Monterey Spaghetti

Name: Monterey Spaghetti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Ingredients: 4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces; 1 large egg; 1 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained; 1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided

I'm a working mother with two young boys. Our family leads a very active life, so I make a lot of casseroles. It's so nice to have a hearty, nutritious side dish the kids will eat. Topped with cheese and french-fried onions, this tasty Monterey spaghetti casserole recipe is a hit at our house. —Janet Hibler, Cameron, Missouri

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Ingredients

4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided

Directions

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat egg. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture with Monterey Jack cheese, spinach and half of the onions. Pour into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated though. Top with remaining onions; return to the oven for 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.

Test Kitchen Tips

In Europe, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Parmesan are considered the same cheese. But in the U.S., Parmesan is a generic term that may not come from Italy’s Parmigiano-Reggiano region. Using the authentic Italian cheese (in a lesser amount than the original’s ½ cup) ensures a cheesy richness in the makeover with less fat and calories.

A Monterey, California, businessman named David Jacks made Monterey Jack cheese popular in the late 1800s by shipping it to San Francisco and other areas of the U.S.

Here are 75 of our best pasta recipes we can't get enough of.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 311 calories, 20g fat (11g saturated fat), 74mg cholesterol, 333mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 13g protein.

Originally published as Monterey Spaghetti in Taste of Home October/November 1994

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Starsky

Aug 12, 2019

Hi. This sounds great to me. To Phyllis, if you read what Janet wrote, she uses it as a side dish not a main. So 4 oz of spaghetti should be just about right. I haven't tried this yet but I bookmarked this recipe for another day. I will most likely add chicken and use this as a main instead.
MamaBorella

Jun 26, 2019

Great recipe! Good for a quick dinner, or to take to potlucks.
Phyllis

Jun 2, 2019

I think this recipe is wrong - it calls for 4 oz of spaghetti, yet serves 8! This makes NO SENSE to me!
cindeecee

Apr 2, 2019

Boring food as the recipe goes. Adding ham or sausage is a good idea Mike
Mike

Jan 30, 2019

This was good comfort food. Quick, easy and tasty. Next time I will add chopped ham or smoked sausage. A keeper!
Angie

Jun 11, 2018

I'VE BEEN MAKING THIS FOR YEARS NOW AND CAN HONESTLY SAY IT'S MY FAVORITE PASTA RECIPE! EVEN MY YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN LOVE IT AND IT IS SO EASY TO GET THEM TO EAT SPINACH, AS WELL AS OTHER VEGETABLES I SOMETIMES HIDE IN THE CASSEROLE. I ALSO USE PEPPER JACK FOR HALF OF THE CHEESE WHEN I HAVE IT.
Nancy

Jun 9, 2018

Very easy, and very delicious
lsnielson

Jun 9, 2018

I have made this for years. It is one of our favorites.
SpyceThyme

Feb 11, 2018

I needed to use up a bag of fresh baby spinach and decided to try this recipe. It was very good. I just coarsely chopped the spinach and added it in. I also used about 6 ounces of macaroni that was left in the box. This really turned out well.
tiffanykorn

Jan 27, 2018

Great, easy recipe. Made this in a whim for a quick dish. Didn't follow the recipe 100% due to shortage of some ingredients. Used fresh spinach and made homemade fried onions. Overall had everything and was easy to put together. I thought it was good, my boyfriend loved it.

Monterey Spaghetti

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