Cheap and easy, fast and cheesy, this baked spaghetti and meatballs takes no time at all to prepare giving you more time to do other things. Italian flavors and gooey cheese mixed with spaghetti pasta make for a delightful dinner the family will surely love.
This is the perfect meal prep recipe! You can prepare everything, cover it, freeze it, thaw it, and bake it next month.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Who doesn’t love a big ol’ plate of comforting spaghetti and meatballs!? It truly is one of the best dinners, in my personal opinion. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s usually happily enjoyed by all family members too! There’s not a lot of recipes that the whole family can enjoy the same way with spaghetti.
Spaghetti noodles and frozen meatballs are smothered in delicious marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. You can also use your own homemade sauce like our ground beef spaghetti sauce. It’s total comfort food that even picky eaters will enjoy.
Baked spaghetti and meatballs is the perfect meal prep dinner. It’s simple to make and can be stored in the freezer so easily! I love having a few dishes like this one frozen ahead of time just for busy weeknights.
We love easy ways to change up spaghetti, from our one-pot spaghetti (everything including noodles are cooked together), to our healthy vegetable spaghetti, to our pasta-free spaghetti squash bolognese.
Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs Video
Watch my easy tutorial video to see just how easy making baked spaghetti with meatballs really is.
What You Need For Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
Just a few simple ingredients, which you likely already have, are all it takes to complete this delicious dish. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- MEATBALLS – I used frozen meatballs for this recipe. But if you make your own (try our budget-friendly meatballs), give them a quick sear in the frying pan before adding.
- MOZZARELLA CHEESE – A brick of mozzarella melts the best and is typically cheaper than the pre-shredded version.
- PARMESAN CHEESE – I love fresh grated parmesan cheese but shaken from the can or any parmesan will also work.
- SPAGHETTI PASTA – You can use your favorite brand of spaghetti noodles for this recipe.
- MARINARA SAUCE – A jar of store-bought marinara sauce.
- ONION – I like to use yellow onion when I’m cooking. It has a sweeter taste the more it cooks. But any onion will also taste delicious.
- GARLIC – We’re garlic lovers around here so we always like to use more.
- ITALIAN SEASONING – Adds the perfect extra flavor!
- OLIVE OIL – Finishing your pasta with olive oil will give it that classic flavor and prevent it from sticking before the sauce is added.
- SALT AND PEPPER – Fresh cracked pepper and sea salt to finish, just like an Italian restaurant.
Once started, the prep work only takes about 20 minutes and after that, you are soon serving a filling delicious meal.
Making Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
A few simple ingredients are all it takes! Follow the steps below or see full instructions and recipe card near the bottom of the page.
- PREP – Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Place a pot of salted water on the stove, set it to high, cover, and bring to a boil.
- ADD PASTA – Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. When the pasta is al dente, add to a strainer and rinse it under cold water. Add the drained pasta to a large bowl along with half the mozzarella and half the parmesan. Stir it all together.
- ASSEMBLE – Add the pasta mixture to the casserole dish. Now add the meatballs evenly over the top of the pasta.
- MIX – In a mixing bowl, combine the marinara sauce, chopped onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until well incorporated. Pour mixture over the meatballs and pasta.
- BAKE – Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove the cover evenly sprinkle the remaining cheese along the top of the casserole, and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
- LET COOL – Once the cheese has become golden brown, remove it and let it cool a bit before serving.
How To Store Leftovers
There is a chance you will have leftovers, or perhaps you want to have a few frozen meals ready for the perfect dinner option.
- REFRIGERATE – You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
- FREEZER – Bake this spaghetti and meatballs casserole ahead of time. Let it cool completely at room temperature, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. This can be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer for a future meal.
- REHEAT – Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake until the cheese has melted and the casserole is warmed through. Or microwave leftovers in serving-size portions for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Thaw the meatballs overnight in the fridge. This will allow the casserole to cook much faster. You can use as many meatballs as you want for this recipe!
- We like to break our spaghetti noodles in half to make it easier to cook and eat. This is just personal preference that some other people might also enjoy.
- Cook the spaghetti pasta til al dente (soft but still a bit firm). Gently stir it occasionally while it cooks to help prevent it from sticking together.
- Cook this in a disposable aluminum casserole dish if you want to freeze this for a future meal.
Recipe Variations
Try a few additional flavors this time or next. Here are some ideas.
- MEATBALLS – Use all-beef meatballs, turkey meatballs, chicken meatballs or try our homemade budget-friendly meatballs.
- PASTA NOODLES – Try spiral pasta, its shape will hold way more sauce than spaghetti. Gluten-free pasta can also be used.
- BREAD – Fresh bread topped with butter would be an amazing side dish for this meal. Try my Garlic parmesan knots, they are delicious!
When you’re pressed for time, it’s good to know there is a simple solution for dinner waiting at home. This baked spaghetti and meatballs casserole is delicious and filling and most importantly, the whole family will love it.
More Casserole Dishes
Need another comforting all-in-one casserole dish idea? Try one of these easy and filling ideas:
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Tortellini Cheese Casserole
- Shredded Barbecue Chicken Casserole
- Mushroom Hamburger Casserole
- Tater Tot Casserole
Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs Casserole
Ingredients
- 14 oz spaghetti pasta
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 15 thawed meatballs - or as many as you'd like
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese - divided
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese - divided
- ½ yellow onion - chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Thaw the meatballs overnight in the fridge if possible. Thawed meatballs will cook much faster.
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water, according to the package instructions. Drain the spaghetti through a strainer.
- Add the spaghetti to a large bowl along with olive oil, half the shredded mozzarella, and half the grated parmesan. Mix together.
- Add the spaghetti to the casserole dish and spread into an even layer. Top with thawed meatballs.
- In a separate bowl, combine the marinara sauce, chopped onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the marinara mixture overtop of the spaghetti and meatballs. Spread it evenly using a spatula.Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the last half of grated parmesan and shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
Recipe Notes:
- REFRIGERATE – You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
- FREEZER – Bake this spaghetti and meatballs casserole ahead of time. Let it cool completely at room temperature, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. This can be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer for a future meal.
- REHEAT – Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake until the cheese has melted and the casserole is warmed through. Or microwave leftovers in serving-size portions for 1-2 minutes.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.