Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
This Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole is a comforting and hearty dish combining tender spaghetti, rich cream cheese, savory ground beef, and melted cheeses baked to bubbly perfection. Ideal for family dinners, this casserole melds creamy and tangy flavors with classic Italian seasoning for a satisfying, crowd-pleasing meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes (spaghetti) + 7 minutes (meat) + 30 minutes (baking)
- Total Time: 64 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Boiling, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Spaghetti
- 12 ounces spaghetti
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch garlic salt
Cheeses for Topping
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Cook Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: While the spaghetti cooks, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and crumbly, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat, then stir in the spaghetti sauce to combine thoroughly.
- Mix Cream Cheese with Spaghetti: In a large bowl, combine the cooked spaghetti with softened cream cheese, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Stir well until the cream cheese melts and coats the spaghetti evenly.
- Assemble Casserole: Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer the cream cheese coated spaghetti over this. Pour the remaining meat sauce evenly on top of the spaghetti. Finally, sprinkle the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the dish is bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly golden.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a lower-fat version, use reduced-fat cream cheese and lean ground turkey instead of beef.
- You can add vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms to the meat sauce for extra nutrition.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- If you prefer a spicier casserole, add red pepper flakes to the meat sauce.
- Make sure to soften the cream cheese thoroughly for smoother mixing with spaghetti.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/12 of casserole)
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Keywords: baked spaghetti casserole, creamy spaghetti bake, ground beef pasta casserole, Italian comfort food, cream cheese pasta bake
