Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

This baked spaghetti with cream cheese is a rich, creamy, cheesy, and decadent pasta dish. Every bite is so flavorful and comforting, and it's really easy to make too. This might just be the best baked spaghetti recipe ever!

Why This Recipe Works

It's so easy to make. All you have to do is cook the ground beef, boil the spaghetti noodles, then toss the noodles in the cream cheese. The oven takes it from there, and this recipe is really foolproof!

The perfect comfort food. This cream cheese baked spaghetti is the ultimate comfort food dish. It's rich, creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor.

Restaurant-quality. This cream cheese spaghetti recipe is as good, if not better, than a pasta dish you'd get at your favorite Italian restaurant.

Ingredients You'll Need

Another reason to love this cream cheese baked spaghetti is that it's made with really simple ingredients. 

Check out everything you'll need to make baked cream cheese spaghetti:

• 8 oz cooked spaghetti
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 (8oz) package softened cream cheese
• ½ cup cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

You can use a lot of these ingredients to make this million dollar spaghetti casserole. It's another creative twist on your average spaghetti dinner, so I definitely suggest you give that one a try next!

How To Make Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

1. Prep work: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium skillet over medium high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once the ground beef is fully cooked, add the spaghetti sauce to the skillet and mix.

2. Cook spaghetti: Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the spaghetti noodles and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain well, then place cooked spaghetti into a large mixing bowl.

3. Make the cream sauce: To the bowl of spaghetti noodles, add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cream cheese has melted and the spaghetti is fully coated in the cream cheese mixture.

4. Assemble the casserole dish: Place a small amount of the homemade meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Put the spaghetti on top of the sauce and pour the remaining meat sauce on the spaghetti.

5. Bake and serve: Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the spaghetti, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven, let it cool briefly, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm. Enjoy!

MY PRO-TIPS

• Cook the spaghetti noodles to al dente since they will continue to cook in the oven.
• Use other types of cheeses, like shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, or ricotta cheese.
• Use sour cream or cottage cheese instead of cream cheese for a different flavor.
• Use Italian seasoning if you don't have all of the dried herbs.
• Substitute the spaghetti sauce for marinara sauce or any type of pasta sauce you want.

How To Store Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

In the fridge: Store the leftover baked spaghetti in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for about 4 days.

In the freezer: Allow the leftover baked spaghetti with cream cheese to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze it for about 3 months. 

Reheating: Put the baked spaghetti back in a casserole dish. Heat it up in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melts and it's warmed through. Let the frozen spaghetti bake thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese FAQS

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the spaghetti up until baking and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Then let it come to room temperature, top the spaghetti with cheese, and bake.

Why is my baked spaghetti watery?

Your baked spaghetti may be watery if you don't drain the pasta completely. 

How do you keep baked spaghetti from drying out?

Mixing the spaghetti with sauce that has cream cheese in it is a great way to keep it from drying out. 

What is the difference between baked spaghetti and regular spaghetti?

Baked spaghetti is assembled in a casserole dish, typically topped with shredded cheese, then baked in the oven. Regular spaghetti just cooks the spaghetti and combines it with a sauce.

More Recipes

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• Chicken and broccoli pasta bake
• Dump and bake meatball casserole
• Zucchini tomato casserole
• Spaghetti sandwich
• Lobster pasta
• Baked ricotta pasta