5 Minute Baked Spaghetti

Name: 5 Minute Baked Spaghetti
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb spaghetti; 24 oz marinara sauce; 3 1/2 cups water; 1 cup 2% or 4% cottage cheese; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (If it’s a salt-free blend, add a pinch of salt); 4 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces

By: Liz ThomsonPublished on July 18, 2026

Jump To Recipe Email me this post

This post may contain affiliate links.

This easy baked spaghetti only takes 5 minutes to assemble! This dump and bake dinner is perfect when you need a delicious, budget-friendly meal.

This particular season of life has felt very full, mostly in a good way, but also in a bit of the there’s-no-time-to-make-dinner kind of way. Thankfully, I’ve learned some great shortcuts over the years, and it means that even on the busiest of days, I can usually whip something up. I’ve been doing a 10 minute, $10 meal series, and this one might be one of my favorites. It’s so simple, but it’s great even for those of us with picky eaters at the table. If you enjoy this recipe, check out some of my other dump and bake recipes here!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Spaghetti: You’ll need 1 pound of regular spaghetti. Since the pasta cooks in the sauce, I don’t recommend swapping in gluten-free or chickpea pastas here without testing, because they absorb liquid differently and the timing will change. I’ve tested this with regular pasta and Barilla’s protein+ pasta. Both worked great!
Marinara sauce: One 24 oz jar of whatever sauce you love. Since the sauce carries a lot of the flavor, use one you’d happily eat on its own. A spicy arrabbiata works great if you like a little heat. You may want to serve it with a little extra sauce if you like it saucy.
Water: This is what cooks the pasta, so don’t skimp on it, even though it’ll look soupy going into the oven. That’s normal!
Cottage cheese: You can use 2% or 4%. I’ve tested both and didn’t notice much of a difference, so go with what you have. Good Culture is my favorite brand. The curds melt into the sauce as it bakes, so don’t worry, you won’t end up with lumpy pasta.
Italian seasoning: If your jarred sauce is already heavily seasoned, you can scale back to 2 teaspoons.
Fresh mozzarella: I like the flavor and texture of fresh mozzarella, but shredded mozzarella works totally fine too.

Tips for the Best Baked Spaghetti

Make sure the noodles are submerged. Any pasta poking out of the liquid will bake up crunchy instead of tender. Press everything down with a spatula before the dish goes in the oven.
Don’t forget to stir the pasta before adding the cheese. This helps everything cook evenly.
Give it a rest. Five minutes on the counter and the sauce goes from loose to perfectly clingy.
Want to sneak in some vegetables? Stir a few big handfuls of fresh spinach or some halved cherry tomatoes into the sauce mixture before adding the pasta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really not have to boil the pasta first? Really! The dry spaghetti cooks in the sauce and water while it bakes. That’s also why the extra water is in the recipe, so don’t reduce it. If you like it extra saucy, feel free to serve with extra sauce.
Will the cottage cheese be lumpy? No, the curds melt into the sauce as it bakes and you’re left with a creamy tomato sauce. If you’re cooking for a serious cottage cheese skeptic, you can blend the cottage cheese with the marinara before adding it to the dish, and no one will ever know it’s in there.
Can I use gluten-free pasta? I haven’t tested this with gluten-free pasta, and since it cooks right in the sauce, the liquid and timing would likely need adjusting. If you try it, check early and often, and let me know how it goes in the comments!
My pasta is still firm at 35 minutes. What went wrong? Ovens vary, and so do baking dishes. Stir it, add a splash of water if it’s looking dry, and give it another 5 to 10 minutes before adding the cheese.
Can I double this? I’d bake two separate 9×13 dishes rather than doubling in one pan, so the pasta cooks evenly.