Ingredients
– 8 ounces spaghetti noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces, cooked al dente and cooled
– 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
– ¼ cup whole milk
– 1 large egg, beaten
– ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
– ½ teaspoon garlic salt
– ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
– 1 jar marinara sauce (standard jar size)
– 1 pound ground beef
– 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
– ½ teaspoon kosher salt
– ¼ teaspoon black pepper
– 3 ounces sliced pepperoni, about 35 slices or enough to cover the top
Instructions
1-Preheat your oven to 425°F and mix the cooked spaghetti with half the mozzarella cheese, whole milk, beaten egg, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and kosher salt in a large bowl until well combined.
2-Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and bake it for 15 minutes, allowing the base to set and get bubbly.
3-While the pasta bakes, brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, then drain any excess fat and stir in the marinara sauce, additional Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper.
4-After the initial bake, spread the meat sauce evenly over the pasta layer in the dish.
5-Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top and cover with the sliced pepperoni slices.
6-Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese melts and turns bubbly. Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving to make it easier to cut and enjoy.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🧀 Use whole milk for richer cheese binding in the noodle layer.
🍳 Make sure to cook the ground beef thoroughly and drain excess fat to avoid a greasy casserole.
⏲️ Let the casserole rest after baking to help it set and make serving easier.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Contains Dairy and Meat
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg