To make it more filling, add peas, asparagus or spinach in the last few minutes of the pasta boiling, or stir in fresh arugula or watercress with the sauce in Step 3. It’s a weeknight and for-company keeper any way you stir it.
Great starting point recipe, and made it a few times now. Favorite additions:
1. 2 tbsp of leftover homemade pesto stirred into the ricotta;
2. Sprinkle toasted panko or lightly toasted pine nuts on at the end; and/or
3. Preheat oven to 425/400 convection. Take 2 broccoli crowns, chop into florets; toss them in a light drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle S&P, garlic powder or garlic. Roast on sheet pan for 10-12 min or until done (while pasta boils) with some tasty brown bits. Toss into pasta.
This comforting baked pasta feeds a crowd and is an easy way to upgrade everyday spaghetti with meat sauce. Once baked, the spaghetti casserole slices into neat squares, and the layer of ricotta and Parmesan filling give it the rich flavor of a lasagna. Feel free to play around with the recipe, swapping in Italian sausage or ground turkey for the ground beef and sautéing leftover vegetables and adding them to the sauce. If you’re planning in advance, you can assemble the casserole (through the end of Step 5) and store in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to bake.