Baked Spaghetti Has All The Comfort Of Lasagna And Is As Easy Or Elaborate As You Want - Tasting Table

"It starts no differently than if you were making a regular pot of meatball spaghetti. Just boil the pasta until al dente and prepare the sauce in the meantime. As always, simmer onion, crushed tomatoes, dried basil, and browned ground beef together. Enriching the dish even further, recipe developer Stephane Rapone also made a bechamel sauce from melted butter, Parmesan cheese, milk, and eggs, seasoned with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg."

"Finally, bring everything together in a baking pan, with the sauce-drenched pasta evenly spread out, covered in grated cheese, and ladled with bechamel sauce. Repeat the process with another layer, and bake the foil-covered dish for about 40 minutes. Once done, top it off with some more cheese, bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, and your dinner is all set."

"Pop open a store-bought jar of marinara or alfredo sauce, or maybe even a can of cream of mushroom soup, and you will have saved a great deal of effort. Even simpler, you can make the most of your leftover spaghetti from last night's meal and just use it for this baked dish. Smothered in sauces, cheese, and a sensational warmth, it will taste good as new."

Baked spaghetti combines boiled al dente pasta with a simmered meat-and-tomato sauce, layered with béchamel and grated cheese, then baked until bubbly. The béchamel is made from melted butter, Parmesan, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Assembly involves spreading sauce-drenched pasta in a baking pan, adding cheese and ladling béchamel, repeating layers, covering with foil and baking about 40 minutes, then topping with more cheese and baking another 20 to 30 minutes. Preparation can be simplified with store-bought sauces or leftover spaghetti, or customized with additional ingredients and variations.

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