Description
A creamy, cheesy baked spaghetti casserole layered with seasoned ground beef, a velvety cream cheese-sour cream mixture, and a golden mozzarella-Parmesan topping, perfect for family dinners and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces spaghetti, cooked until just shy of al dente
- 1 pound ground beef, browned and seasoned
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella (about 8 ounces)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup butter, sliced into pats (8 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook 16 ounces of spaghetti until just shy of al dente, drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown 1 pound ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Season with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir 24 ounces marinara sauce into the browned beef and simmer for about 5 minutes to meld flavors, then remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1 cup sour cream until smooth, fold in 1 cup cottage cheese to create the creamy layer.
- Place half of the butter pats on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, spread half of the cooked spaghetti over the butter in an even layer.
- Spread the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese mixture evenly over the first spaghetti layer.
- Spoon half of the meat and marinara mixture over the creamy layer, spreading to cover.
- Add the remaining spaghetti as the next layer, place the remaining butter pats on top of the pasta, then spread the remaining meat sauce evenly over it.
- Top the assembled casserole with 2 cups shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, spreading the cheese into an even layer.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden.
- Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes so layers set before slicing into 8 servings.
- Serve warm, garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired, and enjoy.
Notes
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture and best flavor.
- Do not overcook the spaghetti, it should be slightly underdone since it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before cutting to help the layers hold together.
- Freshly grated cheeses melt better and taste fresher than pre-shredded varieties.
- This casserole freezes well; assemble and freeze before baking or freeze baked portions for easy meals later.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/8 of casserole)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg