Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and then set aside while you prep the pasta and meat sauce.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions- but cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes less than the package directions. After cooking, drain the pasta and set it aside.

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven or deep sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, gently swirl the pot to evenly coat the bottom. Add the ground beef and use a wooden utensil to break up the meat. Cook the ground beef, stirring often, until browned and slightly crisp, about 6-7 minutes.

Add the onion and continue cooking along with the ground beef until the onion is tender, about 3-4 minutes. Season the meat mixture with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt/pepper to taste, and stir the mixture well to combine.

Stir in the garlic paste, brown sugar, and jarred marinara sauce and stir well to combine. Let the sauce simmer briefly for about 2-3 minutes and then remove from heat. Add the drained pasta and toss the pasta with the meat sauce until well combined and the pasta is coated.

Carefully empty the pasta with meat sauce into the prepared baking dish and use a utensil to evenly distribute the pasta in the dish.

In a bowl, combine the shredded cheeses along with the grated cheese and toss well to combine. Then evenly sprinkle the cheese over the pasta.

Bake the spaghetti, uncovered, at 375°F for 20 minutes until the spaghetti is golden brown and the cheese topping is slightly bubbly and crisp. Feel free to broil for 1-2 minutes to get the topping extra crispy if you’d like! Let the spaghetti cool for 5-7 minutes before serving.

Garnish the spaghetti with chopped parsley if desired. Use a spatula or tongs to dig into the spaghetti and serve portions immediately with extra fresh grated parmesan as desired. Enjoy!