Church Supper Spaghetti

This Church Supper Spaghetti isn’t just a crowd-pleaser, it’s a back-for-seconds kind of meal. It feeds a bunch, comes together fast, and makes enough to stretch into leftovers, which my family actually gets excited about.

 

Why We Love Church Supper Spaghetti

• Great For a Potluck -This recipe was made for potlucks. It’s easy to share, perfect for feeding a crowd, and has a cozy comfort go back for more kind of feel.
• Large Hearty Meal – This is the type of delicious recipe that our family usually has leftovers of for at least a second dinner. Pair a salad and some bread with a good crust on the side and it will stretch this savory spaghetti dish even further.
• Easy To Make – This recipe uses simple canned and frozen ingredients to make prep quick and easy. You can also toss in whatever veggies your family likes or use up what’s hanging out in the fridge.

I first had this Church Supper Spaghetti at a potluck fundraiser when I was living in Georgia. It was the kind of gathering where every dish had a handwritten label. A friend brought this spaghetti casserole, and I didn’t think much of it until I took a bite. I headed right back to the line for seconds.

Later, a friend from Minnesota told me they’d call this kind of thing a hot dish, which is their word for a good, hearty casserole. I don’t usually go for casseroles with canned soup, but this one is creamy, cheesy, and totally worth it. I think your family’s going to love this easy recipe too.

Ingredients For Church Supper Spaghetti

• ground beef – I prefer lean ground beef, but 80/20 works fine too or whatever you prefer. Make sure to drain away any excess oil after cooking the beef so the pasta doesn’t become too oily. You can use a paper towel to help remove the oil.
• white onion – diced, yellow onion red onion or sweet onion also works.
• green bell pepper – diced, you can also use a colored bell pepper like red, yellow or orange or just regular old green pepper.
• garlic – minced (or garlic powder)
• spaghetti – you can also use a short pasta like penne or ziti
• tomatoes – diced, canned
• cream of mushroom soup – canned, you can also swap in another canned cream soup like cream of chicken or cream of celery
• chicken broth
• corn – frozen or canned (drained if canned)
• peas – frozen
• chili powder
• salt
• pepper
• cheddar cheese – shredded, mozzarella or Monterrey jack cheese are also great choices to swap

How To Make Church Supper Spaghetti

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish lightly with cooking oil and set to the side. Place a large pot on the stove full of salted water on the stove over high heat to boil the spaghetti.
2. Place the spaghetti in the boiling water. Boil the spaghetti for 8-11 minutes or until al dente according to the spaghetti package directions, then drain and set to the side.
3. While the spaghetti is boiling, place the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the ground beef is browned, and the vegetables are softened, about 8-10 minutes. Make sure to stir the ground beef as needed to break it up and brown it. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant.

4. Drain the grease well from the meat mixture, using a paper towel to remove the grease if necessary. Place the ground beef mixture in a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the diced tomatoes (don’t drain!), the cream of mushroom soup, and the chicken broth to the ground beef. Then add the corn, peas, chili powder, salt, and pepper to the ground beef in the bowl.

6. Add the cooked spaghetti to the ground beef and vegetable mixture. Toss well to combine. I find this easiest to mix with either tongs or a spaghetti spoon.

6. Pour the spaghetti and beef mixture into the oiled casserole pan. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the spaghetti.

6. Bake the spaghetti mixture for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and everything is bubbly. Then serve and enjoy! I like to add a crusty piece of garlic bread on the side.

Variation Ideas For This Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

Use A Different Ground Meat – I’ve used ground beef, but ground turkey, ground chicken or even ground pork can be used in this recipe. If using ground pork that is not lean ground pork, drain especially well so the pasta does not become too oily.

Try Adding Vegetables – You can use up vegetables you might have in the fridge. I recommend sautéing any extra vegetables you may add before adding them to the spaghetti, so they are tender and don’t add too much moisture to the pasta. (which can make the pasta gluey!)

Try adding diced zucchini or yellow squash, green beans, carrots, sliced black olives or mushrooms. You can get a little creative using up vegetables you may have leftover in the fridge.

Change The Pasta Type – I’ve used spaghetti, but another short noodle will work. Try ziti, penne or Fuseli.

You can also swap in an alternative pasta like vegetable pasta, chickpea pasta, gluten free pasta or one of the higher protein pastas. Just know the noodles may break up a little more when you reheat the leftovers if you use one of these alternative pastas. The moisture from the sauce can sometimes break up the noodles more than if you use plain spaghetti.

How Long Will Church Supper Spaghetti Last?

Expect this church supper spaghetti will last for about 3-4 if stored in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator. You can place saran wrap or aluminum foil over the casserole dish to store, but make sure you wrap it tightly.