Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook until soft and fragrant.
Set heat to high. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Make sure to break up the meat as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Pour marinara sauce, broth, sugar, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, bell pepper and Worcestershire.
Bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pasta, and Cheese Sauce
Preheat oven to 190°C/350°F.
Cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water as per package directions, minus 2 minutes. We need the pasta cooked slightly underdone so it doesn't become mushy after baking.
Combine milk, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese in a bowl. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes on high. Stirring every 1 minute until smooth. You can also cook in a small pot on a stovetop over medium heat.
Assemble and Bake
Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl. Pour cream cheese sauce and give it a quick toss until each strand is coated.
Pour 1/2 of the meat sauce and toss gently until coated. Spread the pasta evenly in the baking dish. Pour the remaining meat sauce as evenly as possible on top. in Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Loosely cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with dried or chopped fresh parsley.
Serve and enjoy warm!
Video
Notes
Pasta Sauce - can be substituted with tomato passata or tomato puree. Add chopped celery, carrots, and more dried herbs. Cook the sauce longer up to 45 minutes to deepen the flavor.
Broth - use beef or chicken broth or use 1 piece low sodium chicken or beef bouillon.
Sugar - add if you end up with a sour pasta sauce.
Cheddar Cheese - can also be substituted with parmesan cheese.
Course :Main Course
Cuisine :American-Western
Keyword :baked spaghetti recipe, baked spaghetti with cream cheese