Baked Spaghetti Casserole with Beef and Cream Cheese

Overhead square photo of baked spaghetti with cream cheese in a white casserole dish.

Baked Spaghetti Casserole with Beef and Cream Cheese

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese is comfort food at its best! To me, it feels like a hug at the end of a long (crazy) day. It’s simple to make, oh-so-cozy, and always a hit. If your family loves pasta and you love not overcomplicating things, this is one you will turn to again and again.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 39

Total Time 54

Servings

Calories 530kcal

Author Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

16 ounces spaghetti
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 pound ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 cups marinara sauce
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
8 ounces parmesan cheese grated
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
16 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 13 x 9 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions; be careful not to overcook. Drain.
While the pasta cooks heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until the ground beef starts to brown.
Add the onion, garlic, and salt, and cook for another 7 minutes or until the ground beef is ground. At the marinara and simmer for 5 more minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
Place ½ cup of the marinara in the bottom of the casserole dish.
Top with half of the noodles, and half of the remaining sauce. Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the top and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
Add the remaining noodles, marinara sauce, and top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until warm and bubbly. I recommend removing the foil in the last 10 minutes of baking time.

Notes

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers of this baked spaghetti recipe with cream cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, you can either microwave it or bake it in the oven at 350° F until warmed through. Adding a splash of water or broth before reheating will help prevent it from drying out.

Nutrition