There is something so life-giving about getting in the kitchen to cook for the people I love. Earlier this week, I decided to whip up a big batch of spaghetti. I knew my daughter, who works grueling 12-hour shifts in the ER, would love a home-cooked meal waiting for her, so I decided to double the effort. Since I manage a gluten allergy, I decided to make this entire meal gluten-free so we could all enjoy the same dish together!
My Gluten-Free Pasta Pick
If you are gluten-free, you know the struggle of finding a pasta that doesn’t turn to mush. My absolute favorite find is the Jovial brand. It’s imported from Italy and made simply with brown rice—it holds its texture beautifully!
My Pro-Tip: Always cook your gluten-free pasta just shy of al dente, as it softens quickly. After draining it, I rinse it with cold water to remove the excess starch. This keeps the noodles from getting gluey or soft once they hit the sauce.
The Sauce & Assembly
For the meat sauce, I browned 2 pounds of ground beef and 1 pound of sweet Italian sausage. To save time, I used several jars of Yo Mama’s Marinara Sauce—it’s a pantry staple in our tiny house! I simmered the meat and sauce together while the pasta boiled.
Once the pasta and sauce was combined, I divided the spaghetti into two separate pans, topped them with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan and mozzarella, and covered them with plastic wrap and then foil on top.
To Bake: Preheat oven to 350°. Place covered spaghetti onto a baking sheet. Bake, covered for 30-40 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Freezer Friendly: If you’re prepping for later, you can freeze these right away! Just write your baking instructions on the foil: Thaw, bake covered at 350° for 30–40 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10–15 minutes until bubbly.
Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe
No spaghetti dinner is complete without garlic bread. Since Sam’s Club stopped carrying the large French bread loaves, I’ve switched to their large hoagie rolls. They work perfectly! I spread them with my favorite butter, cheese, and herb mixture and baked them at 400° for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 loaf (16 oz) French bread, sliced in half length wise (For a gluten free option, I use Schär Gluten-Free bread)
Instructions
- Mix the butter, Parmesan, parsley, oregano, and garlic until thoroughly combined.
- Spread the mixture evenly on each slice of bread.
- Wrap the bread in foil.
- Cook at 400°F for 15 minutes.
