Photograph by Scott Martin
Now I understand why baked spaghetti is one of my husband’s favorite comfort foods. My Decadent Baked Spaghetti has all of the deliciousness of a traditional plate of spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce, but is even better because it is baked with a gooey, cheesy topping of fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. I also like to add sautéed mushrooms and some fresh basil to my version as well. This truly is one of those delicious dishes that is unforgettable, and did I mention, is even better leftover the next day.
Homemade tomato sauce cooking on the stove
Photograph by Scott Martin
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Decadent Baked Spaghetti
Ingredients:
- 4 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store bought
- 1 lb. thin spaghetti
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into rounds
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, thinly sliced
Directions:
- Make a batch of your favorite marinara sauce, or heat up some your favorite store bought variety. (Here is my favorite marinara recipe: https://aroundannastable.com/?p=3722)
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and place in a large bowl with your heated marinara sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, sauté the sliced mushrooms in the olive oil over medium heat until they are tender and have exuded most of their liquid. This should take approximately 5-7 minutes. Add the cooked mushrooms to the spaghetti-sauce mixture. Taste the dish so far and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Pour the spaghetti mixture into a greased 9×9 square baking dish. Top with rounds of fresh mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and basil. Bake the spaghetti dish in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top is a bit crunchy. Serve warm.
Tagged: baked pasta, baked spaghetti, basil, Italian, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, pasta, spaghetti, tomato sauce
Looks delicious! Love this time of year we are approaching when comfort foods are really good.
I think y’all would love it! We’re still loving it as lunch leftovers … 🙂 Speaking of comfort food, the apple custard pie recipe you gave me is on the top of my list to make. Can’t wait!