Leftovers get a seriously bad rap with most families. To help all of you who find their fridge full of favorites and need a little tasty remix to reduce waste, I’m starting a series of leftover recipes redone with a creative twist. As a mom, I have a whole new appreciation for leftovers because there is never a day when I am not planning the next meal, without much time to spare. First up, my family’s all time favorite Sunday supper is homemade spaghetti and meatballs. With the leftovers, this 30 minute cheesy baked pasta casserole, topped with the meatballs, is lasagne meets a meatball sub. Decadent and super easy to throw together in advance make this great for a last minute dinner party or a manic midweek meal. You fridge (and family) will thank me.
Leftover Remix: Meatball Topped Cheesy Baked Spaghetti
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total
Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked spaghetti
- 1 1/2 cups leftover tomato sauce
- 4-5 large meatballs, cooked and cold (this helps with slicing)
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Optional: Finely chopped leftover veggies, frozen veggies, or blanched fresh greens
Let's go
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sauce, and ricotta cheese. Mix together and taste. Add in any salt and pepper as you’d prefer. Add in the veggies if you’d wish. I love sneaking in some greens here because you won’t even taste them!
- Take the meatballs out of the fridge and using a sharp knife, slice into 1/2″ pieces. The meatball should be hard or it won’t slice nicely.
- Place the pasta into a cast iron skillet or other medium sized oven proof dish. Place meatball sliced on top and cover with mozzarella cheese.
- Cover and refrigerate until 20 minutes before serving. You can do this up to 1 day before.
- When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350°F. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Serve hot with a salad or Italian style bread.