Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
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!
Servings: 8 servings
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 9x13-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
Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 1299mg | Potassium: 699mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1173IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 371mg | Iron: 3mg
