$1000 Baked Spaghetti Pasta Casserole Recipe Is a High-Protein Dinner Winner by Melissa Vickers

Here’s a spaghetti casserole recipe that can be put together ahead of time, and can be as complicated as you want, depending on whether you make your own sauce or just use a jarred sauce. And it is vegetarian, thanks to the meatless meatballs. You've heard to the TikTok million dollar baked spaghetti recipe and million dollar chicken casserole, well this is my $1000 baked spaghetti recipe!

I’m not a vegetarian, though we eat many meatless meals. But my vegan daughter introduced me to the Gardein plant-based meatballs that I prefer over “real” meatballs because they are much less greasy and they just taste great! Note that this high-protein recipe as originally written was intended to be cooked in a deep-dish pie pan, but I opted for an 8x8-inch baking pan instead. Check out the health benefits of protein.

For the cheesy baked spaghetti casserole recipe, you'll need spaghetti noodles, grated Parmesan cheese, grated mozzarella, sour cream, eggs, Italian seasoning, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti seasoning and meatballs. If you have a favorite homemade spaghetti sauce, by all means substitute that for the jarred sauce and spaghetti seasoning. You could easily substitute ground beef meatballs or your favorite meatballs instead.

Variation: If you don't want to use frozen meatballs, make a batch of your favorite homemade meatballs.

Serve this pasta casserole with a garden salad on the side and fresh bread.

Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti, cooked, drained and returned to pan
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
• 3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese (divided)
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 20 ounces spaghetti sauce
• 1 ounce (1 packet) McCormick’s Thick and Zesty Spaghetti Seasoning
• 1 1/2 packages (12.7 ounces) Gardein plant-based meatballs (or your favorite meatballs)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, for topping

Here’s how to make it:

1. In a large skillet, add the spaghetti seasoning to the sauce. Heat the sauce until simmering. Add meatballs. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cut the meatballs into small pieces. Reserve some sauce in case your casserole is a little dry, especially when reheating.
2. To your pan with cooked and drained spaghetti noodles, add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and stir.
3. In a medium bowl, mix sour cream, eggs, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
4. Layer the cooked spaghetti in the bottom of a lightly greased 8x8-inch baking pan. Spread sour cream mixture on top with spatula. Cover with meatball sauce mixture. (You could double this recipe and cook it in a 13x9-inch baking pan.)
5. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 20 minutes. Add 1 cup mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.

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