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Spaghetti and Meatballs Casserole
My mom is a big fan of spaghetti and meatballs, so when I told her that I was preparing a lighter casserole version, she was floored. She raved over how baking it gives the dish a slightly crispier quality and vowed to try it out herself the next night!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Entrées
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (16-ounce) package regular, whole-wheat, or gluten-free spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 premade vegetarian or turkey meatballs
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (8-ounce) package white button mushrooms, diced
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the meatballs until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until the onion is tender before adding the mushrooms. Let everything cook together, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 minutes.
- Combine the spaghetti with the meatball mixture and the marinara sauce. If the mixture looks a bit thick, add a dash of water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Dot with the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges of the spaghetti are a little crispy. Serve with fresh basil.
