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Baked Pizza Spaghetti

This Southern style Baked Pizza Spaghetti is one of my family’s favorite spaghetti meals. It features spaghetti cooked to al dente covered with a meaty spaghetti sauce that includes sliced mushrooms, diced onion and bell pepper making it truly supreme. It’s layered with lots of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, then baked until bubbly and golden.

Baked Pizza Spaghetti

Easy Baked Pizza Spaghetti Recipe

When it comes to dining out, spaghetti isn’t likely to be a dish I would order in a restaurant. Why? Well, it’s such an inexpensive dish to make and so easily personalized to your taste at home. That alone puts it at the top of the list of our favorite homestyle Italian entrees. A pound of spaghetti is super inexpensive to buy and it can be adapted in so many ways perfect for filling up hungry tummies in a snap.

Baked Pizza Spaghetti ingredients

How to Make the Best Southern Baked Pizza Spaghetti Recipe

Why is this called Baked Pizza Spaghetti? Some of the ingredients such as pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms and onions are popular pizza toppings and they were the inspiration for this baked spaghetti recipe.

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make Baked Spaghetti recipe: Thin  spaghetti, onion, diced green bell peppers, sliced baby portabella mushrooms, olive oil, lean ground beef, Italian sausage, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, your favorite brand of marinara sauce, diced canned tomatoes, tomato paste, pepperoni, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
  • Make a special effort not to overcook the spaghetti initially and you’ll have no worries at all. If you cook the spaghetti just until slightly tender it will finish cooking in the spaghetti sauce while baking and not become mushy.
  • Can I assemble this baked spaghetti recipe in advance? Yes, you absolutely can! Italian flavors tend to become even more robust when they have time to marry. Simply assemble per the recipe then cool and cover with plastic wrap. Pop it into the refrigerator then allow it about 15 minutes on the counter before baking.
  • Can I make the spaghetti sauce and chill or freeze it? You can easily make this spaghetti sauce recipe up to two days in advance and have it ready to assemble before baking. You can freeze it several weeks in advance for busy day meals.
  • If you prefer, you can make this baked spaghetti recipe using all ground beef or all Italian sausage in the same amount. Simply replace half of each.
  • Can I use spaghetti squash in place of classic spaghetti noodles? When doing so, make a special effort to slightly undercook the squash and remove as much moisture as possible before assembling. the baked spaghetti.
  • Store leftover baked pizza spaghetti in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat baked spaghetti in the microwave in single serving portions to prevent drying out.
  • You may also like my recipe for Slow Cooked Spaghetti Sauce simmering all day and the house smells heavenly when you come in from a hectic day.
 
 
single piece Baked Pizza Spaghetti plated

More Southern Style Spaghetti Recipes to Make

Spaghetti is affordable and readily available at the grocery store. I often find it on sale which tends to always make me happy and keep my grocery budget on track. For more easy spaghetti inspiration check out these other popular recipes:

spaghetti-casserole

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Baked Pizza Spaghetti

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: baked-pizza-spaghetti
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 582kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 10 oz thin spaghetti cooked to al dente per package instructions
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 small green pepper sliced
  • 1 8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 lb sweet or spicy Italian sausage
  • 2 Tbsp dry Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 14.5 oz can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 24 oz jar prepared marinara sauce
  • 2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
  • 50 slices pepperoni divided
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese divided

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water, per the instructions on the box, until al dente. Do not overcook. Drain well.
  • On the stove top, in a medium sized pot, saute the diced onion, sliced green pepper and mushrooms in a couple of drizzles of olive oil or 2 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Season with salt and black pepper, add garlic. Saute 1 minute..
  • Add ground beef and Italian sausage. Cook until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat from the pan, add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
  • Add tomatoes, tomato pasta, marinara sauce and 2 Tbsp parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add 25 slices pepperoni at the end of cooking, mix well. 
  • To assemble: Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and cover with 1/2 of the cooked spaghetti. 
  • Ladle another 1/3 of pasta sauce over the spaghetti, then sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Repeat, with the remaining spaghetti, then the final 1/3 of pasta sauce. Arrange 25 pepperoni slices over sauce.
  • Sprinkle the top with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Cut and serve immediately.

Notes

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce can be added to cooked beef for extra flavor. This is completely optional.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1740mg | Potassium: 521mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 764IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

21 Comments

  1. I make one similar to this as u can use the ingredients you love in your favorite pizza. Comes out great every time

  2. Hi Tiffany! If you don’t care for those two ingredients then of course, adjust to your taste. It will still be delicious. Enjoy, Melissa

  3. Melissa, Thanks for sharing cannot wait to make this tonight!! One Question.. You don’t drain the Diced tomatoes Right?? Thank you. Rookie Question I know but I wanted to make sure. Thanks again!!

  4. I will be making this for one of our family gatherings soon! I can almost taste it now! Thanks for a very interesting recipe. Always enjoy trying something new. I think our daughter and daughter in laws will really like this, too.

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