Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti is good, but spaghetti casserole is even better. The unique touch is the layer of cream cheese, sour cream, and butter that sits under the meat sauce and transforms into a rich and creamy sauce while baking. It oozes richness that a pot of pasta and jarred sauce just can’t compete with.

I do this when I need to under stress feed a lot of people. It takes under an hour to prepare, can be put together in advance, and reheats wonderfully, which means leftovers are actually something to look forward to. My children request it by name, so I can tell it went from him to just dinner.

If you’ve come across “million dollar spaghetti” on the internet, you’re familiar with this concept. It’s baked, layered, creamy and cheesy. With a name like this, you can guess that this is a crowds pleaser.

Ingredient Breakdown

Before you get started, here is what you need and what you should know about each one.

Spaghetti (1 lb): Regular thin spaghetti is recommended. Don’t use angel hair as it is too fragile and becomes mushy when baking. Thick spaghetti is great as well. Make sure to cook it to just under al dente, as it will continue to cook in the oven and no one wants mushy spaghetti.

I like using 80/20 ground beef. Any leaner and the meat tends to dry out more when baking. If you are using 90/10 pay attention while it’s in the oven as it may come out dry. Also, be sure to drain the fat after browning the meat so the sauce doesn’t end up greasy.

Marinara or pasta sauce (24 oz): Rao’s is the clear winner here as it has no added sugar and the flavor is actually good. Use a sauce you’d eat by itself. Classico and Prego are fine. Stay away from anything that tastes too watery or too acidic, because it will taste the same after baking. It’s fine if your jar is smaller (around 22 oz).

Cream cheese (8 oz, softened): This must be softened. It will not incorporate into the pasta if it is cold. It will remain in chunks, and you’ll wind up with bites that only have cream cheese. Take it out of the fridge at least half an hour before you start. Use only full-fat block cream cheese — the spreadable kind in the tub is not acceptable.

Sour cream (1/2 cup): brings creaminess and some tang. Full-fat is best. Light sour cream works too, but the cream cheese layer is a bit thinner in texture.

Butter (4 tbsp, sliced): You place this in between the layers of pasta and meat sauce. While baking, the butter melts and seeps down into the noodles to keep everything moist and not dried out. Please do not skip this. Salted or unsalted is fine.

Mozzarella (2 cups shredded): If it’s practical, shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheeses often have a coating to prevent the shreds from clumping, which creates a barrier to smooth melting. That said, I’ve used bagged mozzarella many times and it’s still good, just don’t skimp on the amount.

Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper all get added to the meat sauce. A good starting point is about a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and a half teaspoon of garlic powder. You should taste your meat sauce before it gets added to the pan. If it doesn’t taste seasoned, and is flavorless meat sauce, it is an instant recipe fail.

How to Make Spaghetti Casserole

Set your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by applying grease to it.

Step 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and the spaghetti. Cook until the spaghetti has 1 more minute to cook than the instructions say. This is a little less than al dente. The pasta will finish cooking later. Drain the water and set the spaghetti aside.

Step 2: Prepare the meat sauce. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef on medium-high heat. Be sure to break the meat into smaller pieces as it cooks to ensure even browning. Once the beef is browned, remove excess liquid and fat from the skillet. Add the jar of pasta sauce along with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture and lower the heat to let it simmer for 5 minutes as you work on the pasta layer. The sauce should smell good and be thick, not watery.

Step 3: Prepare the cream cheese layer. In a large bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Mix until smooth and no lumps remain. Toss in the drained spaghetti and mix to coat. During this step, the softness of the cream cheese is crucial. When done correctly, the pasta appears glossy and evenly coated, not streaky. If you see a bunch of white chunks, your cream cheese was not soft enough. As a reminder for next time, keep stirring and it will come together for the most part.

Step 4: Assemble the layers for the casserole. Spread the cream cheese pasta on the bottom of the baking dish you prepared. Place the sliced butter evenly over the noodles. Pour the meat sauce over the whole thing and spread it to the edges. Evenly distribute the shredded mozzarella over the top.

Step 5: Covered baking. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes. The casserole should be hot and bubbling around the edges when checking under the foil. Steam means it’s doing its thing.

Step 6: Uncover the cheese and let it brown. Remove the foil and let it cook 10 more minutes so the mozzarella turns brown and bubbly. Cheese is done once there are some brown spots but it shouldn’t look burnt. If your cheese is still pale, turn on the broiler to low and set the timer for 2-3 minutes, and keep an eye on it. This casserole needs to rest 5-10 minutes before cutting. It will set as it cools and will be much easier to cut.

Make-Ahead and Freezer Instructions

Make-ahead: You can prepare the entire casserole including the cheese, cover it in foil, and refrigerate it for 24 hours. Just before baking, take it out of the fridge and let the casserole sit at room temp for 20 minutes. Bake covered for 40-45 minutes, then last 10 minutes uncoved.

Freezer: This casserole is great to freeze either baked or unbaked. For unbaked: bring together, wrap in foil, and freeze for 3 months. For baked: freeze individual servings or the whole dish. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and cover. If you baked it, add 10 extra cold middle minutes. To reheat, thaw in the fridge and cover. Bake at 325 until heated.

Don’t rely on memory. Label it with the date and the baking instructions. Future-you will be grateful.

Serving Suggestions

Pairing with this dish is simple, a refreshing Italian dressing salad would balance out the richness of this dish and works perfectly. To get your kids eating more veggies I recommend steaming some broccoli or roasting some green beans, they go perfectly with garlic bread and they require minimal effort.

This casserole is great for a family gathering or potluck because of how easily it can travel. Just wrap it with foil, and bake it before you leave. You can even get it to stay warm for 30-40 min in the baking dish. You also don’t have to worry about bringing anything separate.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in baking dishes or airtight containers for up to 4 days. The flavors get even better the next day. The cream cheese layer becomes firmer which allows for cleaner slices.

Reheating: If you’re reheating a full portion, oven time should be 20 minutes at 325°F with foil. If you’re reheating single portions, you’re in luck! All you have to do is microwave it. Cover the container, heat in 90-second intervals and stir between intervals. If it looks dry, add a little water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pasta?

Sure, but stick to long, thin pasta types, like linguine. It’s worth it. Fettucine is fine, but it makes layering a bit weird. Steer clear of short types like penne or rotini because the cream cheese layer doesn’t hold together the same way and the texture is not great. Angel hair gets too mushy and is just too thin.

Can I use ricotta instead of cream cheese?

Sure, this is possible, but it would be considered a different recipe entirely. Casseroles that use ricotta as as substitute are going to taste more like baked ziti as opposed to baked spaghetti casserole. If you choose this option, use whole milk ricotta, and maybe mix in an egg to help bind it. The cream cheese variation is richer and is what a majority of people expect when making this recipe.

Why is my casserole watery?

A few things can cause this. First is under-drained pasta. Make sure you shake the colander and give it a full minute to drain. Secondly, if you have a watery or thin jar sauce, you should simmer it with the meat before layering it to reduce it. Lastly, don’t forget to drain the ground beef fat. If during baking, you have a lot of fat pooling at the bottom of the dish, it can make it look wet. So make sure to drain it well after you’re done browning it.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes — both assembled and unbaked will last up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. See the make-ahead section above. Please don’t assemble and refrigerate for more than 24 hours, as the pasta will start to become gummy.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, both baked and unbaked versions can be frozen. However, unbaked tends to freeze better since the texture of the pasta can be impacted less. Either way, please thaw in the fridge before reheating — do not attempt to bake it from frozen, the outside will be cooked before the inside is warmed.

Can I double this recipe?

With a double recipe you can fill two 9×13 pans which serves a big crowd and is a great potluck tip. Make each pan individually instead of trying to stack it all into one deep dish. If you make too deep of a casserole it won’t cook evenly. The top will brown while the middle is still cold. It’s also easy to bake two pans in the same oven at the same time!

Variations

Use Italian sausage in place of ground beef: For a meat sauce that’s more savory and a bit more spicy, substitute a pound of either mild or hot Italian sausage. Be sure to take it out of the casings before you brown it. Since the fat content is higher, drain the meat really well after cooking.

My personal favorite variation is half beef, half sausage. For a meat sauce that has more complexity than ground beef alone, but does not feel as heavy as all sausage, use half a pound of each.

Vegetarian version: Skip the meat altogether and instead add a 15 oz can of drained diced tomatoes and a cup of sautéed mushrooms to the jarred sauce. Be sure to season it well, the sauce will need extra salt and seasoning to taste substantial without the meat. The cream cheese layer carries the dish when the meat isn’t there.

Varied cheese: While mozzarella is the ideal option, provolone tastes great when melted and has a bit more of a bite to it. Combining mozzarella with Parmesan, gives the top more saltiness and burns more. Steer clear of cheese like sharp cheddar that do not melt easily, it becomes grainy when heated.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you like this type of friendly and easy comfort food, these are worth saving:

• Crockpot Lasagna — all the lasagna flavor with none of the layering stress
• Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos — throw it in and forget it; crowd-pleaser for taco nights
• Crockpot Beef Barley Soup — a thick, filling soup that’s even better the next day

Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

20 minutit ettevalmistust | 40–45 minutit küpsemisaega | Serveerib 8-10 inimest

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti
• 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 24 oz jar marinara or pasta sauce
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 tbsp butter, sliced into pats
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
• Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until just barely al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions. Drain well.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain fat. Add pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add the drained spaghetti and toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
• Spread the cream cheese pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Lay the butter slices evenly across the top of the noodles.
• Pour the meat sauce over the pasta layer and spread to the edges. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30–35 minutes, until hot and bubbling at the edges.
• Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden in spots.
• Let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes: Fully soften the cream cheese before mixing; cold cream cheese will not fully combine with the pasta. For the pasta, cook it slightly under, so it doesn’t become mushy when baking. When draining the ground beef, be sure to do it thoroughly to avoid a watery casserole.