Spaghetti Casserole
My friends and I are always exchanging recipes and looking for new meal ideas, so I decided that I would post some here once a week, in case others are looking for meal ideas too. In our family we have some with picky palates (i.e. picky eaters! LOL) so I often have to modify and edit recipes, like pureeing Ro-tel and such. So a lot of the recipes I use can be easily adapted for different tastes.
I also do not love to cook, so my meals are quick and easy, or they are a no-go here!
This Spaghetti Casserole Recipe originally started out from this Pizza Casserole recipe but after I had to modify it I think it’s more of a Spaghetti Casserole, but really you can call it whatever you like 🙂
What I use:
1 lb hamburger meat
1 box of Penne or Rotini Twists
2 jars of pizza sauce or 1 lg can of spaghetti sauce, whichever I have on hand
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. season salt – more or less to taste, may want to start with 1 tsp. and go from there. (We use the 2)
2 c. mozzarella cheese (more or less as desired)
First I prepare the noodles per directions on the box. While they are boiling I cook the hamburger meat, drain, and then add the seasonings and sauce. I then mix it with the pasta and put into a 9×7 glass baking dish. You could easily put it into a 9×13 as well. Sometimes I will put it into two 8×8 disposable pans and cook one and freeze the other for later. If you freeze one I just put it frozen in the oven at 350 for 1-1.5 hours and presto an easy meal with no work!
Then I top with cheese, we like a lot of cheese!
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted, our oven cooks really hot and it only takes about 15 minutes.
Look at the yumminess!
Super easy and quick to make! If your family is less picky you could easily add things like mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, etc but here plain is the favorite.
- 1 lb hamburger meat
- 1 box Penne or Rotini twists
- 2 jars of pizza sauce or 1 large can of spaghetti sauce, whatever I have on hand
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. season salt, more or less to taste, may want to start with 1 tsp. and go from there (we use 2)
- 2 c. mozzarella cheese, more or less as desire
- Prepare the noodles per the instructions o the box. While they are cooking, cook the hamburger meat and drain. Add seasonings and sauces to the cooked meat. Then mix it with the pasta and put into a 9x7 or 9x13 basking dish. I often use 2 disposable 8x8 pans and cook one and freeze the 2nd for later. Top with the cheese and bake at 350 for 20 mins or until cheese is melted.
- If your family is less picky you can add peppers, olives, mushrooms, etc to the casserole, plain works great here. I also make it without the meat many times too.
- If you freeze one I just put it frozen in the oven at 350 for 1-1.5 hours and presto an easy meal with no work!
mmmmm good stuff and not a lot of calories so it’s a winner
Its hard to determine how much dry pasta to use. So many size boxes. And to be able to fit in 8×8 pan. I always have this problem when it comes to pasta recipes.
I get a normal sized box of penne or spiral pasta and can make 2 8×8 pans, one to eat at the time and one to freeze & eat later. The only ones I’ve found that are smaller in box size are the tri-colored pasta but then again we are super limited in our selection here as well 😉
I made this using a large 16 oz box of rotini, and 24 oz bottle of spaghetti sauce (later adding 12 more oz of sauce) I made this in an 8×8 pan and put the rest in a freezer bag because I was only feeding 2 people. I have to say in a polite way, 2 TBS is extremely too much season salt. It was straight up scary upon first taste before the meat, then once the meat and pasta was added it still tasted like pure salt. I ended up adding 12 oz or half of another jar of pasta sauce to weaken the salt flavor. The end result was edible, but still saltier than desired. I highly suggest to add 1TBS of season salt, taste, the add more if needed (to your taste) . I sincerely feel 2TBS of season salt may be a typo- because it ruined the sauce. I did not salt my noodles when boiling, so I know that was not a factor. Minus the salt factor, it was an easy, simple baked spaghetti and I loved using the rotini twist.
Nope, it’s not a typo. I modified this recipe from the one linked and it too uses that much, I was skeptical at first but it works well for us. If your sensitive to salt you can add less 🙂 I’ll add more or less to taste above.
Made this the first time and I used the seasoning salt and it was salty I added more tomato sauce to get it right. The second time I made this I left out the seasoning salt and it was delicious. Try that
I am looking for a good recipe to make for a family that just lost their dad/husband…thought this would be a good one. As I looked over the comments, I noticed your comment regarding the seasoning salt. You may have already figured this out, but you stated TBS (tablespoon) in your comment…that you used 2 per the recipe. However, the recipe called for 2 tsp (teaspoon). I had to go back up and read the recipe because 2 TBS of salt in any recipe would be a bit much. Hope this helps.
Already been fixed 😉 Thanks!
Has anyone made this recipe with pepper’s & mushrooms & if so…how much do u add?
I haven’t made it with those because I have picky eaters but it sounds yummy! I’d say just eyeball it and add as much or as little as you want 🙂
When making this to freeze do you all the cheese before you freeze this or wait until you are ready to cook it?
I add the cheese before freezing so all I have to do is pop it in the oven when we want to eat it 🙂
I will definitely be trying this tonight! Hopefully it works for me!
Does it have to be on a glass baking dish?
No, you can bake it in whatever you want. I use the disposable pans when I freeze them so I can throw away afterwards.
Trying this tonight! We have mini Penne and regular rotini on hand. Which one do you recommend?
I think either one would be yummy! Pick one to try tonight and use the other the next time 😉
How many servings does this make?
It depends on if you make the full version which is the 9×13 pan or the half version which makes 2 pans that are 8×8. The large version makes more than enough for our family of 5, so I’d say 6-8 depending on serving size. The 8×8 pan can feed around 4 people.
Does it have to be covered with foil when it goes in the oven?
No, it does not have to be covered with foil 🙂 The only time I cover it with foil is when I pull it straight from the freezer to bake, then I just leave the foil on top because it has to bake for a good 40-50 mins.
I love pasta but I’m a pescatarian (no mammal or fowl, just fish & seafood). This recipe will be so easy to convert! thank you for sharing.
I just tried this recipe for the first time, and used a 16 oz box of rotini twists, and a 24 oz jar of sauce. It tastes good, but next time, I will add more sauce. I don’t think 24 oz is enough. I also think I will mix in some cheese with the pasta and sauce along with adding it on top for extra cheesiness.
When you freeze, do you add the mozzarella on top, or do you wait to add it after when you are cooking?
I freeze it with the mozzarella on it.
is using a mixed cheese instead still good?
Yes, I often used mixed cheese in place of mozzarella because we always have that on hand.
I made this for dinner tonight and added Parmesan cheese on top with the mozzarella cheese and it was fantastic! This is such an easy and quick dinner for a week night.
cut the salt down to 1/2 tsp. 2 is far too much. it was an ok pasta casserole …not one I will make again
this is my recipe too. Except I use elbow macaroni, and substitute out the ground beef for 1 lb. of italian sausage such as Jimmy Dean.
Half the time I make it meat free as well and it’s still a favorite for us.
Can you cook this at a higher temp when you need to cook frozen garlic bread too?
I’m sure you could it will take less time for the cheese to melt so keep an eye on it and you may need to cover it with foil.
Been making this for years! My kids used to love it now they make it for their own kids! But I go not put use salt I had a tablespoon of Brown Sugar! Gives it a great flavor! try it sometime!
I made this tonight it was really good. I do have a question though. How can I keep it from drying out so bad when I put it in the oven? TIA
Hum, not sure, I haven’t had issues with ours being dry, maybe try adding a bit more sauce?
How can I print this recipe? I really want to keep it in my binder, but can’t find a print button anywhere & trying to print the page only messes it up as the info in the right margin cover the recipe/pictures/instructions! 🙁
Sorry there was a technical issue and it wasn’t showing up, I have fixed it and it’s now available in a printable version at the bottom 🙂
Hello I’m making this for dinner tonight and I didn’t buy the right dish for the casserole. I bought a non stick cake pan, I was wondering after the spaghetti is mixed with the ground beef, could I use the non stick cake pan to use in the oven.? I understand it’s a cake pan but would it work? HELP!!
I use all kinds of pans for it so that shouldn’t matter.
I made his with elbow macaroni
Do you think it be any different? I didn’t have any rotini on hand.
I use whatever I have on hand which is normally rotini or bow tie pasta, although I’ve never tried elbow macaroni. I’m sure the pasta type doesn’t matter a whole lot.
Hello! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It will be a must try for me. I also d not love to cook but I am trying to learn. Easy dinner ideas are my favorite! Question did you season the noodles with salt when cooking them?
Hi there!
No, I never season my noodles while cooking them 😉
I loved this recipe!! I actually have a very similar recipe I call “Lasagna Toss.” Instead of 2 jars of spaghetti sauce, I use 1 and I don’t add any additional seasonings (I usually get a flavored or seasoned sauce like Prego or Ragu). I take half of the meat, sauce, and noodle mix to the bottom of a baking dish, add about 2 heaping spoonfuls of cottage cheese and spread it on top of the mix mixture, then add shredded mozzarella. Then repeat with the remaining meat mixture, cottage cheese, mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. 😁
My family and church family really enjoyed it there were no leftovers 😀
So glad you enjoyed it!
We have been making this for about 40 years in my family. We call it laghetti. Its like spaghetii and lasagna combined. We add a bay leaf.
My family loves this recipe! I actually make mine with italian sausage, mushrooms, and bell peppers! Super delicious!
I’m gonna use a 3 cheese sauce to make it cheesier. Hopefully I won’t need more sauce