Description
A rich and comforting Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole that blends tender pasta, seasoned meat sauce, and a creamy, cheesy filling into one crowd-pleasing dish.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch garlic salt
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce.
4. Drain the cooked spaghetti and place it in a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated.
5. Spread a small amount of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Place the spaghetti mixture on top and cover with the remaining meat sauce.
6. Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses evenly over the top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
You can prepare this casserole ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake—just add 10 more minutes to the baking time if cold.
For added flavor, try mixing in chopped onions or bell peppers when browning the beef.
Use whole wheat or gluten-free spaghetti for dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg