Description
Creamy comfort shines in this baked cream cheese spaghetti casserole, blending rich Italian flavors with hearty pasta. Melted cheese and tender noodles create a delightful dinner that brings warmth and satisfaction to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) spaghetti
- 1 pound (454 grams) lean ground beef
- 1 (26 ounces / 737 grams) jar prepared spaghetti sauce
- 1 (8 ounces / 227 grams) package cream cheese, room temperature
Cheese Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) parmesan cheese, grated
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, thoroughly cook ground beef, ensuring no pink remains. Drain excess fat completely.
- Mix the cooked beef with spaghetti sauce, creating a rich meat mixture.
- Cook spaghetti in boiling water until perfectly al dente, then drain completely.
- Transfer hot spaghetti to a mixing bowl and immediately add softened cream cheese, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning.
- Vigorously stir the spaghetti until cream cheese melts evenly, coating each strand uniformly.
- Pour a thin layer of meat sauce along the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Carefully spread the cream cheese-coated spaghetti over the sauce layer.
- Cover the spaghetti completely with remaining meat sauce, ensuring full coverage.
- Generously sprinkle parmesan cheese across the top of the casserole.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until the edges are bubbling and cheese is lightly golden.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle.
Notes
- Prep ahead by browning beef and cooking spaghetti earlier in the day to reduce stress during dinner time.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version of the casserole.
- Enhance cream cheese mixture by adding fresh herbs like basil or parsley for extra flavor and brightness.
- Use low-fat cream cheese and whole wheat spaghetti to create a healthier alternative without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg