When faced with a box of spaghetti, it’s hard for many of us to think beyond tomato sauce and meatballs. But the lengthy, slender noodles are surprisingly versatile. Not only can they be topped with just about anything—from bright, herbaceous pesto to eggy carbonara and all manner of veggies in a springtime primavera—it can be cooked, shaped, and served in a variety of ways.
Take bite-sized bits and stir them into soup, or bake the pasta into hearty casseroles, bound together with eggs, cream, and lots and lots of cheese.
Basically, spaghetti is a scrumptious blank canvas, ready to be prepared and enjoyed any way you please! Here, we pulled together 15 of our best recipes that start with a box of spaghetti.
Spaghetti Salad
Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
“Off and on I have kept this in my fridge for my children to snack on for years. I use parmesan instead of cheddar and vary the veggies. Often I will toss in quartered pepperoni slices or ham cubes. Thank you.” —BUTTERFLY FLUTTERBY
Baked Spaghetti
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Spindly spaghetti takes the place of floppy lasagna noodles, in this indulgent layered casserole. Noodles get tossed in a creamy bath of butter, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, before being baked with toppings of cottage cheese, mozzarella, and meat sauce.
Spaghetti a la Carbonara
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
If you’re not a fan of Italian American-style carbonara, this recipe is the real deal. “This dish was created in the Lazio region (the area around Rome) in the middle of the 20th century, after World War Two,” said contributor Ivan Zeta. “We don’t use cream, milk, garlic, onions or other strange ingredients; we use only guanciale, eggs, pecorino cheese, and lots of black pepper (carbonaro is the Italian for coal miner).”
Spaghetti Pizza I
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
And we’re not merely talking about a pasta topping. Baked, egg, and cheese-bound spaghetti actually serves as a delectable, chewy crust, and is surprisingly good at supporting rounds of spicy pepperoni.
Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
“Great recipe. I needed something quick and filling for a weeknight, and this did the job. I’m definitely going to add it to my regular rotation.” —Marvin Williams
One Pot Spaghetti
lutzflcat
“This recipe is real good I ate it with garlic bread. I would recommend it to my friends, and mothers with children.” —PoliteBrie4498
Filipino Spaghetti
Rochelle
This Pinoy favorite owes its intriguing sweetness to the condiment, banana ketchup, mixed right into the tomato sauce. But perhaps the most signature element is the addition of cut up hot dogs scattered over the top; a delightfully quirky alternative to ground beef-based bolognese.
Cowboy Spaghetti
fabeveryday
“Made it exactly how it said and it was amazing! Great flavor, my daughter loved it and she’s a fairly picky eater!” —usmc4life69
One-Pot Taco Spaghetti
Karla Harmer
This one-pan taco spaghetti is full of flavor and great for a busy weeknight! “This came out way better than I imagined and my family now asks for it as a side dish,” says Clay. “I broke my own pasta and used shredded jack cheese.”
Million Dollar Spaghetti
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Who said there was such a thing as too many carbs? While it’s common to eat bread with pasta, we’re digging the idea of putting pasta in bread; namely, a loaf of braided pizza dough, stuffed with a full-on spaghetti dinner!
Easy Spaghetti Pie
Allrecipes / Diana Chistruga
“YUM! This recipe ROCKS! I’ve been making a very similar version of this one for at least 30 years now. It’s such a unique twist on a way to use up spaghetti. It always comes out tasting great and as for presentation, well let’s just say it gets lots of ‘OOhs & Aahs’.. Especially when you serve it to someone who’s not heard of it before.” —Renee Ridgeway
Broken Spaghetti Risotto
LatinaCook
“This pasta dish is not really risotto; it only refers to the similar technique used in that famous Italian dish,” said Chef John. “Like the grains of Arborio rice, pieces of broken pasta are tossed in hot butter or oil before the liquid is added, but here we’re going even further, and toasting it to a gorgeous nut-brown. This gives the dish its signature look, as well as adds a subtle nutty flavor.”
Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole
Yoly
“This recipe is really easy to make. For a family of four, I double the recipe which makes a ton of food, and I still have to ration it for the second night. It’s just that good.” —Ryan
Spaghetti and Meatballs Muffin Bites
SHORECOOK
Traditional spaghetti and meatballs get a bite-sized makeover. Break out the muffin cups for these crunchy baked nests — perfect for cradling a juicy, Parmesan-dusted meatball.
Green Goodness Spaghetti
France C
“Spaghetti with pesto taken to a new level!” proclaims the Buckwheat Queen. “Adding spiralized zucchini and fresh green beans adds nutrition and fun to this vegetarian dinner.” Green goodness indeed!
Dining and Cooking