I love that there’s no need to pre-cook the pasta in this Easy Baked Spaghetti Recipe. I toss it with the sauce and seasonings, cover it with chicken broth, and bake. An hour later, I have perfectly cooked, cheesy spaghetti and only one dish to clean!

Easy Baked Spaghetti Recipe

When I’m looking for a super easy, mostly hands-off weeknight dinner, this Baked Spaghetti recipe is my go-to. Besides stirring the mixture twice during the 1-hour bake time, all I need to do is combine the ingredients in the baking dish and bake. It’s that easy!

While many spaghetti bake recipes call for cooking the spaghetti ahead of time, I opted to increase the bake time and add lots of liquid (chicken broth) so that the dry spaghetti noodles actually cook in the oven, while absorbing all the great broth flavor. It cuts down on the prep time, which is super helpful on those busy weeknights, and the results are just as good, so it’s a win-win for me. Not to mention fewer dirty dishes to clean!

When I’m in the mood for a heartier dish, I’ll make this spaghetti bake with homemade spaghetti sauce, and boy, does it taste amazing. Not to worry that it won’t cook properly, the important part of this recipe is adding enough broth so that the spaghetti cooks during baking.

How to Make Baked Spaghetti Step by Step

Get the oven going and prepare a baking dish: Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the ingredients: Place 1 lb. dry spaghetti in the baking dish. Top with 24 oz. marinara sauce, 1 onion, 5 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Pour 3½ cups chicken broth over everything and mix well so the pasta doesn’t stick together.

Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Give everything a good stir and then bake for another 20 minutes, still covered with foil. Remove the foil, stir one more time, sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

Serve: Garnish with parsley and dig in.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this spaghetti bake with the same sides I usually serve with a traditional spaghetti dinner. My go-tos are freshly baked homemade garlic bread and a nice side salad or Caesar salad. Some crusty bread will do in a pinch if you don’t feel like making garlic bread. For a true Italian-themed meal, I’ll prepare a decadent tiramisu for dessert.

How to Store

Leftover baked spaghetti can be stored, covered in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat individual servings in the microwave or the entire pan, covered, in the oven. You may want to add a splash of broth to prevent it from drying out.

Allow the spaghetti bake to cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and again in foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat the entire casserole or individual portions. Or, remove plastic wrap and bake directly from frozen, adding more time in the oven until warmed through.

More Spaghetti Recipes

• Cowboy Spaghetti
• Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
• Instant Pot Spaghetti
• Spaghetti Carbonara