Trending TikTok Spaghetti

TikTok Spaghetti has taken the internet by storm, becoming a viral sensation cherished for its irresistible creaminess, robust savory notes, and decadent cheesiness. This dish isn’t just a trend; it’s a truly satisfying and hearty meal that promises to be a crowd-pleaser, perfect for any family gathering or cozy night in.

From the Chef’s Kitchen

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Dinner Just Got the TikTok Glow-Up!

It’s no secret that some food trends capture our hearts and taste buds more than others. This sensational TikTok Spaghetti recipe undeniably falls into that category, exploding across social media with thousands of recreations and glowing reviews. As someone who appreciates a good food trend but isn’t swayed by every passing fad, this particular dish, much like the viral baked oats, instantly caught my attention.

Naturally, I had to experience this culinary phenomenon for myself, and I can wholeheartedly confirm: it does not disappoint. This isn’t just another pasta dish; it’s a carefully crafted symphony of flavors and textures that come together in a wonderfully satisfying casserole. Each bite delivers a delightful blend of tender spaghetti coated in a rich, velvety Alfredo sauce, generously layered with a robust Italian sausage marinara, and finally, crowned with a glorious blanket of melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

The result is an extraordinary meal that is both incredibly creamy and profoundly cheesy, offering the ultimate comfort food experience in a casserole-style pasta that everyone will adore. It’s hearty, comforting, and surprisingly simple to achieve, making it a perfect weeknight dinner solution or an impressive dish for entertaining.

Essential TikTok Spaghetti Ingredients

Creating the perfect TikTok Spaghetti starts with selecting quality ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial for the dish’s success:

• Spaghetti: The backbone of our dish. To prevent your pasta from becoming mushy during the baking process, cook it al dente—about 2 minutes less than the package instructions recommend. This ensures it retains a pleasant chewiness even after absorbing the rich sauces in the oven.
• Unsalted Butter: Opt for unsalted butter. This gives you complete control over the sodium content in your Alfredo sauce, allowing you to season it perfectly to your taste without over-salting.
• Onion and Garlic Powder: These convenient powders offer a quick burst of savory flavor. While fresh onions and garlic certainly work and add depth, powders significantly cut down on prep time without sacrificing taste, making this recipe truly weeknight-friendly.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: This is non-negotiable for a truly luxurious Alfredo sauce. Full-fat heavy cream is essential for achieving that characteristic rich, velvety texture and body that defines a classic Alfredo. Lighter creams or milk alternatives simply won’t yield the same decadent results.
• Parmesan Cheese: For the best melting and flavor, always choose a block of high-quality Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded or pre-grated Parmesan often contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly, leaving you with a gritty or clumpy sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan delivers superior taste and a silky-smooth finish.
• Italian Sausage: This ingredient adds a hearty, savory depth to the marinara layer. You have the flexibility to choose between sweet Italian sausage for a milder flavor profile or hot Italian sausage if you prefer a zesty kick. Ensure to remove the casings before browning.
• Marinara Sauce: The quality of your marinara sauce profoundly impacts the final flavor of this dish. Investing in a high-quality jarred marinara, like Rao’s®, makes a noticeable difference. Its robust, well-balanced flavor will elevate the entire casserole.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Like Parmesan, freshly shredded mozzarella melts beautifully and provides that signature gooey, stretchy texture. Avoid pre-shredded varieties for optimal results.

Mastering TikTok Spaghetti: Expert Tips for Success

Achieving the viral perfection of TikTok Spaghetti is easier than you think with these expert tips:

• Prioritize Quality Ingredients: As highlighted in the ingredients section, the freshness of your cheese and the quality of your marinara are paramount. Freshly grated Parmesan and mozzarella melt into a smooth, luxurious blanket, superior to their pre-shredded counterparts. A premium marinara sauce lays a rich foundation that elevates the entire dish.
• Seasoning is Key: Don’t underestimate the power of proper seasoning. After incorporating the Parmesan into your Alfredo sauce, taste it. This is your opportunity to adjust with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper until the flavor profile sings. A well-seasoned sauce makes all the difference.
• Utilize a Large Pot: When combining your pasta and Alfredo sauce, a generously sized pot is your best friend. It provides ample space for thorough mixing, ensuring every strand of spaghetti is beautifully coated without being overcrowded, leading to a more evenly distributed and cohesive sauce.
• Salt Your Pasta Water Generously: This simple step is a game-changer. Salting the pasta water ensures that the spaghetti itself is seasoned from the inside out as it cooks. It imbues the pasta with flavor, rather than relying solely on the sauces, creating a more harmonious and delicious final dish. Aim for water that tastes like the sea.
• Reserve Pasta Water: Always remember to set aside about a cup of your starchy pasta cooking water before draining. This liquid gold is invaluable! If your Alfredo sauce thickens too much or becomes too tight, a splash or two of this reserved water will help loosen it to the perfect, silky consistency, allowing it to cling beautifully to the spaghetti.
• Achieve the Perfect Al Dente Pasta: As mentioned, cooking your spaghetti 2 minutes shy of the package’s minimum cooking time is crucial. This prevents it from becoming overcooked and mushy during the subsequent baking stage, ensuring a delightful texture in every bite.
• Even Layering for Optimal Baking: When assembling your casserole, strive for even layers of both the Alfredo-coated spaghetti and the Italian sausage marinara. This ensures that each component bakes uniformly and that you get a balanced flavor experience with every scoop.

Perfect Pairings: What To Serve With TikTok Spaghetti

TikTok Spaghetti is undeniably a hearty and satisfying meal all on its own. However, if you’re looking to round out your dinner or add some complementary flavors and textures, here are some of my favorite side dishes that pair wonderfully:

• Crisp Green Salads: A light and fresh salad offers a delightful contrast to the rich pasta. A simple garden salad with a vinaigrette, a classic Caesar salad with crunchy croutons, or a vibrant Caprese salad featuring fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, all work beautifully to cut through the richness of the spaghetti.
• Artisan Bread: You can never go wrong with a good bread for soaking up every last bit of that delicious sauce. Crusty French bread, garlicky garlic bread slathered with butter and herbs, or soft breadsticks are perfect for dipping and ensuring no flavor goes to waste.
• Roasted Vegetables: Roasting vegetables brings out their natural sweetness and a slight char that complements Italian flavors. Consider roasted zucchini, bell peppers (red, yellow, orange), cherry tomatoes, or tender asparagus spears tossed with a little Parmesan for a healthy and flavorful side.
• Light Soups: If you’re aiming for an even heartier meal, a light soup can be a fantastic addition. A classic minestrone soup, packed with vegetables and beans, or a comforting roasted tomato basil soup, would both provide warmth and additional layers of flavor without overwhelming the main dish.
• Refreshing Fresh Fruit: For a lighter, palate-cleansing option, a simple fresh fruit salad or a creamy fruit salad can be a lovely finish to the meal, offering a sweet and refreshing counterpoint to the savory pasta.

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5 from 2 votes

TikTok Spaghetti: Creamy, Cheesy, and Savory Baked Pasta

By
Chelsea Lords

TikTok Spaghetti is a glorious layered masterpiece! It features perfectly cooked pasta tossed in a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce, layered with a hearty and flavorful Italian sausage in rich marinara, and finished with a generous blanket of melty mozzarella and Parmesan. This casserole-style dish is incredibly creamy, wonderfully cheesy, and profoundly satisfying, making it an instant family favorite.

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Total Time:
55 minutes

Servings:
6 servings

Equipment

• 9 x 13-inch baking pan
• Large pot
• Very large pan or Dutch oven

Ingredients

For the Alfredo Pasta:

• Cooking spray (for baking dish)
• 1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti, plus 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1-1/4 cups heavy cream (see Note 1)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1-3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided (1 1/2 cups for sauce, 1/4 cup for topping – see Note 2)

For the Italian Sausage Marinara:

• 1 (19-ounce) package Italian sausage, casings removed (sweet or hot, see Note 3)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil (for browning sausage)
• 1 (24-ounce) jar high-quality marinara sauce (Rao’s® recommended, see Note 4)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Topping:

• 1-1/2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
• Remaining 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Prepare Baking Dish & Preheat Oven: Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Cook Spaghetti: In a large pot, bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add 2 teaspoons of salt to season the water. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes less than the lowest time indicated on the package. This ensures the pasta remains al dente. Before draining, carefully remove and reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
3. Make Alfredo Sauce: While the spaghetti cooks, melt the unsalted butter in a very large pan (one big enough to comfortably hold all the cooked pasta later) over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and slightly foamy, stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each) and sauté for about 20 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream. As soon as the mixture begins to gently bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce visibly thickens to a consistency that can leave a clear track on the back of a wooden spoon, typically 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1½ cups of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it is completely melted and the sauce is mostly smooth.
4. Combine Pasta & Alfredo: Add the drained al dente spaghetti directly on top of the Alfredo sauce in the large pan, along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Return the pan to medium heat and, using tongs, gently toss the pasta and sauce. Continue tossing for 1 to 4 minutes until the pasta and sauce emulsify beautifully (the sauce should cling to the pasta strands rather than pooling at the bottom of the pan). If the mixture appears too dry, add a tablespoon or two more of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency is achieved. Scrape all the saucy pasta into your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you prepare the sausage.
5. Prepare Italian Sausage Marinara: Quickly rinse out the same large pan used for the Alfredo (no need to deep clean) and return it to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the Italian sausage (casings removed) and season with salt and pepper (I typically use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Brown the sausage thoroughly, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until it is fully cooked through and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease. Pour in the entire jar of marinara sauce and stir to combine with the browned sausage. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings with more salt or pepper if needed. Evenly spoon this rich Italian sausage marinara mixture over the layer of Alfredo-coated spaghetti in the baking dish.
6. Bake to Perfection: Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese topping is gloriously melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
7. Serve & Enjoy: Remove the TikTok Spaghetti from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. For easy serving, I like to use tongs to twist a generous scoop of the layered pasta together, lift, and transfer to plates. This dish is best enjoyed immediately, right out of the oven, when the flavors are at their peak and the cheese is perfectly gooey!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Cream for Alfredo Sauce: It is absolutely crucial to use real, full-fat heavy whipping cream for the Alfredo sauce in this recipe. Lighter creams, milk, or dairy alternatives simply do not contain enough fat to properly thicken and emulsify, meaning your Alfredo sauce will not achieve the desired rich, velvety texture. Stick to heavy cream for the best results.

Note 2: The Importance of Fresh Parmesan: The quality of your Parmesan cheese makes the single biggest difference to the overall flavor and texture of this TikTok Spaghetti. While this recipe aims for ease, do not compromise on the Parmesan. Avoid canned or pre-shredded/grated Parmesan, as these often contain cellulose or anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting, leading to a clumpy, inferior sauce. Instead, purchase a block of high-quality Parmesan (like Parmigiano-Reggiano) and grate it finely yourself, ideally using the small holes of a box grater or a microplane.

Note 3: Choosing Your Italian Sausage: The type of Italian sausage you use can significantly impact the dish’s flavor profile. For a milder, slightly sweet flavor that’s usually family-friendly, opt for sweet or mild Italian sausage. If you enjoy a bit of heat and extra zest, spicy Italian sausage will add a wonderful kick. Remember to remove the sausage casings before browning the meat in the pan.

Note 4: High-Quality Marinara Matters: Just like Parmesan, the quality of your marinara sauce can make or break this dish. A cheap, watery, or overly sweet marinara can detract from the overall richness. It is truly worth investing in a higher-end, good-quality jarred marinara sauce. Many home cooks, including myself, find Rao’s® to be an excellent choice for its balanced, robust, and authentic Italian flavors.

Storage & Reheating: Let any leftover TikTok Spaghetti cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers. It can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. For reheating, cover and warm gently in the microwave or oven until heated through. Add a splash of milk or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 1121 kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 75g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 202mg | Sodium: 1990mg | Potassium: 849mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2052IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 670mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is an approximation calculated automatically and should only be used as a guideline.