Recipes with leftover spaghetti are great. A fast pasta dish with little heat required. Whether you made Instant Pot Spaghetti with Jar Sauce for lunch and want to make another meal for dinner with it or it’s cold out of the fridge with meatballs, we have a lot of options for you here.
Leftover spaghetti is a common occurrence in many households. Whether you made a large batch for a family dinner or simply cooked too much for one meal, finding creative ways to repurpose the sauce and noodles can breathe new life into your meals and reduce food waste. From simple pasta salads to hearty casseroles, there are countless delicious recipes to choose from here. (affiliate links present)
From spaghetti lasagna step by step made in layers and baked until warmed, to cold salads, casseroles and more are here. No waste meals are here to enjoy.
Leftover Spaghetti Recipes
A pasta frittata is a delicious way to transform leftover noodles into a hearty and satisfying meal. Simply whisk together eggs, cheese, and any additional ingredients you like, such as vegetables or cooked meats. Then, stir in the leftovers and pour the mixture into a skillet. Cook until set and golden brown on the bottom, then finish it under the broiler to cook the top. Follow our easy mini quiche recipe for this tasty breakfast, brunch, or dinner option.
Transform leftover pasta into a flavorful stir-fry by tossing it with a variety of vegetables, protein, and a savory sauce. Start by stir-frying your choice of vegetables, such as bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and snap peas, in a hot skillet or wok. Add cooked meats like leftover taco meat for protein, then toss in the together to warm with your favorite stir-fry sauce. Cook until everything is heated through.
What to do With Leftover Spaghetti
You can see an example of the easiest above, Spaghetti Sandwich for goodness sakes. If you have a favorite One Pot Lasagna you can throw these pre-cooked noodles in at the end for less than one minute and done.
Spaghetti pie is a fun twist on traditional pasta sauce and cheese dish that turns leftovers into a savory pie-like creation. Mix together cooked noodles with eggs, cheese, and your favorite sauce or seasonings. Press the mixture into your pot pie crust, then top it with additional cheese or breadcrumbs if desired. Bake the pie until it’s heated through and golden brown on top. Slice and serve for a comforting and satisfying meal that the whole family will love. You just;
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a bowl combine 1 cup spaghetti with 2 eggs and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- You can line the bottom with a pie crust or skip and keep crustless which works better
- Press this noodle egg mixture into the bottom of the pie pan on the bottom and up the sides firmly
- In a bowl mix 1 cup ricotta with 1/2 tsp basil + 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or garlic powder + 1 tbsp parsley, then spread this into the pie pan on top
- In a pan over medium high heat brown 1 lb. ground beef or sausage + 1/2 onion diced until no longer pink, drain
- Fold in 2 cups spaghetti sauce + 1 can drained, diced tomatoes and cook until thickened
- Pour this meat mixture on the very top
Heat your pasta bake in the oven for 20 minutes, remove to sprinkle the top with shredded mozzarella and bake again until lightly browned. Allow to rest to solidify for 5 minutes once removed and then slice and serve.
What to do With Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
Whether you made something like our spicy Sausage Spaghetti or in your pressure cooker you may just have sauce or the noodles. Typically we combine it all so it is already combined together. If you only have sauce you can make fresh noodles to al dente. Then fold together and then make these meals with it too.
OR just use the marinara sauce itself on top. Adds moisture and bold flavors to meat like they do with chicken parmesan!! You can do the same with meat sauce too where you make our Parmesan Crusted Chicken Air Fryer. Plate, add warmed sauce on top with mozzarella cheese and that is a family favorite of ours.
This makes an excellent base for a refreshing pasta salad. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a side dish for grilled meats too. Toss cold with chopped vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onions. Add fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or cilantro for extra flavor. Dress the salad with a simple vinaigrette or creamy dressing, then toss everything together until well coated. Chill the spaghetti salad in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Leftover Spaghetti Bake
There are two ways to use this to make another versatile dish with your noodles. You can combine with more savory sauce, creamy cheese, and flavorful seasonings, and bake together in the oven. A great way to make spaghetti casserole. OR just add into your dish with a layer of Jiffy on the top. This makes a Cornbread Casserole with it!!
Leftover spaghetti can last for several days when stored properly in the refrigerator. Don’t forget to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. If stored in the fridge it can typically be used again within 3-5 days to reheat. Or make a new dish like we are sharing here..
I wouldn’t recommend it. 3 days is typically the safest length of time your spaghetti leftovers should be saved, reheated, or made into pie or casserole to enjoy again.
You can click on any of the blue links above to make what was described. Or we have a pie with leftover spaghetti and meatballs explained below for you if you jump to recipe below.
Leftover Spaghetti
Equipment
- 1 pie pan or 9×9 square pan
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 c spaghetti, fresh or leftovers
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 c parmesan
- 1 c ricotta
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 lb. ground beef, or ground sausage
- 1/2 c onion, diced
- 2 c spaghetti sauce
- 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 c mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl combine leftover spaghetti with eggs and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Mix together until coated and combined. Press this noodle egg mixture into the bottom of a sprayed non stick pie pan on the bottom and up the sides firmly.
- In a bowl mix ricotta with basil, Italian seasoning and chopped or dry parsley. Spread this into the pie pan on top.
- In a pan over medium high heat brown 1 lb. ground beef or sausage + diced onion until meat is no longer pink. Fold in spaghetti sauce + 1 can drained, diced tomatoes and cook until thickened. Pour this meat mixture on the very top.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove, top with cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes until melted and browned. Allow to cool when done for 5-10 minutes before serving so it can solidify.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
