Description
A creamy and comforting baked spaghetti casserole combining rich cream cheese, savory ground beef, and marinara sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses for a deliciously cheesy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
Meat
- 1 lb ground beef
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 Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the casserole later.
- Cook Spaghetti: Boil the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside to cool slightly.
- Brown Ground Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned, breaking it apart with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer Sauce and Beef: Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with the cooked beef and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Make Cream Cheese Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Toss Pasta with Cream Cheese: Add the cooked spaghetti to the cream cheese mixture and toss thoroughly until the pasta is evenly coated with the creamy sauce.
- Layer First Spaghetti Portion: Spread half of the cream cheese coated spaghetti evenly on the bottom of a large baking dish.
- Add First Sauce Layer: Spoon half of the marinara sauce and ground beef mixture evenly over the spaghetti layer.
- Cheese Layer: Sprinkle 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce layer.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat with the remaining spaghetti mixture, followed by the remaining sauce and ground beef, and finish with the rest of the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, making sure mozzarella is spread on top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to heat through and melt the cheeses.
- Brown Cheese Topping: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.
- Rest and Garnish: Allow the baked spaghetti to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired for added color and flavor.
Notes
- Make sure to not overcook the spaghetti; al dente texture works best to avoid mushiness after baking.
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or Italian sausage for variation.
- For a spicier version, add red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for the creamiest texture.
