Description
Creamy baked cream cheese spaghetti casserole brings comfort and Italian-inspired richness to weeknight dinners. Melted cheese, tender pasta, and savory herbs create a mouthwatering meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1 lb spaghetti
Dairy:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Protein and Seasonings:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Optional Garnish:
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray.
- Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, typically 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles until no pink remains, about 7-8 minutes.
- Drain excess fat from the beef and return to the skillet. Pour marinara sauce over the meat and stir to combine, simmering for 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese, sour cream, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the cream cheese mixture, tossing gently to ensure every strand is evenly coated.
- Layer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish, followed by a layer of meat sauce.
- Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the meat sauce.
- Repeat layering with remaining pasta, meat sauce, and cheeses, creating a beautiful stratified casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly with golden edges.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes to set.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving hot.
Notes
- Optimize pasta texture by cooking just until al dente to prevent mushiness when baking.
- Enhance flavor depth by using high-quality marinara sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese for richer taste.
- Create a gluten-free version by substituting regular spaghetti with zucchini noodles or gluten-free pasta alternatives.
- Reduce fat content by using lean ground beef or ground turkey and low-fat cream cheese without compromising the dish’s creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg