cooked
Reheat in the oven or microwave just until heated through. Add a splash of broth to freshen the dish back up if it becomes too dry!
Is It an Easy Dish To Make?
It is a dish that is relatively easy to make. However, if you want the best oven-baked pasta possible it is important to follow some key steps.
First, use multiple bowls or a very large bowl to mix everything to make sure you have enough room to mix in the sauce. Also, try lining your baking pan with aluminum foil so that cleanup is a breeze.
Let Us Know How It Goes and Enjoy Your Spaghetti !
We’ve given you a glimpse into the backstory and variations of oven-baked
Be sure to hit us up with any questions or comments in the comment section below!
More Spaghetti Recipes To Try
If you’re as in love with easy pasta dishes as we are, you’re going to adore these mouthwatering recipes!
- Easy Baked Million Dollar
Spaghetti Recipe - One Pot Greek
Spaghetti - Easy
Spaghetti Pizza Bake - Oven Baked Mediterranean Spaghetti
Oven Baked Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti uncooked
- 16 ounces jar pasta sauce
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon oregano or italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper more or less to taste
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion sliced thin
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add all the ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese to a large baking dish. Stir well.16 ounces spaghetti, 16 ounces jar pasta sauce, 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon oregano or italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 5 cloves garlic, 1 onion, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven about 20-25 minutes in and give it a stir. *Be sure not to skip this step.
- Top with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly!1 cup mozzarella cheese
Video
Equipment
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You Dolls have Delish recipes!!!
Thank you so much, Sherri! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I made this today with the Barilla pasta that has added plant sourced protein.
I used a full jar of Rao’s sauce- it wasn’t until later that I noticed the recipe called for 16 oz of sauce! It was great with a full jar!
I used the full amount of water and at 20 min added about 1/2 cup of broth.
The final product was great!
It would be a great dish to take to a friend!
We’re so glad it turned out well for you! Thank you for trying it out, Georgia! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Will it be possible to do this in the Slow Cooker?
We haven’t tested it and can’t guarantee the results but would love to know how it goes if you do give it a try!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This a great recipe. Followed the recipe for the most part. I added fresh breadcrumbs with the cheese and fresh basil. This dish would be great for a friend. The addition of chicken broth instead of water proved yummy! Thanks!
Thank you, Robin! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Excellent dish and easy to prepare. I used Parmesan cheese for better flavor and topped off with fresh h basil before serving. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you for the feedback, James! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
From Australia 🇦🇺 love this recipe. I have a coeliac family member and the gluten free pasta never turns out right or tastes terrible. I gave this a go and was amazed! I didn’t need to adjust liquid quantities at all. I added in some Boccini for the last step. Love it!
We’re so happy to hear this! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review, Cath!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Wow! So easy and delicious!! I added 1/2 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage and used whole wheat pasta. I thought 16 oz of spaghetti was a lot, for my needs, so cut back by 1/3, and scaled back some of the water. Otherwise, other than adding a couple pinches of sugar (which all tomato based pasta commands, in my opinion 😉), I loved it! Cleanup so much easier without the big pot and strainer to deal with! Thanks Food Dolls❣️
Thank you! We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you and enjoyed it. 🥰
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
In the instructions under step 3 or step 4 you should add something like keep covered and return to oven. Bake another 15 minutes then add the cheese. Maybe I am the only one who misunderstood and added the cheese after stirring when it was very soupy. I baked it the 10 minutes to melt the cheese but the spaghetti wasn’t cooked. I then realized that it had only cooked 35 minutes!! Dumb me! I covered it again and continued bakeing it. It did taste good but next time I will bake 20-25 min., stir, bake 15 min., put cheese on, uncover and bake 10 min. more. When I printed off the receipe I only printed off the ingrediants & instructions and not the top part where it says cook time is 50 min. Next time I will print off the whole recipe. I will be making this recipe again using some of the suggestions mentioned in the other comments.
Sorry about this, Martha! We will revisit the recipe and try to make it more clear!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Such a complete waste of food. The noodles were not cooked all the way. I followed the directions exactly.
We’re sorry it didn’t turn out well for you, Madison! It might’ve needed to bake a little longer, depending on your oven and noodles used.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This recipe was fantastic! I added cooked ground beef per my family’s preference.
Yum! Thank you, Samantha!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I used ingredients per recipe. I used Rao’s Bolegnese for the sauce. I stirred after 25 minutes and had to add about half cup water. Cooked for another 5 minutes than put on the cheese and cooked for 10. I had to add some more sauce when I took it out of the oven. Have to really watch it to not dry out. But I do like it.
I love this recipe. it’s very easy to make and the options are endless, follow the directions and you’ll have everyone wanting seconds. I added in mushrooms. yummy dish thank you.
Can you make this other types of pasta, i.e. penne or fusili?
Absolutely!
Easy and delicious!
Loved this! Super easy for busy families with potential to add different things for variety. Thanks so much!
This is the third time I’ve made this recipe! This time I added hamburger last time I added sausage. My boys love this dish and it’s so easy to make and clean up! Thank you ladies for making such a wonderful dish for a hard-working mom like me. ❤️
That is amazing and makes us so happy! Glad we can help 🙂 xo, Alia & Radwa
I made this SO quick, we added 500g of ground beef and it was delicious!
Love the addition of beef!
Horrible recipe. Followed everything as it was written. Wound up with tomatoe soup with spaghetti noodles. 3 cups of water is far too much water. It made quite a mess in the oven. Not very happy with this at all. Wasted a box of pasta and a jar of sauce.
I used veggie spaghetti noodles, chopped broccoli, onion, minced garlic, jar of pumpkin, butternut squash sauce, followed your ingredients but time was different. Electric oven @375° covered, first 25 minutes, stirred but lowered rack then added frozen Italian meatballs and covered 25 minutes. tasted noodle not done so I did 15 minutes more covered. Mixed good then added mozzarella cheese on top back in 20 minutes. yummy I posted a picture on my page.
Trying this tonight for dinner. Just wondered what size baking dish you used?
You can do this in a 12×8 baking dish! Let us know what you think!
Not sure what I did wrong, but the spaghetti and sauce just turned into paste. Like, it looked like spaghetti, but when I stuck a fork in it, the noodles didn’t come apart all…noodley. It was just mush.
Our family absolutely loves this dish! We use chicken broth instead of water and add ground Italian sausage before barking. Sometimes I’ll use an extra 12-16 oz of sauce and mix it up by using half Alfredo. So delish! Thanks food dolls!
So glad to hear that this was a hit! Love the modification!