Description
A cozy and hearty baked spaghetti casserole loaded with rich meat sauce, creamy cheese, and tender pasta, perfect for family dinners and potluck gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Cook spaghetti until slightly under al dente, then drain.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and onion until beef is browned. Drain excess grease.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Toss cooked spaghetti with softened cream cheese until evenly coated.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce into the baking dish.
- Layer half the spaghetti, half the meat sauce, and half the mozzarella and cheddar cheese into the dish.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cook the pasta slightly under al dente so it does not become mushy while baking.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly than pre shredded cheese.
- The casserole can be assembled ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 78mg
Keywords: church supper spaghetti casserole, baked spaghetti casserole, cheesy spaghetti bake, comfort food casserole, family pasta dinner