Leftover Spaghetti Bake is an easy way to really transform leftover spaghetti into a different meal the second night. You can use spaghetti with meat sauce or with meatballs in this recipe too! The sky is the limit.
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This Baked Spaghetti recipe was born from the desire to have something besides leftover spaghetti the second night.
Spaghetti is a favorite around our house, and we eat it frequently.
But it makes a lot, and there’s always enough for another night’s dinner.
Sometimes I just want to do something different than warming up the leftover spaghetti in the microwave though.
So, this is how I throw the spaghetti together in a casserole dish to make it an entirely new meal.
This is a very popular recipe on our blog so I hope you enjoy it too!
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🔑 Key to Success #1 – Choose Your Own Adventure
This basic leftover spaghetti dish can be customized a zillion different ways but it all starts with your favorite spaghetti recipe.
My son, Noah, loves spaghetti and meatballs. He insists on the meatballs.
So my leftover spaghetti almost always has meatballs in it.
First, combine your spaghetti noodles and your sauce if not already done so.
You can add additional meat or additional vegetables to your spaghetti if you’d like.
You can add onions or peppers or carrots if you’d like but make sure they’re already cooked/soft before you add them since this is a quick-cooking pasta dish.
The amount of pasta you have is not super important either.
If you have at least 3-4 servings of pasta, I wouldn’t change the amount of the other ingredients listed in the recipe.
🔑 Key to Success #2 – Bake Covered
After you add the Italian seasoning, eggs, butter, and Parmesan cheese, spread the pasta into your greased baking dish and cover the whole thing with aluminum foil. (Does anyone still call it tin foil?)
You’ll bake the pasta for about 30 minutes covered with foil.
Make sure the foil is fully covering the pasta so that it doesn’t dry out in the oven.
If you reach 30 minutes and you feel like your pasta is not warm enough, pop it back into the oven covered for up to 15 minutes more.
🔑 Key to Success #3 – Sprinkle on the Cheese
I like to top this Spaghetti Bake with freshly shredded cheddar cheese but you could also use mozzarella cheese for a more traditional Italian spaghetti dish.
However, I’m a big lover of cheddar cheese on spaghetti, so I hope you’ll give it a shot.
After you’ve sprinkled the cheese on top of the oven-warmed spaghetti bake, return it to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and gooey.
You may also use a broiler to melt the cheese on top of this dish if you have one.
Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t become too brown!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that you can make this dish with fresh pasta as well.
I’d suggest using a half-pound of cooked pasta noodles (does not have to be spaghetti!) and a jar of prepared sauce.
I prefer the Prego Traditional pasta sauce but you can use your favorite variety or even homemade spaghetti sauce.
📌 Save this Leftover Spaghetti Bake to your favorite Easy Meals Board!
Leftover Spaghetti Bake
Leftover Spaghetti Bake is an easy way to really transform leftover spaghetti into a different meal the second night. You can use spaghetti with meat sauce or with meatballs in this recipe too! Never wonder what to do with leftover spaghetti again.
Ingredients
- your favorite spaghetti recipe with sauce
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9X13 inch baking dish.
- Combine prepared spaghetti with sauce, Italian seasoning, eggs, butter, and Parmesan. Spread into greased baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and add shredded cheddar. Cook uncovered 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
Notes
- Cheddar cheese is our favorite cheese to use in this leftover spaghetti casserole recipe.
- You can substitute mozzarella or mozzarella and Parmesan cheese for the cheddar cheese.
- Or any cheese that you prefer will be great.
- If your spaghetti does not have a lot of sauce, you may need to add a little bit of water. Start with 1-2 tablespoons and then add more as needed.
- This spaghetti recipe can be customized by adding cooked vegetables or other sauces.
- Start by cooking the hot dish covered with foil to retain moisture.
- Remove the cover at the end of cooking to brown the cheese for a pretty presentation.
- Top with chopped parsley, if desired.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 417Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 324mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 19g
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Monica Caplin
Thursday 8th of February 2024
It would be fun to add pepperoni to make it more like a pizza spaghetti
Jennifer
Thursday 8th of February 2024
I think adding pepperoni is a great idea! I used to make pizza spaghetti occasionally and the family loved it.
Jennifer
Saturday 1st of July 2023
I make this recipe now (for leftovers) almost every time I make a big dish of spaghetti!! It is so good, and it keeps you from wasting all that delicious spaghetti!! Thank you so much! It’s my go to recipe for spaghetti bake.
Debra
Wednesday 31st of May 2023
I have made this every time I have leftover spaghetti and its always a hit.would recommend to anyone who wants an easy recipe and delicious meal.
Lisa
Sunday 19th of February 2023
My leftover spaghetti had home made meatballs and Italian sausage. ..threw it all together in my cast iron pan...added fresh mozzarella balls and sprinkle of cheddar...baked covered 350 for 40 min.uncovered an baked 15 till bubbly....awesome with crispy bits
Jennifer
Sunday 19th of February 2023
That actually sounds delicious!
Mar
Friday 25th of March 2022
If I have leftovers how might I go about reheating this?
Jennifer
Friday 25th of March 2022
With pretty much any casserole, I slice a square of the casserole and remove it to a microwave-safe plate using a spatula. Then I cut the square of casserole in quarters and spread them apart from each other a smidge then microwave on high power until they are heated through. Having smaller pieces helps the meal reheat more evenly and also faster.