Description
Comfort reigns supreme in this paula deen baked spaghetti casserole, blending rich meat sauce with layers of pasta and melted cheese. Southern hospitality shines through this hearty dish that delivers warmth and satisfying flavors you will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) ground beef
- 8 oz (226 g) uncooked angel hair pasta
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 small bay leaves
- 1.5 tsps Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
- 1.5 tsps Paula Deen Seasoned Salt
- 1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
- 1.5 tsps sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Sauce Preparation: Combine diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, bell peppers, garlic, parsley, seasonings, sugar, and bay leaves in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour, allowing flavors to intensify.
- Meat Integration: Brown ground beef in a skillet, thoroughly crumbling and draining excess fat. Fold the cooked meat into the simmering sauce, continuing to cook for 20 minutes to meld flavors completely.
- Pasta and Assembly: Cook angel hair pasta to al dente perfection. Preheat oven to 350°F. Layer the baking dish with sauce, pasta, and alternating cheese layers, ensuring a generous sauce coverage on top.
- Baking Process: Slide the casserole into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes until cheese becomes golden and bubbly.
- Serving: Remove from oven and let the casserole rest briefly. Slice into neat portions, revealing the beautiful layered composition, and serve while warm and appetizing.
Notes
- Sauce Simmering Secrets: Low and slow cooking allows tomato sauce flavors to deeply develop, creating a rich, complex taste profile with enhanced depth and aromatics.
- Beef Browning Technique: Fully drain ground beef fat to prevent greasy texture and ensure a cleaner, more concentrated meat flavor in the final dish.
- Pasta Preparation Pro-Tip: Cook angel hair pasta exactly to al dente stage to prevent mushiness when baked, maintaining perfect texture throughout the casserole.
- Cheese Layering Strategy: Distribute cheese between pasta layers for even melting and consistent flavor distribution, ensuring every bite delivers maximum cheesy goodness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 960 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg