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sliced baked spaghetti in a glass baking dish
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Macro Friendly Baked Spaghetti

This Baked Spaghetti recipe is a higher protein, lower fat version of the original Million Dollar Spaghetti that still tastes amazing and will fill that pasta craving while keeping your eating habits on track.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword baked spaghetti
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 266kcal

Ingredients

For the Sauce--

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 8 oz. button mushrooms finely chopped
  • 1 lb. grass fed ground beef 95% lean
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 32 oz marinara sauce I used Rao's brand
  • 1 cup water

For the Bechamel White Sauce--

  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1 cup low fat milk
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 14.5 oz Protein Plus Spaghetti Pasta I used Barilla brand
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • dried parsley flakes for garnish, optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep pot. Saute onion and mushroom until tender, about 6 minutes. Add in ground beef and break apart as it browns. Stir in minced garlic and seasonings.
    ground beef and other ingredients in a red cooking pot
  • Pour in sauce and water. Stir, cover, bring to boil then reduce to simmer, and cook 30 minutes to 1 hour, adding in a little water if the sauce gets too thick.
    adding marinara sauce to the ground beef in the red cooking pot
  • Cook pasta according to pasta directions in salted boiling water. Drain and set aside.
  • Melt butter over medium heat in a small pot. Sprinkle flour over top and whisk to create a paste. Cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk slowly in three parts, allowing the sauce to thicken and bubble before adding in each additional splash. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
    Bechamel sauce in a cooking pot with a spoon scooping some of the sauce out
  • Pour cooked spaghetti into a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Top with pasta sauce evenly. Drizzle bechamel sauce over top the red sauce and any pasta noodles that didn't get covered. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
    spreading red sauce over cooked spaghetti in a glass baking dish
  • Cut into 12 squared and serve hot.
    scooping a slice of baked spaghetti out of a glass baking dish

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 507mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 419IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 3mg