Description
This Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti is a comforting, creamy pasta casserole combining tender spaghetti, rich cream cheese, savory ground beef, and marinara sauce, all topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan. It’s a perfect hearty meal for family dinners that balances creamy texture and robust flavors baked to a golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti
Meat and Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
Dairy
- 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the spaghetti casserole.
- Cook spaghetti: Boil the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Brown the ground beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and cook the ground beef until fully browned, breaking it apart evenly with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add marinara sauce to beef: Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with the cooked beef and stir to combine. Let it simmer gently on low heat for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Prepare cream cheese mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream, stirring until smooth and creamy.
- Toss spaghetti with cream cheese: Add the cooked spaghetti to the cream cheese mixture and toss well to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy sauce.
- Layer first half: Spread half of the spaghetti and cream cheese mixture evenly in a large baking dish.
- Add first layer of meat sauce: Spoon half of the meat and marinara sauce mixture over the spaghetti layer.
- Add first cheese layer: Sprinkle 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Repeat layering: Add the remaining spaghetti mixture, top with the remaining meat sauce, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, finishing with mozzarella on top.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and cheese to melt.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the cheese topping is bubbly and golden brown.
- Rest and garnish: Let the baked casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired for added freshness and color.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based meat for a lighter or vegetarian option.
- Using freshly grated Parmesan cheese enhances the flavor more than pre-grated.
- Allowing the casserole to rest before serving helps it set for easier slicing and serving.
- For extra creaminess, you can stir in a little bit of milk or cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- If you prefer spicier flavors, add crushed red pepper flakes to the meat sauce while simmering.
