Baked cream cheese spaghetti is a hearty pasta casserole with a layer of creamy, garlicky noodles tucked between two layers of beefy tomato sauce, all under a golden crust of Parmesan. The cream cheese melts into the hot spaghetti and makes it rich and silky, a little like lasagna without the work. It is a family dinner for a busy weeknight, and it holds up well for potlucks and new-baby meals.
How to make baked cream cheese spaghetti: Brown ground beef, drain it and stir in spaghetti sauce. Cook spaghetti, drain it, and stir in cream cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic until the noodles are coated. Spread a little meat sauce in a 9×13-inch dish, add the spaghetti, cover with the remaining sauce and top with Parmesan. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Like lasagna, but easier. Layers of sauce, creamy pasta and cheese with no noodles to line up.
- Eight ingredients. Most are already in the kitchen.
- Creamy without a white sauce. One block of cream cheese does it.
- Slices cleanly. After a short rest, it cuts into neat squares.
- Good for making ahead. Assemble it early and bake it at dinner time.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef. One pound, browned and drained.
Spaghetti sauce. Twenty-eight ounces of your favorite jarred sauce.
Spaghetti. Twelve ounces, uncooked. Cook it by the package directions.
Cream cheese. Eight ounces. It melts fastest if you cut it into cubes.
Italian seasoning and garlic. One teaspoon of each, stirred into the noodles with the cream cheese.
Parmesan cheese. One cup, freshly grated, for the top.
Parsley. Three to 4 fresh sprigs, leaves finely chopped, for garnish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 28 ounces spaghetti sauce
- 12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3-4 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves finely chopped, for garnish
How to Make Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook the beef and sauce. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and no longer pink. Check that it reaches 160°F with a food thermometer. Drain the grease, stir in the spaghetti sauce and set aside.
3. Coat the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions while the beef browns. Drain and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the Italian seasoning, minced garlic and cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese melts and the noodles are thoroughly coated.
4. Layer the casserole. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the baking dish. Add the cream cheese-coated spaghetti in an even layer, spread the remaining meat sauce over it and top with the Parmesan.
5. Bake and serve. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Let it cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with the chopped parsley.
Where Does the Cream Cheese Go?
Into the noodles, not on top and not in the sauce. As soon as the spaghetti is drained and still steaming, the cream cheese is stirred in with the garlic and Italian seasoning. The heat of the pasta melts it, and every strand ends up with a creamy coating.
Then the casserole is built in layers, from the bottom up.
| Layer | What it is | Why it is there |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom | A thin layer of meat sauce | Keeps the noodles from sticking to the dish |
| Middle | Cream cheese-coated spaghetti | The creamy center |
| Upper | The remaining meat sauce | Covers the pasta so it does not dry out |
| Top | Freshly grated Parmesan | Bakes into a golden crust |
Work while the pasta is hot. Cold spaghetti will not melt the cream cheese, and you will end up with white lumps and bare noodles.
Tips for Success
How do I get the cream cheese to melt evenly?
Cut it into cubes, add it to the just-drained spaghetti and stir until no white pieces are left. Tongs make it easier to turn the long noodles.
Should I rinse the spaghetti?
No. Rinsing cools it down, and the pasta needs to be hot to melt the cream cheese.
How do I know it is done?
The top is golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges, and a food thermometer in the center reads 165°F. A bubbly top by itself is not the test.
Why let it cool before slicing?
A few minutes of rest lets the layers settle, so the squares hold together on the spatula.
Do I need to drain the beef?
Yes. Extra grease makes the sauce oily and the casserole loose.
How Long Does It Take?
About 45 minutes: 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven. The beef and the pasta cook at the same time, which keeps the prep short.
Can You Make It Ahead?
Yes. The assembled, unbaked casserole can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, or frozen. A cold casserole may need a few extra minutes in the oven. Whenever you bake it, go by the thermometer and look for 165°F in the center.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Reheat to 165°F. The creamy layer may look a little different after freezing, but the flavor holds.
What to Serve With It
Garlic bread and a green salad round out the plate. If cream cheese dinners are popular at your house, try baked cream cheese chicken, cream cheese chicken enchiladas, 3-ingredient slow cooker cream cheese chicken or slow cooker cream cheese crack chicken. For a weekend breakfast, there is the sausage, egg and cream cheese hash brown casserole, and for a party, Rotel cream cheese sausage balls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cream cheese good in baked spaghetti?
Yes. It melts into the hot noodles and gives the casserole a rich, creamy middle layer.
What does cream cheese do to spaghetti?
It coats the noodles, adds a mild tang and helps the baked casserole hold together when sliced.
Can I assemble it the night before?
Yes. Cover and refrigerate it for up to 1 day, then bake until the center reaches 165°F.
How many does it serve?
Six.
Final Notes
I cube the cream cheese while the pasta water heats, so it is ready the second the noodles are drained. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 28 ounces spaghetti sauce
- 12 ounces spaghetti uncooked
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 3-4 sprigs parsley fresh, leaves finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and no longer pink. Check that it reaches 160°F with a food thermometer. Drain the grease, stir in the spaghetti sauce and set aside.
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions while the beef browns. Drain and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the Italian seasoning, minced garlic and cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese melts and the noodles are thoroughly coated.
- Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the baking dish. Add the cream cheese-coated spaghetti in an even layer, spread the remaining meat sauce over it and top with the Parmesan.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Let it cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with the chopped parsley.
