Baked Spaghetti

This baked spaghetti recipe is pure comfort food for pasta lovers! Tender eggplant, vegan ground beef, and lots of plant-based cheese makes it irresistible.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 647

Author Jessica Hylton

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked spaghetti 450g
2 tablespoons olive oil 30 ml
1 medium white onion diced - about 150g
5 cloves garlic minced - about 15g
1 medium eggplant cubed - about 10 ounces / 280g
¾ teaspoon sea salt 4.5g
½ teaspoon ground black pepper 3g
9 ounces vegan meat crumbles like Beyond Meat crumbles - 255g
4 cups tomato sauce or marinara sauce 960ml
1 ½ cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese 180g
1 ½ cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese 180g
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped - about 8 g

Instructions

Preheat & Cook Pasta:

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the spaghetti until very al dente - about 2 minutes less than the package suggests.
Drain and transfer the cooked pasta to a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) casserole dish.

Prepare the Sauce:

While the pasta is boiling, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the cubed eggplant, salt, and black pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The eggplant should be tender enough to break apart easily with a spoon.
Stir in the vegan meat crumbles and cook for 3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the tomato sauce, and stir everything together. Let the sauce simmer for 3 minutes before removing it from heat.

Assemble the Casserole:

Pour the prepared sauce over the spaghetti in the baking dish. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated. Smooth it out into an even layer.
Sprinkle the vegan mozzarella and vegan cheddar cheese evenly over the top.

Bake & Serve:

Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
If desired, broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is golden brown — watch closely to prevent burning.
Let the baked spaghetti sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing into squares.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.

Notes

Refrigerator: Store any leftover baked spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have a lot of leftovers, you can just keep them in the baking dish and cover it with foil.
Freezer: This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months, but it is best when baked fresh. If you do choose to freeze it, you can cover it in the baking dish and freeze it that way or slice it into smaller portions, wrap them in plastic, and freeze them in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: You can reheat the entire baking dish of leftovers in a 375ºF oven until warmed through; I recommend covering the dish with foil to keep the casserole moist. Smaller portions can be heated in the microwave.

Nutrition

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