Ricotta Cheese and Ground Beef Spaghetti Bake

This is a quick and flavorful spaghetti bake using ground beef, spaghetti sauce, and ricotta cheese.  Most spaghetti bakes that I’ve made use cottage cheese or a cream cheese mixture, so this was a spin on an oldie but goodie.  I just used leftover ricotta cheese that I had on hand.  This makes an enormous serving using a large casserole dish filled to the brim with the pasta, ground beef, ricotta cheese mixture, and heaping handfuls of shredded cheese.  You will most likely have leftovers, or you can split this into two dishes and freeze one for later.

Method:

First, cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain the pasta (I used spaghetti noodles, but you can use any kind of pasta you have).

While the pasta is cooking, cook the ground beef, onion, garlic, and oregano in a pan until the ground beef is thoroughly cooked.  When the ground beef is cooked, add in the spaghetti sauce.

While the ground beef mixture is cooking, crack 2 eggs in a bowl and mix them together.   Next, combine the eggs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and ricotta cheese into a mixing bowl.

To assemble to Ricotta Cheese and Ground Beef Spaghetti Bake, grease a 9 x 13 baking dish (3 quart).  I added a tablespoon or so olive oil to grease the bottom of the dish.  Once the dish is greased, you will add half of the spaghetti mixture first (this will be your bottom layer).

Follow this by adding half of the ricotta cheese mixture to the top of the spaghetti layer.

Next, top with shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and jack cheese, but you can use any type of cheese you have).  You can use as much or as little as you would like here, but I used 2 cups for the first shredded cheese layer.

After this, you will follow the same steps and repeat a second layer and final layer. Add another layer of the spaghetti mixture, the ricotta cheese mixture, and then top with more shredded cheese.  I used 2 cups of shredded cheese again for the top layer.

Cover with foil and place the Ricotta and Ground Beef Spaghetti Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven.  Bake covered for 20 minutes (this allows the egg in the ricotta cheese mixture to cook without burning the cheese on top).  Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

You should let this stand for 10-20 minutes before serving.  This recipe was a huge hit at our house.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:

• oil/butter to coat the pan
• 16 oz. spaghetti (or any other pasta you have)
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic ( I used store bought minced garlic)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 32 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce
• 24 ounces of ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups of shredded cheese (any kind that you have or like to use)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and oil a 9 x 13 (3 quart) baking dish.
2. Cook the spaghetti (or pasta) according to the package directions
3. Cook the ground beef, minced garlic, onion and oregano until the meat is thoroughly cooked.  Add the spaghetti sauce to the meat mixture once it is cooked.
4. While the ground beef is cooking, combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and 2 eggs.
5. Add the first layer of spaghetti, meat, and sauce mixture.
6. Then add the first layer of the ricotta cheese mixture.
7. Next add the layer of shredded cheese.
8. Repeat the layers again (meat and spaghetti mixture, ricotta cheese mixture, and top with shredded cheese).
9. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
10. Let the Ricotta Cheese and Ground Beef Spaghetti Bake sit for 10-20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!