Baked pasta with minced meat and cheese
4 servings
30 minutes
Baked pasta with minced meat and cheese is a cozy, homemade dish that embodies the best traditions of Italian cuisine. Its roots go back centuries when pasta became the foundation of Italian meals and the combination of meat sauce and cheese gained cult status. In this recipe, tender spaghetti is soaked in a fragrant creamy-tomato sauce with tarragon and garlic, while juicy minced meat baked with onions and tomatoes adds rich flavor. The cheesy crust turns the dish into true gastronomic magic – crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. It's an ideal option for family dinners or cozy evenings when you crave something hearty and warming. It's easy to prepare, and the taste is like in the best Italian trattorias.
1
Boil any pasta until al dente. Spaghetti is the best.
- Spaghetti: 250 g
2
Cut the onion and tomatoes into rings.
- Onion: 1 head
- Tomatoes: 2 pieces
3
Add spices to the minced meat to taste. Salt and pepper will suffice.
- Ground meat: 250 g
- Salt: to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper: to taste
4
Prepare the sauce: mix cream with ketchup or tomato paste; add salt, pepper, tarragon, and garlic powder; mix well using a fork or whisk.
- Cream: 200 ml
- Ketchup: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper: to taste
- Tarragon: to taste
- Ground dried garlic: to taste
5
Grease the baking dish with oil. Place onion rings at the bottom. Then spread the minced meat. Top with tomatoes. Pour half of the sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Place pasta on top. Pour the second half of the sauce and cover with cheese without gaps.
- Onion: 1 head
- Ground meat: 250 g
- Tomatoes: 2 pieces
- Cream: 200 ml
- Cheese: 150 g
- Spaghetti: 250 g
- Cream: 200 ml
- Cheese: 150 g
6
Bake in the oven for about 15–20 minutes.