Turn your leftovers into a new delicious dish - make the leftover pasta bake or leftover spaghetti casserole recipe! Your whole family will ask for seconds.
What to do with leftover spaghetti? An easy answer: make a leftover pasta bake with spaghetti, tomato sauce, and melty cheese โ a delicious recipe and an excellent way to reduce food waste.
Try more amazing leftover pasta recipes: Fried Spaghetti or this quick Leftover Spaghetti Recipe, which are perfect next-day recipes that will make your entire family happy.
Check out the Vegetable Lasagna with Bechamel and the New England Chop Suey, too.
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Why will you love this recipe?
- Budget and eco-friendly: This leftover pasta bake is a great way to repurpose ingredients you already have, saving you time and money.
- Super easy to make: You'll have a warm and comforting dish in just a few steps. With simple ingredients and clear instructions, this delicious leftover spaghetti bake is ideal for cooks of all levels.
- Family favorite: If you believe your kids adore spaghetti with tomato sauce, just wait until they try this cheesy recipe for spaghetti leftovers. They might actually enjoy it even more than the original dish.
Recipe ingredients
Leftover spaghetti or any other shape of cooked pasta previously used in a dish is now ready to be repurposed for a new, delicious meal. Long or short pasta, anything goes.ย You will need about 1.1-1.3 lbs (500-600 g) of cooked pasta or 9-10.5 oz (250-300 g) of dry pasta. Try this Spaghetti Pizza, too.
Tomato sauce: If youโve previously cooked pasta with tomato sauce or marinara and still have leftovers, use those. Otherwise, use your favorite pasta sauce. Even pizza sauce is excellent.
- I needed about 1 cup (250 ml) of tomato sauce (for instance, our homemade Italian sugo) for about 1.3 lbs (600 g) of cooked spaghetti. Use more or less according to how much pasta you have.
Cheese: Parmesan, mozzarella, Gouda, or Cheddar.
Other ingredients: Creme fraiche or sour cream, eggs to bind the ingredients, oregano, fine sea salt, ground black pepper, and some parsley.ย
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make a bake with leftover pasta?
- Mix leftover noodles, tomato, sauce, oregano, salt, and pepper (1).
- In another bowl, beat the eggs and mix them with crรจme fraiche, half of the grated cheese, and freshly grated Parmesan (2).
- Pour the mixture over the pasta, add the cubed mozzarella, and stir gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to the lightly buttered oven-safe baking dish (you can also spray or brush the casserole dish with a bit of olive oil).
- Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese evenly on top of the pasta casserole (3).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the pasta dish is heated through and set and the cheese is lightly golden brown and melted (4).
- Let rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.
What can I add to a pasta bake?
- Cooked leftover chicken or turkey, shredded or cubed
- Roast leftovers
- Cooked Italian/ pork sausages or frankfurter/ wiener slices
- Cooked bacon cubes
- Drained tuna
- Cooked shrimp
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Steamed broccoli
- Baby spinach
- Defrosted peas
- Drained canned corn
Tips
Pasta: Use any leftover pasta you have. If you donโt have leftovers, cook about 10.5 oz (300 g) of pasta al dente and let it cool slightly before mixing with the other ingredients. If the pasta is already coated in leftover sauce, thatโs fine too - just add the cheese, eggs, and spices, then bake.
Spices: Feel free to use more spices. I only added oregano, salt, and pepper, but you could use other or more fresh or dried herbs, Italian seasoning, some red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.ย
Recipe FAQs
Definitely! Feel free to get creative with your cheese selection. Gouda, cheddar, and mozzarella can be interchanged or combined with different types of cheese like Swiss, provolone, or fontina.
Certainly! Prepare the leftover pasta bake, cover it well, and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.
How to store and reheat?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for about 3 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge.
Reheat in the oven at 350ยฐF (175ยฐC), covered with aluminum foil, for about 15-20 minutes, or until the pasta is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Reheat in the microwave in a microwave-safe plate or container, loosely covered to prevent splatters. Heat on medium power in 1-minute intervals, checking and stirring in between, until the pasta is heated throughout.
What to serve with leftover spaghetti bake?
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๐ Recipe
Leftover Pasta Bake (with Spaghetti)
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Two bowls
- Egg whisker
Ingredients
- 1.3 lb cooked spaghetti Note, 12
- 1 cup tomato sauce Notes 3, 4
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ยฝ - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt to taste, Note 5
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
- ยพ cup Gouda or Cheddar grated, divided, Note 6
- ยฝ cup Parmesan freshly grated
- 1 mozzarella ball 4.5 oz/ 125 g, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC. Lightly butter or oil the casserole dish.
- Mix cooked pasta, tomato, sauce, oregano, salt, and pepper. 1.3 lb cooked spaghetti + 1 cup tomato sauce + 1 teaspoon oregano + ยฝ - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cheese sauce: Beat the eggs in another bowl. Add crรจme fraiche, half of the grated cheese, and freshly grated Parmesan and mix well. 2 eggs + 1 cup sour cream + the half from ยพ cup Gouda or Cheddar + ยฝ cup Parmesan
- Assemble: Pour the mixture over the pasta, add the chopped mozzarella, and stir gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to the lightly buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese evenly on top. 1 mozzarella ball + remaining cheese
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the food is heated through and set and the cheese is golden and melted.
- Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pasta: You can use spaghetti or any other shape of pasta. If you donโt have leftovers, cook 10.5 lb (300 g) pasta and let it cool slightly before continuing with the recipe.
- A little more or less pasta is okay, anything between 1.1-1.3 lbs (500-600 g) of cooked pasta or 9-10.5 oz (250-300 g) of dry pasta.
- Sauce: Use leftover homemade or store-bought sauce. You can use tomato sauce, marinara, ground meat, or pizza sauce.
- If the pasta and the sauce are already combined, it is fine; combine them with the rest of the ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
- Salt: The right amount depends on the saltiness of the sauce. Start with ยฝ teaspoon, taste, and add more as required.
- Cheese: Use freshly grated Gouda/ Cheddar and Parmesan. Pre-grated cheese contains additives that will prevent it from melting nicely.
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