Avoid One Major Mistake When Baking Spaghetti

Both spaghetti and pasta bakes are a favorite among home chefs for their ease of preparation and ability to happily fill many bellies at once. Whether you're feeding a dinner party or a whole soccer team, a simple yet savory casserole can do the job. From comfort-food spaghetti pie to creamy baked ziti arrabbiata, there are dozens of ways to enjoy a spaghetti bake.

However, there is one common mistake that could ruin your baked spaghetti — rinsing your pasta before baking. Instead, all you need to do is simply strain the noodles, and voilà — they're ready to be tossed into your casserole. You want the thick starch from the pasta water to stay on the spaghetti strands, helping to thicken the sauce and fully enmesh the pasta and sauce together. That starch also helps the sauce cling to every forkful of spaghetti, giving you a much thicker and smoother texture.

There are a few other simple tips to guarantee an absolutely top-notch spaghetti casserole, similar to what's needed for a perfect lasagna. First things first, do not overcook your spaghetti. In fact, you want your spaghetti to be slightly al dente — or a little bit firm — when it goes into the casserole. The noodles will continue to cook in the sauces of your casserole, soaking up all that delicious marinara without becoming a mushy mess.

Speaking of sauces, there is no need feel limited to just tomato sauce in your bake. Ree Drummond, for instance, combines a handful of different sauces to elevate her baked spaghetti, including pesto.

Finally, get creative with mix-ins for your spaghetti casserole. Think of it as a remixed lasagna; you can add sundried tomatoes, grilled eggplant, spicy sausage, or even a little squirt of sriracha. You can also go seasonal with ingredients, adding root vegetables in the fall or some fresh zucchini in the summer.