Paula Deen Baked Spaghetti

Paula Deen Baked Spaghetti layers angel hair pasta with a slow-simmered meat sauce and two melted cheeses. It feeds 10 and takes about two and a half hours. This is the kind of casserole that shows up at church suppers and potlucks across the South, and the pan always comes home empty.

The sauce makes or breaks it. Paula simmers diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, bell pepper, and onion with bay leaves for a full hour before the beef goes in. That long cook lets the flavors concentrate and the liquid reduce, so the casserole holds together when you cut it into squares.

Brown the beef in a separate skillet and drain every bit of fat before adding it to the sauce. You can build the whole dish a day ahead and refrigerate it unbaked. Add ten minutes to the oven time if it goes in cold.

Paula Deen Baked Spaghetti

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Course: Main CourseCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Calories

305

kcal

A baked pasta casserole with a beef and tomato sauce simmered low and slow, then layered with angel hair and a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack before baking until bubbly.

Ingredients

• 8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta
  

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Paula Deen's House Seasoning
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Paula Deen Seasoned Salt
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  

• 2 cups tomato sauce
  

• 1 cup water
  

• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
  

• 2 cloves chopped garlic
  

• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  

• 1/2 cup diced onion
  

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  

• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  

• 2 small bay leaves

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• Make the sauce: In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasoning mixtures, sugar and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining. Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to the stockpot. Simmer for 20 more minutes.
• Assemble and bake: Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes. Cut into squares before serving.

Tools for this recipe

• Kirecoo 12-quart stainless steel stock pot, Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use regular spaghetti instead of angel hair?

You can, but angel hair works better here because it is thinner and absorbs more sauce. Regular spaghetti stays firmer and the layers do not hold together as well when you cut squares. If you go with a thicker noodle, slightly undercook it so it does not turn mushy during the 30-minute bake.

How long does baked spaghetti keep in the fridge?

Covered tightly, it lasts 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the whole pan at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes with foil on top. It freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Can I assemble it ahead of time and bake it later?

Yes. Build the full casserole, cover it with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you are ready, bake it straight from the fridge at 350 degrees. Add about 10 extra minutes since it starts cold, and check that the center is bubbling before you pull it out.

Why simmer the sauce for a full hour before adding the beef?

The long simmer lets the tomatoes break down and the onion, garlic, and pepper meld into one flavor. If you add the beef too early, it absorbs all the liquid and the sauce turns dry. Cooking the vegetables first also lets you reduce the liquid so the casserole is not watery after baking.

What happens if I skip draining the fat from the beef?

The grease pools in the sauce and separates during baking, leaving an oily layer on top of the casserole. It also makes the dish heavier than it needs to be. Drain the skillet thoroughly, or blot the cooked beef with paper towels before stirring it into the sauce.