How to Make Baked Spaghetti
Spaghetti is a lifesaver when you need to prepare lunch or dinner and you’re short on time. It’s a fast-cooking food that’s still delicious and nutritious, and we can prepare it and enjoy it in less than an hour. But if you’re looking for new ways to make your pasta faster, instead of going for a one-pot recipe, you can also try to make it in the oven.
5-Minute Crafts is showing you a tasty and simple recipe to make baked spaghetti, but bear in mind, this is not the Italian recipe, which is sometimes referred to as “pasta al forno.”
Ingredients
- 1 pack of spaghetti pasta no. 5 (500 g)
- 2 tbsp of chopped garlic
- 1 cup of onion, cut julienne
- 1 cup of bell peppers, cut julienne
- 2 cups of pasta sauce or tomato paste (approximately 650 g)
- 2 tbsb of fresh basil
- 1 cup of water
- 1-2 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of shredded gouda or mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C) before starting to prepare the dish. In a rectangular glass or ceramic baking dish, place the whole pack of pasta. Spread it out so that the spaghetti pieces aren’t on top of each other and can cook evenly. Pour in the olive oil.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. You could also add a fine herb seasoning if you want to.
3. Stir in the garlic and onions over the noodles.
4. Pour in the pasta sauce or tomato purée. If you wish, you can make a sofrito with garlic and whole or chopped tomatoes beforehand and mix it with the sauce, which will give it more flavor and texture.
5. Place the peppers and basil on top of the rest of the ingredients. You can also include fresh oregano leaves or a few sprigs of rosemary.
6. Pour in the water until the noodles are completely covered, which would be about halfway up the baking dish.
7. Use a regular tablespoon or a larger wooden spoon to gently mix the water with the tomato sauce and the rest of the ingredients.
8. Add a generous layer of Parmesan cheese on top.
9. Then, cover the surface of the dish with another layer of cheese. If you want, you can use mozzarella or even gouda. Other suitable options are slices of Swiss cheese (typically used for sandwiches) or even cheddar. If you want a creamier sauce, you can add ½ cup of heavy cream as well.
10. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 10 minutes. While cooking, you’ll notice that the sauce will start bubbling because it’s boiling, which is normal. At the end of the cooking time, turn off the oven and open the door a little bit. Let the pasta sit in there for 5 more minutes while it’s still cooking at a lower temperature.
- Serve and decorate individual portions with oregano or rosemary sprigs. This will add a delicious aroma to the dish.
- Serve with a fresh salad and a portion of meat of your choice.