Baked Skillet Spaghetti Recipe (So Easy!) - Grace and Good Eats (2024)

This Skillet Spaghetti recipe comes together in a single skillet and is finished under the broiler to brown the cheese. Delicious!

It’s no secret that I love pasta. If I had to choose between pasta and cupcakes… actually, I don’t even want to think about that. It’s my comfort food of choice, and my go-to when I run out of ideas for dinner. We eat some form of pasta at least twice a week, but rarely have traditional spaghetti and meatballs.

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This is my favorite way to make spaghetti — I mean, who wants to dirty more dishes than you have to? And I don’t know what my problem is but I can NEVER have the noodles and marinara sauce ready at the same time. I always start them together and forget to factor in time for the water to boil. This baked spaghetti casserole recipe solves all my problems.

Ingredients for Skillet Spaghetti

This is such an easy baked spaghetti recipe, and it requires ingredients you likely have on hand already. Win!

• Ground beef
• Thin spaghetti
• Water
• Crushed tomatoes
• Onion
• Garlic
• Shredded Mozzarella
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Granulated sugar
• Dried parsley, basil, and oregano
• Salt and pepper

How to Make Baked Spaghetti in a Skillet

1. Add the olive oil and butter to a cast iron skillet, then saute the onions, salt and pepper. Cook until tender.
2. Add the ground beef and cook through.
3. Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes, sugar, parsley, basil, and oregano.
4. Add in the water and mix until well combined.
5. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and add them to the pan.
6. Bring to a simmer and cook until pasta is al dente.
7. Once the spaghetti is cooked, top with shredded cheese and cook under the broiler until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.

What Size Skillet Should I Use?

For this skillet spaghetti recipe, I used a cast iron skillet that’s 11 ¾ inches in diameter. A smaller skillet may work if it’s very deep.

Can I Use Another Type of Pasta?

Possibly, but a different pasta shape may alter the cook time. Thin spaghetti cooks quickly and doesn’t need as much water, which is why I use it in this cheesy baked spaghetti!

Tips for the Best Baked Spaghetti

• Note that this recipe calls for thin spaghetti, not regular spaghetti. That’s because thin spaghetti cooks more quickly and requires less water.
• Likewise, this recipe calls for crushed tomatoes and not diced tomatoes. Diced tomatoes may result in a runnier sauce.
• Push the noodles down into the sauce after adding them to the skillet. You want them to soak up to excess liquid, not rest on top and dry out.

More Easy Pasta Dinners:

• Homemade Spaghettios and Meatballs
• Simple Alfredo Sauce
• Italian Stuffed Shells
• 4-Ingredient Chicken Rigatoni
• Italian Sausage Pasta

I have a relationship with Le Creuset whichincludesreceiving products for review.