Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
A comforting and crowd-pleasing baked spaghetti dish, perfect for weeknights and potlucks, featuring flavorful marinara sauce, meatballs, and a melty cheese topping.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 dozen fully cooked meatballs (homemade or store-bought)
- 24 oz jar marinara sauce (or your favorite homemade sauce)
- 1/2 unit yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 lb spaghetti noodles
- 1-2 cups grated cheese (mix of half Colby-Jack and half mozzarella)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat a 10–12' cast-iron skillet over medium-low and add 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Add the diced onion and sauté gently until translucent and soft, about 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in crushed garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the fully cooked meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the top.
- Simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes to let flavors meld and meatballs warm through.
- Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water. Cook spaghetti according to package directions but stop 2 minutes early so it’s slightly underdone.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove meatballs and set aside.
- Scoop pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce and add reserved pasta cooking water. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Nest the meatballs back on top, sprinkle with cheese, and finish with Parmesan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
This dish is make-ahead friendly; assemble and refrigerate before baking. For variations, swap spaghetti for other pasta or use turkey/plant-based meatballs.