Baked Spaghetti

Summary

• Source: AllRecipes
• Genre: Italian
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1.5 hours
• Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 12-oz package spaghetti noodles
• 1-1.5 pounds ground beef or Italian sausage
• 1-2 26-oz jars spaghetti sauce
• 1-2 tbsp Italian seasoning mix
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic, diced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 24-oz carton low-fat Ricotta cheese
• 1 8-oz package shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Cook spaghetti to "al dente" in a large pot of lightly-salted water as directed on the package
3. While water is heating, brown ground beef in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease and return beef to the skillet. Add spaghetti sauce, Italian seasonings, black pepper, garlic, onion powder, and red pepper flakes to skillet. Simmer until needed.
4. When pasta is done cooking, strain in a colander and return to the pot it was cooked in. Add butter and toss to coat. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and toss to coat.
5. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour coated noodles into baking dish and spread evenly. Pour half of the simmering meat/sauce mix on top of the noodles, spreading evenly. Add ricotta, again spreading evenly. Add remaining sauce mix, yet again spreading evenly. Cover with mozzerella, the remaining Parmesan and parsley flakes.
6. Cover dish with foil and bake 30 minutes in preheated oven. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.