This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Spaghetti Casserole is an easy and comforting pasta casserole recipe consisting of cooked spaghetti noodles mixed in creamy meat and tomato sauce, topped with freshly grated cheese, and baked until golden and bubbly. It’s a mouth-watering family dinner and perfect for busy weeknights!
If you enjoy classic lasagna, you’ll love this delicious spaghetti casserole. Much like a traditional lasagna, this recipe is a layered casserole, starting with a hearty meat sauce, followed by tender spaghetti, a cream cheese mixture, and shredded cheese topping.
This spaghetti casserole is great to make ahead, too. It can be fully assembled and stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen, making it a convenient freezer meal.
Comforting and so flavorful, it’s an easy dish to sneak in additional veggies—peas, spinach, mushrooms, and kale are just a few of our favorites.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Lean Ground Beef—Ground Italian sausage or ground turkey are great substitutes for ground beef.
- Veggies—I’ve added Softened onions and green bell pepper to this recipe, but feel free to include other veggies like spinach, kale, mushrooms, green peas, squash, etc.
- Garlic— Finely minced.
- Seasoning—I use Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed chili flakes to season this casserole.
- Pasta sauce—You can use your favorite brand of tomato pasta sauce or make your own, like my marinara sauce.
- Spaghetti – Cooked just until al dente. Other pasta varieties can be used, like, penne or bowtie pasta.
- Cream Cheese Mixture – The creamy cream cheese mixture consists of sour cream, softened cream cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
- Optional garnish – I love to garnish this dish with fresh oregano or thyme leaves, but this is entirely optional.
How to Make Spaghetti Casserole
Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Brown the beef: While the water heats, saute the diced onion and green pepper in a large heated skillet with oil until soft. Crumble in the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain any excess fat.
Season and add pasta sauce: Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and crushed chili flakes. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant and then mix in the pasta sauce. Allow the meat sauce to reach a simmer and then turn the heat off.
Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta until al dente and then drain. Set it aside.
Combine the cream cheese mixture: In a mixing bowl, mix the sour cream, cream cheese, and seasoning. Fold in the grated mozzarella and parmesan. Set it aside.
Assemble the casserole: Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Toss the pasta into the remaining meat sauce and spread it over. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the spaghetti and sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of grated mozzarella on top.
Bake: Bake the assembled casserole for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese bubbles and the top turns golden brown.
Garnish and serve: If desired, top the baked spaghetti casserole with fresh oregano or thyme leaves and serve with garlic butter French bread.
Recipe Tips
- Set the oven to low-broil and broil the casserole for 2-3 minutes at the end of cooking for a golden cheesy top.
- Allow the casserole to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the layers to set.
- Breaking the spaghetti noodles in half will make for easier serving and eating.
- This recipe requires a 9×13-inch casserole dish or larger.
What to Serve with Spaghetti Casserole
This hearty and filling spaghetti casserole is great with a light side salad, like this balsamic tomato basil salad, arugula salad, Israeli salad, or green goddess salad.
Warm garlic bread or breadsticks are always a welcome addition as well as roasted veggies like roasted asparagus and roasted zucchini.
Make Ahead + Storage
Make-Ahead:
- Prepare and Refrigerate: Prepare your spaghetti casserole as instructed, cover with foil or a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. You may need to increase the baking time by about 15 minutes if baked directly from the refrigerator.
- Freeze: Assemble and cover the unbaked casserole with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking. You may also bake from frozen (expect to add approximately 45 minutes to the total cooking time).
Storage: Allow your leftovers to cool completely, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container covered by a tight-fitting lid. Place in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the leftover casserole in the oven at 325 degrees F, covered with foil, until heated through. Individual servings can be reheated in the microwave.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
- Crack Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
- Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
- Hashbrown Casserole
If you make this Easy Baked Spaghetti Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
- 1½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
- 1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded, divided
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat a large pot of water over high heat until boiling then salt generously.
- As the water comes to a boil, heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook until softened.
- Crumble and cook the beef in the same pan until browned, then drain out any excess fat.
- Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ a teaspoon of pepper, and red chili flakes if using. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer before removing from the heat.
- Boil the pasta until al dente (about two minutes less than the package instructions) then drain.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, cream cheese, remaining teaspoon of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Fold in 1 cup of the mozzarella and all the parmesan chees then set aside.
- To assemble, evenly spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole pan.
- Toss the cooked spaghetti noodles into the remaining meat sauce then layer them on top of the meat sauce. Spread the cream cheese mixture in an even layer over the noodles, then sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the top turns golden. (If yours doesn’t brown after 25 minutes, turn the broiler to low and broil for 2-3 minutes or until golden.)
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
