Fried Spaghetti (Made From Leftovers!)
Cheesy, saucy, with perfectly crisped edges, fried spaghetti is just the best way to enjoy leftover spaghetti! Made with leftover spaghetti with sauce or plain spaghetti noodles, this Italian dinner recipe is quick, easy, delicious, and cheap!
🍝 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Fried spaghetti is such a fun and delicious way to enjoy leftover spaghetti! Frying it up in the skillet gives the dish a deliciously crisp texture, and the combination of crispy, cheesy, and saucy is absolutely irresistible.
- Whether using leftover spaghetti with sauce, or just plain spaghetti noodles, it’s packed with tons of flavor! Even the pickiest of eaters will love this dish. Plus it’s totally foolproof, and sure to become a new go-to!
- It’s an affordable way to make the most out of your weekly dinners. Instead of heating up your leftovers in the microwave, hoping for evenly heated spaghetti, fried spaghetti is a guaranteed winner!
- It’s super easy to make, requiring only a few steps on the stovetop. Ready in 30 minutes or less, it’s great for busy weeknights when you need a delicious and comforting meal ready in no time.
👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips
- Keep an eye on the fried spaghetti once you add the cheese. The cheese should melt – too long and it’ll burn, which is definitely not the desired result!
- If you want to add more flavor, you can totally add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, or any other seasonings you love. Prefer more spice? Follow the recipe card, then taste the sauce and add another pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
🥖 More Delicious Italian Dishes You’ll Love
- Lemon Pepper Pasta
- Pasta Napoletana
- Spaghetti Alfredo
- Firebirds’ Chicken Pasta Copycat Recipe
- Creamy Rotel Pasta with Ground Beef
- Buffalo Chicken Alfredo
- Shrimp Carbonara
- Spicy Alfredo Sauce
- Eggplant Lasagna
- Tomato Florentine Soup
- Shrimp Parmesan
Fried Spaghetti (Made From Leftovers!)
Fried spaghetti is a delicious and affordable way to use up leftover spaghetti. It's quick, easy, and sure to please even the pickiest of eaters!
- large non-stick skiller
- silicone spatula
For the Fried Spaghetti
- 2 tablespooons salted butter
- 4 cups cooked spaghetti (without sauce)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (approximately 2 large cloves)
- 1 24-ounce jar spaghetti sauce (or 5 cups leftover spaghetti with sauce)
- crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
- ÂĽ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (at room temperature)
- ÂĽ cup grated parmesan (at room temperature)
Toppings
- ÂĽ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (at room temperature)
- ÂĽ cup grated parmesan (at room temperature)
- chopped fresh parsley (or chopped fresh basil, optional)
Place skillet on stovetop over medium heat. When pan is warm, add [wprm-ingredient text=”2 tablespooons salted butter” uid=”0″] and continue heating pan until butter is melted.
Add [wprm-ingredient text=”4 cups cooked spaghetti” uid=”1″] to skillet and stir to coat in melted better. Cook spaghetti until edges begin to crisp slightly, approximately 5 minutes.
Add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 tablespoon minced garlic” uid=”2″] to skillet and stir to incorporate. SautĂ© garlic and spaghetti noodles, stirring constantly, approximately 30 seconds or until garlic is fragrant.
Add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 24-ounce jar spaghetti sauce” uid=”3″] and [wprm-ingredient text=”crushed red pepper flakes” uid=”6″]. Stir to incorporate, then bring sauce to gentle simmer.
When sauce begins to simmer, add [wprm-ingredient text=”ÂĽ cup shredded mozzarella cheese” uid=”4″] and [wprm-ingredient text=”ÂĽ cup grated parmesan” uid=”5″] to pan. Stir until cheeses are fully incorporated and melted completely.
Spread fried spaghetti into one even layer. Top spaghetti with remaining [wprm-ingredient text=”ÂĽ cup shredded mozzarella cheese” uid=”10″] and [wprm-ingredient text=”ÂĽ cup grated parmesan” uid=”11″], sprinkling cheeses evenly over top of pasta.
Place lid on skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese on top of spaghetti is melted.
Once cheese has melted, uncover pan and portion spaghetti into serving bowls as desired. Top with [wprm-ingredient text=”chopped fresh parsley” uid=”7″] or basil (optional) and serve immediately.
- Spaghetti: If you don’t have leftover spaghetti noodles on hand, you can cook some specifically for this recipe. Boil 8 ounces of dry spaghetti noodles in heavily salted water until just al dente, then drain the pasta of all excess water. Follow instructions for fried spaghetti as written.
