Baked Parmesan Spaghetti

Baked Parmesan Spaghetti

serves 4-6

3/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 pounds ground beef (I used 93% lean)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

10-12 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep water to boil for pasta. I cooked a spaghetti with a 10-minute cooking time for 7 minutes since it was going in the oven.

Heat a skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute. Season ground beef with the teaspoon of salt and pepper and add to skillet. Break apart with a wooden spoon and brown on both sides. This should only take about 5-6 minutes.

Stir in one cup of pasta sauce and half of the chopped fresh basil. Mix to combine. Spray a 9×13 baking dish (or baking dish of your choice, I used an 8-inch round, 4-inch deep dish) with non-stick spray. Add half of the spaghetti mixture to the dish, then top with 1/2 cup tomato sauce and half of each cheese. Add the remaining spaghetti and top with the rest of the sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.