Spaghetti is probably one of the easiest meals ever. It is my go-to, Monday meal. This easy baked spaghetti recipe will soon be your new go-to favorite, too! This recipe actually is a combination of my families tradition, my own spin, and some ideas from friends! Aren’t those recipes just the best?! My friends and I are always exchanging recipes and ideas, that’s probably one of the best parts of having a group text with your gal pals, you can all share what you are cooking that evening and get new ideas!
Now, I know you are probably thinking, “sweet sauce”? Well, to be honest, I am not the biggest tomato/marinara sauce fan. I’d much rather some Alfredo or pesto. But, I have always like my families spaghetti! I remember watching my paw-paw cook it one night when I was younger and he added brown sugar to the sauce. “Ah ha! That must be the secret ingredient!” I thought. And well, it was!
Growing older, I would watch my mom make spaghetti and instead of the brown sugar, she would add syrup. YES, syrup! (I bet you are thinking about Elf right now, aren’t you?) Well, that seemed a whole lot easier to me than measuring out some brown sugar, so when I started making meals for myself, I always went the syrup route.
The syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness to cut out all the tomato-ey-ness that I don’t really care for. But still allows it to taste like spaghetti and not dessert! Mmmm, my mouth is watering thinking about it!
Now, up until about a year ago I never even heard of baking spaghetti. I just made my noodles, and sauce and boom I was done. It wasn’t until we started talking about our different spaghetti recipes in my group text with my friends that I discovered that some people bake theirs! I thought I’d give it a try, and WOW. I haven’t made just regular ol’ spaghetti since. Why have I never done this before?! Delicious!
Easy Baked Spaghetti With Sweet Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
Wheat Noodles (1/3 box)
1 Jar of Classico “Tomato and Basil” sauce
1 LB Ground turkey meat
2 TBS Italian Seasoning
2 TBS Garlic Powder
2 TBS Oregano
Syrup (to taste)
2 TBS Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 Cup of Mexican blend/mixed cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook noodles according to packaging in a medium pot. I add 1 TBS of Olive Oil and a pinch of salt to the water to help separate the noodles.
Over medium-high heat, add turkey meat to an on oven safe skillet (I use a cast iron) and add salt and pepper while cooking.
When the meat is about 75% cooked, add 1 TBS of Garlic Power, 1 TBS of Oregano, and 1 TBS of Italian Seasoning. Mix well.
Bring heat sown to low and add syrup to taste (I generally just squirt a “bulls eye” in the pan).
Mix all together and finish cook until fragrant and meat is completely done (no need to drain turkey meat does not have a lot of grease if any at all).
Add Classico sauce. To make sure you are using all of the sauce: after pouring into the pan, add a splash of water to the jar, tighten lid and shake. Pour remaining sauce into the pan.
Add remainder of seasonings (1 TBS each) and a pinch of salt & pepper.
Add more syrup (again, another “bulls eye”)
Mix all together and let simmer for 10 mins AT LEAST, the longer you let simmer. The longer the mixure simmers, the better the syrup will cook into the sauce.
Turn off burner. Take the cooked noodles and add to the skillet, mix well so that all noodles are saturated with sauce.
Sprinkle cheese in an even layer over the sauce and noodle mixture.
Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is a golden brown.
Remove from oven, and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Plate, and enjoy! Top with more cheese and serve with garlic bread if desired.
How’d you do? Do you like the hint of sweetness? Do you prefer baked spaghetti or traditional? I could never eat spaghetti any other way! Let me know in the comments!
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Easy Baked Spaghetti With Sweet Tomato Sauce
A take on traditional spaghetti, with a hint of sweetness
- 1/3 Box Wheat Noodles
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Jar Classico Tomato & Basil Sauce
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
- 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tbsp Oregano
- Syrup (to taste )
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese (or your favorite kind )
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook noodles according to packaging. I add 1 TBS of Olive Oil and a pinch of salt to the water to help separate the noodles.
Over medium-high heat, add turkey meat to an on oven safe skillet (I use a cast iron) and add salt and pepper while cooking.
When the meat is about 75% cooked, add 1 TBS of Garlic Power, 1 TBS of Oregano, and 1 TBS of Italian Seasoning. Mix well.
Bring heat sown to low and add syrup to taste (I generally just squirt a “bulls eye” in the pan).
Mix all together and finish cook until fragrant and meat is completely done.
Add Classico sauce.
Add remainder of seasonings (1 TBS each) and a pinch of salt & pepper.
Add more syrup (again, another “bulls eye”)
Mix all together and let simmer for 10 mins AT LEAST, the longer you let simmer. The longer the mixure simmers, the better the syrup will cook into the sauce.
Turn off burner. Take the cooked noodles and add to the skillet, mix well so that all noodles are saturated with sauce.
Sprinkle cheese in an even layer over the sauce and noodle mixture.
Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is a golden brown.
Remove from oven, and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
*To make sure you are using all of the sauce: after pouring into the pan, add a splash of water to the jar, tighten lid and shake. Pour remaining sauce into the pan.
**Top with more cheese and serve with garlic bread if desired.
