Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

This baked cream cheese spaghetti is the ultimate cozy, family-friendly casserole. It blends tender pasta with a creamy, seasoned cheese mixture and a hearty meat sauce for a dinner that feels both comforting and effortless. The ingredients are simple pantry staples, making it perfect for busy weeknights or whenever you need a crowd-pleasing dish you can assemble ahead. Once baked, it becomes bubbly, rich, and irresistibly cheesy. Serve it as a standalone meal or pair it with a crisp salad and garlic bread.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 (28-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Pinch of garlic salt
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until tender yet firm, about 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly, 5–7 minutes. Drain any excess fat and stir in the spaghetti sauce.
4. Drain the cooked spaghetti and transfer to a bowl. Add the cream cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt; stir until the cream cheese melts and coats the pasta.
5. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer the coated spaghetti on top, then spoon the remaining meat sauce over it.
6. Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella over the casserole.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes
Kcal: 480 kcal (per serving) | Servings: 6

Tips

• For extra creaminess, reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and mix it into the cream cheese before tossing with the spaghetti.
• Assemble the casserole up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate; bake straight from the fridge, adding 5 extra minutes.

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes—penne, rotini, or linguine all work well.

Can this be made with ground turkey or chicken?
Absolutely; substitute pound-for-pound and cook the same way.

Can I freeze the casserole?
Yes. Freeze unbaked (wrapped well), then bake from frozen, adding about 20 minutes to the time.

How do I prevent the pasta from drying out?
Make sure it’s fully coated in the cream cheese mixture and avoid overbaking.