Description
This Creamy Southern Spaghetti Bake recipe is a comforting, cheesy pasta casserole loaded with ground beef, cream cheese, and classic Southern flavors. Perfect for family dinners or potlucks, it’s an easy baked spaghetti with a creamy twist that reheats beautifully. Ideal for make-ahead meals and weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
16 oz spaghetti
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
24 oz tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until just under al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef. Add chopped onion and garlic; cook until soft and fragrant.
3. In a mixing bowl, blend cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Mix in the cooked spaghetti.
4. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a greased 9×13 baking dish, layer the creamy spaghetti, then the beef sauce.
6. Top with cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
8. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving for cleaner slices.
Notes
Make sure the spaghetti is undercooked slightly before baking.
You can swap ground beef for ground turkey or sausage.
To make it spicier, add crushed red pepper flakes to the beef mixture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern Comfort
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 85mg