Baked Spaghetti

Square of vegan baked spaghetti on plate with fork

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.

I love a baked pasta recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love pasta too, but pasta in casserole form is just that much more comforting—not to mention that much more cheesy. Like my vegan stuffed shells and cheesy baked ziti, this baked spaghetti recipe is loaded with ooey-gooey plant-based cheese to make it delicious and indulgent!

Why You Should Add Baked Spaghetti to Your Meal Plan

There are so many reasons to love this vegan baked spaghetti recipe! Here’s why my family can’t get enough of it:

Super satisfying. This is a meal that will leave you feeling full and satisfied! Between the eggplant, vegan ground beef, and pasta, this is a dish that covers all the bases—you really don’t need to add anything on the side.
Great for meal prep. Baked spaghetti can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it, making it a great option for meal prepping. I love that for a busy weeknight!
A crowd-pleaser. This recipe makes enough for a crowd, so it’s perfect for bringing as a vegan option for holiday get-togethers or to your next potluck.

Overhead view of baked spaghetti ingredients with labels

Notes on Ingredients

The ingredient list for baked spaghetti is surprisingly short! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Uncooked spaghetti – You can swap in gluten-free spaghetti to make this baked spaghetti gluten-free AND vegan.
Olive oil
White onion and garlic – You can use a yellow onion instead if you have them on hand.
Eggplant – A classic Italian ingredient in Baked Eggplant Parmesan, it gets melt-in-your-mouth tender in this recipe.
Sea salt and black pepper
Vegan meat crumbles – Use any brand you like. Cooked lentils can be used instead for a more natural option.
Tomato sauce or marinara sauce – Use a good one! It’s a big source of flavour in this dish. I love my Homemade Marinara Sauce.
Vegan cheese – I use a combination of shredded mozzarella and cheddar.
Fresh parsley

How to Make Baked Spaghetti

This is a brief visual overview of the steps for making baked spaghetti. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

Overhead view of onion cooking in skillet — Cook the aromatics.

Overhead view of eggplant cooking in skillet — Cook the aromatics.

Cook the pasta. Boil it in a pot of salted water for 2 minutes less than the time on the package instructions. Drain and transfer to a casserole dish.
Sauté the veggies. Cook the onion and garlic with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once softened, add the eggplant, salt, and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, until the eggplant is tender.

Stirring tomato sauce into vegan ground meat mixture — Add the vegan meat, followed by the tomato sauce.

Overhead view of sauce for baked spaghetti in pan — Add the vegan meat, followed by the tomato sauce.

Brown the vegan meat. Stir in the meat crumbles and cook for 3 minutes. Season to taste.
Simmer. Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Overhead view of spaghetti and sauce in dish before adding cheese — Combine the pasta and sauce.

Overhead view of assembled spaghetti casserole before baking — Combine the pasta and sauce.

Assemble. Pour the sauce over the spahgetti and toss to coat, then add the vegan cheeses over the top.
Bake. Place the casserole in a 375ºF oven and bake for 20 minutes; if you’d like, broil to lightly brown the cheese at the end of the cooking time. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving with parsley for garnish.

Tips for Success

Don’t overcook the pasta. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, which is why you want to drain it even before it reaches al dente. Otherwise, you’re likely to have mushy pasta.
Use a deep casserole dish. You have to mix the spaghetti and sauce in the dish, so this will give you the room you need to stir without any overflow.
Let it rest. Giving the baked spaghetti time to rest allows the flavors to develop and makes for easier slicing and serving.

Variations

If you want to switch things up, here are some ideas to help get you started.

Swap the eggplant for mushrooms. If you’re not a fan of eggplant, sliced white or cremini mushrooms would add some extra meatiness to the sauce.
Try different plant-based meats. Swapping the ground beef for vegan Italian sausage crumbles would be divine!
Make it spicy. Add some red pepper flakes to the sauce for some extra heat.
Add spinach. Just before finishing the sauce, stir in handfuls of baby spinach until they wilt.

Lifting serving of baked spaghetti out of casserole dish

What to Serve With Baked Spaghetti

This Roasted Garlic Bread is my favourite for serving with any pasta recipe, but crusty Olive Bread is just as delicious and also pairs well with the Italian flavours here. Or make a salad for pairing with this recipe—my Easy Vegan Caesar Salad would be perfect!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

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.

More Pasta Recipes

Enjoy friends! If you make this baked spaghetti recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!

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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 647kcal

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