Description
Rich Italian-inspired baked cream cheese spaghetti delivers comfort and indulgence in one hearty casserole. Layers of creamy cheese, savory ground beef, and perfectly cooked pasta create a crowd-pleasing dinner you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 1 (8 ounces/227 grams) package cream cheese, softened
Pasta and Sauce:
- 1 pound (454 grams) spaghetti
- 1 (24 ounces/680 grams) jar marinara sauce
Cheese and Dairy:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) sour cream
- 2 cups (200 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C), preparing a spacious baking dish for the culinary creation.
- Boil spaghetti in salted water according to package instructions until perfectly tender, ensuring a slight bite. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Whisk cream cheese and sour cream in a mixing bowl until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high temperature, crumble ground beef into the pan, and cook until no pink remains. Carefully drain accumulated fat.
- Incorporate marinara sauce, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning into the browned beef. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Create the first layer in the baking dish by spreading half the cooked spaghetti as a foundation.
- Gently spread the cream cheese mixture over the spaghetti, ensuring even coverage.
- Ladle the seasoned beef sauce uniformly across the cream cheese layer.
- Generously sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
- Repeat the layering process with remaining spaghetti, cream cheese mixture, beef sauce, and cheese.
- Transfer the assembled dish to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese transforms into a golden, bubbling crust.
Notes
- Prep like a pro by having all ingredients measured and ready before starting to cook.
- Choose lean ground beef to keep the dish lighter and reduce excess grease.
- Drain pasta thoroughly to prevent watery layers that can make the casserole soggy.
- Use freshly shredded mozzarella for better melting and richer flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Check the casserole after 20 minutes of baking to ensure it doesn’t overcook and become dry.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, reheating gently to maintain texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 463 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 687 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 98 mg