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Home > Ingredient > Pasta

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

Published: Mar 7, 2021 • Updated: May 25, 2022 by: Mella • 1 Comment

1.6K shares

Easy baked spaghetti recipe with flavorful meat sauce and cream cheese! Rich, deliciously cheesy, and decadent. Make it for special occasions, weekly family gatherings, or for days when you just want to indulge.

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baked spaghetti casserole with cream cheese
Jump to:
  • Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese
  • What you need for the meat sauce and cream cheese sauce
  • How to make Creamy and Cheesy Baked Spaghetti
  • Vegetables you can add to the meat sauce
  • Make-ahead tip
  • Storage
  • Watch how to make it
  • Complete Recipe
  • Comments

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

This pasta casserole dish is somewhat similar to Million Dollar Spaghetti. Somewhat because it only uses two types of cheese–mozzarella and cream cheese. It has no butter, sour cream, or cottage cheese.

I guess you could call it "a simpler Million Dollar spaghetti" recipe.

Having said that, this dish is far away from being just a simple baked spaghetti because:

  • The meat sauce is delicious and flavorful. Not bland at all!
  • The cream cheese sauce is made even more delicious by combining it with cheddar cheese. So good!

What you need for the meat sauce and cream cheese sauce

Here are the ingredients you need to make the meat sauce:

Baked Spaghetti Ingredients-ground beef-marinara sauce-spaghetti-italian seasoning
  • Ground Beef - I use lean ground beef
  • Marinara Sauce - use your favorite bottled pasta sauce. So convenient and a time-saver!
  • Herbs - to boost the flavor of the meat sauce. Totally fine if you don't have it.
  • Beef Broth - enhances the overall flavor of the meat sauce. You can use homemade broth or dissolve 1 pc of bouillon cube in hot water.
  • Onion and Garlic - another flavor booster for the pasta sauce.
  • Spaghetti - of course 🙂

To make the cream cheese sauce, you will need these:

Cheese Sauce Ingredients: cheddar cheese, cream cheese, milk and mozzarella cheese

Since cream cheese is pretty mild, the cheddar cheese will boost its flavor by adding a hint of "sharpness".

Milk helps loosen the texture of the cheese, thus can easily coat the strands of spaghetti.

And lastly, mozzarella–for that irresistible gooey-cheesy molten top.

How to make Creamy and Cheesy Baked Spaghetti

Here's a rundown on how I make this spaghetti casserole:

steps on how to make meat sauce for baked spaghetti, cream cheese sauce for baked spaghetti
  1. Make the pasta sauce - you can make this ahead then do the assembly just before dinner time.
  2. Cook the spaghetti - you need the pasta a little bit undercook so it doesn't get mushy after baking.
  3. Make the cream cheese sauce - you can do this while waiting for the spaghetti to cook. It should be done in less than five minutes!
  4. Stir in the pasta with the cream cheese - if it becomes too dry. Just add a little bit of pasta water too loosen it.

Assembly

When everything is ready, assemble it in a baking dish. You can make a single layer using two shallow dishes or two layers in a deeper baking dish. Entirely up to you.

layering baked spaghetti in a baking dish

Spread the pasta in the baking dish. Pour the meat sauce and spread evenly. Sprinkle generously with mozzarella cheese then bake until melted. It should be done with 20-30 minutes.

That is it!

Easy-peasy!

creamy baked spaghetti with toasted bread

Vegetables you can add to the meat sauce

If you want to up your vegetables, you can sneak these vegetables into the meat sauce. Either minced them with a knife or use a food processor for convenience.

  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Red or Green Bell Peppers
  • Spinach

Make-ahead tip

You can make this ahead for up to 2 days and refrigerate. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake when ready at 375c/190c for 20 minutes then bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

baked spaghetti casserole

Storage

If properly stored, this baked spaghetti should last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

You can freeze this for 1 month in a covered airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in the oven.

Watch how to make it

Love pasta? Try these recipes...

  • One Pot Beef Pasta with Hot Dog
  • Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta
  • How to Cook Filipino Style Spaghetti Sauce
  • Sardines Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives

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Complete Recipe

baked spaghetti casserole

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

It's a baked spaghetti casserole with flavorful meat sauce and cream cheese! Rich, deliciously cheesy, and decadent.
prep 15 mins
cook 30 mins
author: Mella
Servings 8 servings
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Ingredients
 
Cups - Metric

Meat Sauce

  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 16 oz ground lean beef
  • 32 oz jarred pasta sauce (use your favorite, see note 1)
  • 1 ½ cup beef broth (see note 2)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, see note 3)
  • red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 small bell pepper (green or red, minced)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Pasta and Cheese Sauce

  • 16 oz spaghetti
  • ¾ cup lowfat milk
  • 8 oz cream cheese (softened, cut into chunks)
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese (see note 4)
  • 1-2 cups mozzarella cheese (grated, see note 5)
  • chopped parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

Meat Sauce

  • Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook until soft and fragrant.
  • Set heat to high. Add beef and cook until brown. Make sure to break up the beef as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Pour pasta sauce, beef broth, sugar, Italian seasoning, and bell pepper.
  • Bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 minutes. If liquid evaporates too quickly, add water. We want it saucy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta, Cheese Sauce

  • Pre-heat oven to 190c/350f.
  • Cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water as per package directions, minus 2 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup pasta water then drain.
  • Heat milk in a large pot. Add cream cheese, whisk and cook until smooth. Add in cheddar cheese and stir until smooth. Add pasta and ⅓ of the meat sauce. Stir until spaghetti is thoroughly coated. If it's too thick, just add pasta water ¼ cup at a time to loosen the texture.

Assemble and Bake

  • Assemble in a baking dish: one layer if using two shallow baking dishes. Spread meat sauce evenly on top then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
    If using one deep baking dish, assemble in two layers. Spread meat sauce in between and on top. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese.
  • Loosely cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Bake for another 10 minutes uncovered until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes and Tips:

  1. Pasta Sauce - can be substituted with tomato passata/tomato puree. Add chopped celery, carrots, and more dried herbs. Cook the sauce longer to deepen the flavor.
  2. Beef broth - can be substituted with 2 pc beef bouillon in 1 ½ cup hot water.
  3. Sugar - add if you end up with a sour pasta sauce.
  4. Cheddar Cheese - can also be substituted with parmesan cheese.
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Course : Main Course
Keyword : baked spaghetti recipe, baked spaghetti with cream cheese
Nutrition Facts
Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese
Amount per Serving
Calories
487
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
69
mg
23
%
Sodium
 
1034
mg
45
%
Potassium
 
793
mg
23
%
Carbohydrates
 
53
g
18
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
9
g
10
%
Protein
 
34
g
68
%
Vitamin A
 
702
IU
14
%
Vitamin C
 
8
mg
10
%
Calcium
 
359
mg
36
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hsrriet says

    September 10, 2021 at 5:23 pm

    Anxious to try this recipe...ma it for 8...1 recipe enough?? Confused with layering it...I will use one deep 9 x13 casserole...do I put all the pasta on bottom,,then all pasta sauce and the chheese???? And can be made the day bef ore???? Thank You!!!

    Reply

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