Baked Spaghetti & Mozzarella

As much as I am absolutely yearning for warmer weather, I do enjoy making (and eating!) comfort food! I don’t know what my body is going to do when I start making lighter meals again…

This is a kid-friendly and pot luck-friendly main dish casserole which would be a great alternative to a Baked Ziti or macaroni and cheese. It could easily be doctored up for a more adventurous palate by adding onions, mushrooms, greens… you get the idea. We did all enjoy it as is with a green salad. It’s simple, cheesy, crispy, and tasty. This recipe was adapted from Everyday Food; I altered the seasonings and used whole wheat spaghetti.

Yield: 6 servings

• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes (I used Cento San Marzano tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-3 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 pound spaghetti (I used whole wheat)
• 2 cups packed basil leaves (from 1 bunch), torn if large
• 3/4 pound (12 oz) fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 1/2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (on convection).
2. Set a large pot of salted water to boil.
3. In a food processor, pulse tomatoes until coarsely chopped.
4. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red pepper flakes and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook at a rapid simmer until sauce thickens, about 12 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta 5 minutes (it will still be crunchy). Drain pasta and return to pot.
6. Add tomato sauce, basil, and half the mozzarella to the pasta and toss to combine.
7. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and edges are bubbling, about 25 minutes.

One Year Ago:

• Creamy Mushroom Pappardelle
• Rigatoni with Eggplant Caponata

Two Years Ago:

• Lighter Three-Cheese Mac
• Button Mushrooms a la Creme

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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