Baked Spaghetti Casserole
Delicious and comforting, Baked Spaghetti Casserole with a marinara meat sauce, cottage cheese and a topping of melty mozzarella is the perfect family meal!
Servings: 10
Calories: 639kcal
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti noodles
- 1 ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, separated
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 2 cups cottage cheese (or Ricotta cheese, if preferred)
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 large (12 ounce) package fresh mozzarella medallions, patted dry (or 1 ½ cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons minced basil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a greased 9x13" casserole.
- Bring a large, salted pot of water to a roaring boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Strain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup Parmesan cheese, melted butter, and eggs. Add the spaghetti, toss to coat, and set aside.
- Add the ground beef to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and break apart. Add the onion, Kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and cook until the beef is browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and basil to the ground beef, stir to combine and allow to simmer, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sauce to the spaghetti noodles, along with the cottage cheese and stir to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish, top with mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Then, bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 639kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 1178mg | Potassium: 827mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 363mg | Iron: 3mg