Marry Me Baked Spaghetti
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Marry Me Baked Spaghetti is a creamy, cheesy baked pasta loaded with chicken, sun dried tomatoes, parmesan and mozzarella, baked until bubbly and golden on top. It’s perfect for feeding a family, making ahead or when you need a big comfort food dinner.
Marry Me Baked Spaghetti
Marry Me recipes became popular because of that creamy sauce with sun dried tomatoes, garlic, parmesan and a little bit of heat, and honestly it’s a combination that just works every single time. I’ve made a lot of creamy pasta dishes over the years and this flavor base is one of those that people always love. It’s rich, a little tangy from the tomatoes, salty from the parmesan and just comforting in the best way.
Turning it into baked spaghetti makes it even better because baked pasta is one of the easiest ways to feed a lot of people without standing at the stove all night. The pasta finishes cooking in the sauce, everything gets covered in melted cheese and the top gets golden while the inside stays creamy. I also like using rotisserie chicken here because it keeps the recipe simple and adds a lot of flavor without extra work. This is the kind of dinner that’s perfect for a family, guests, or when you want something comforting that will also give you great leftovers the next day.
Why You’ll Love This Marry Me Baked Spaghetti
- It’s creamy, cheesy and full of flavor from sun dried tomatoes, parmesan and garlic
- Using rotisserie chicken makes this a quick and easy dinner
- Baked pasta is perfect for feeding a family or a group of people
- You can make it ahead of time and bake it when you’re ready
- The top gets golden and cheesy while the inside stays creamy
- It makes amazing leftovers the next day
- Great for busy weeknights, weekend dinners or potlucks It’s comfort food but still feels a little special
- It’s a nice change from regular spaghetti with meat sauce
- Everyone always goes back for seconds
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti just shy of al dente because it will finish cooking in the oven. This is really important with baked pasta. If the pasta is fully cooked before baking, it can turn too soft by the time the dish comes out of the oven.
- Rotisserie chicken: I use rotisserie chicken here because it keeps the recipe simple and adds a lot of flavor without extra work. This is one of my favorite shortcuts for pasta bakes and casseroles.
- Sun dried tomatoes: Use the ones packed in oil and chop them fairly small so you get a bit of that flavor in every bite. They add a lot of flavor to the sauce and are a big part of that “Marry Me” flavor.
- Sun dried tomato oil: Cooking the onions in a bit of the oil from the jar adds flavor right from the start, so don’t skip that part.
- White wine: The wine adds acidity and depth to the sauce and helps balance the cream. If you don’t want to use wine, you can replace it with more chicken broth.
- Heavy cream: This is what makes the sauce rich and creamy. The sauce should look a little thinner than you think it should before baking because the pasta will absorb some of the sauce in the oven.
- Lemon zest: Don’t skip the lemon zest. It doesn’t make the pasta taste lemony but it brightens the whole sauce and keeps it from feeling too heavy.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan melts better and gives the sauce a lot more flavor than the pre grated kind.
- Mozzarella: This is what gives you that cheesy baked pasta top. Freshly shredded melts much nicer and gives you that stretchy cheese when you serve it.
- Pasta water: If the sauce looks too thick when you mix in the pasta, add a splash of pasta water. It helps loosen the sauce and helps it cling to the pasta.
- Let it rest after baking: Let the baked spaghetti sit for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the sauce settles and becomes creamy instead of runny.
Substitutions and Variations
This is one of those recipes that’s very easy to adjust depending on what you have in the fridge or what you feel like eating that day.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken keeps this recipe quick and easy, but you can also use cooked chicken breast, leftover chicken, or even cooked turkey.
- No chicken: You can leave the chicken out and make this a creamy baked spaghetti instead, or add sautéed mushrooms for a vegetarian version.
- Pasta: Spaghetti works great, but you can also use penne, rigatoni, ziti or fusilli. Short pasta actually holds the sauce really well if you prefer that over spaghetti.
- No wine: If you don’t want to cook with wine, just replace it with more chicken broth. The sauce will still be delicious.
- Half and half instead of cream: You can use half and half for a slightly lighter sauce.
- Add spinach: Stir in a couple handfuls of fresh spinach into the sauce before mixing in the pasta. It wilts quickly and works really well in this dish.
- Add mushrooms: Sauté sliced mushrooms with the onions for extra flavor and texture.
- Make it spicy: Add a bit more red pepper flakes if you want a little more heat.
- Different cheese: You can add provolone, fontina or Monterey Jack along with the mozzarella for a different cheesy topping.
How To Make Marry Me Baked Spaghetti
Start by cooking the spaghetti in salted water until just shy of al dente, then drain and set it aside. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven later.
While the pasta cooks, make the sauce by sautéing onion and garlic in butter and a little sun dried tomato oil. Add the sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste and Dijon mustard, then pour in the white wine and let it reduce slightly.
Stir in the chicken broth and heavy cream and let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened but still a bit loose. Stir in the lemon zest, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, shredded chicken and parsley.
Add the cooked spaghetti directly into the sauce and toss everything together. Stir in some mozzarella, then transfer the mixture to a baking dish, top with more mozzarella and Parmesan and bake until bubbly and golden on top.
Let it rest for a few minutes before serving so the sauce settles and becomes creamy.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Baked pasta is actually very forgiving, but there are a few things that can make the difference between creamy baked spaghetti and dry baked spaghetti.
- Overcooking the pasta before baking: Cook the spaghetti just shy of al dente. The pasta will continue cooking in the oven and absorb some of the sauce. If the pasta is fully cooked before baking, it can become too soft.
- Making the sauce too thick before baking: The sauce should look a little looser than you think it should before you put it in the oven. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce while it bakes, so starting with a slightly looser sauce keeps everything creamy.
- Not salting the pasta water: This is your only chance to season the pasta itself. The water should taste salty like soup. This makes a big difference in the final flavor.
- Skipping the pasta water: If the sauce feels too thick when you mix in the pasta, add a splash of pasta water. It helps loosen the sauce and helps it cling to the pasta.
- Using pre shredded mozzarella: Pre shredded cheese doesn’t melt as nicely and can make the top a bit grainy. Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much better and gives you that nice cheesy top.
- Not letting it rest after baking: Let the baked spaghetti sit for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce settle so it’s creamy instead of runny.
- Overbaking the pasta: Bake just until the cheese is melted and bubbly and lightly golden. If you bake it too long, the pasta can start to dry out.
What To Serve With Marry Me Baked Spaghetti
This is a rich, creamy pasta, so I like to serve it with something simple and fresh on the side to balance everything out. Here are some great options:
Arugula Salad
Easy Garlic Bread
The Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Brownie Recipe
Storage, Leftovers and Make Ahead
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 325°F / 160°C. If the pasta looks a bit dry, add a splash of milk or chicken broth before reheating to bring the sauce back to life.
- Make ahead: You can assemble the entire dish, cover it tightly and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready to bake, you may need to add about 5 to 10 extra minutes to the baking time.
- Freezer: You can freeze the assembled unbaked pasta. Wrap the dish tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
- Leftover tip: This pasta reheats really well, so it’s a great recipe to make if you want leftovers for lunch the next day.
Try These Recipes Next
- Baked Ziti
- Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Million Dollar Spaghetti (Make Ahead Friendly)
- Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta
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Marry Me Baked Spaghetti
Video
Ingredients
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon sun dried tomato oil
- 1 small yellow onion (finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes (squeezed dry and chopped)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated )
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken (shredded )
- ½ cup fresh parsley (chopped )
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti
- salt (for pasta water)
Cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella (freshly shredded, divided)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated, for topping)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the sun dried tomato oil. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and Dijon mustard. Cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
- Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Stir in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened but still loose. The sauce should look thinner than you think it should. Stir in the lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 1 cup Parmesan, shredded chicken, and fresh herbs.
- Add the drained spaghetti directly into the sauce and toss gently to coat. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to keep it loose. Stir in 1 cup shredded mozzarella.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the sauce settles but stays creamy underneath.
Equipment
Notes
- Slightly undercook the spaghetti because it will finish cooking in the oven. This keeps the pasta from becoming too soft.
- The sauce should look a bit thinner than you think it should before baking. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it bakes.
- Rotisserie chicken works really well here and keeps the recipe quick and easy.
- Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much better than pre shredded cheese.
- Let the baked spaghetti rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the sauce sets and becomes creamy.
- If you want a more golden top, broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching carefully.
- This is a great make ahead meal. You can assemble the casserole, cover and refrigerate, then bake later.
- Leftovers reheat really well and the pasta stays creamy.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
