This Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole is built for real‑life dinners: it uses pantry staples like spaghetti, jarred marinara, cream cheese, and ground beef, it can be assembled ahead, and it feeds a crowd from one 9×13 pan.
You start by browning ground beef with onion and garlic and stirring in your favorite spaghetti sauce to make a simple, savory meat sauce. While that simmers, you toss hot, just‑drained spaghetti with softened cream cheese, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and a splash of pasta water until it turns glossy and silky. Everything gets layered into a baking dish—meat sauce on the bottom, creamy spaghetti in the middle, more sauce on top, then a thick blanket of shredded mozzarella—before going into the oven until the edges bubble and the cheese on top melts and browns.
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling spaghetti
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- 9×13‑inch baking dish
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Foil (for covering, if needed)
Ingredients
For the pasta and cream cheese layer:
- 12 ounces spaghetti (about three‑quarters of a 16‑ounce box)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼–½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup pasta cooking water (as needed, to loosen the mixture)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the meat sauce:
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½–1 small onion, finely diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (about 24 ounces) spaghetti or marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional, to boost jarred sauce)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For topping and baking:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan, for the top (optional)
- Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Cook the spaghetti
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions just to al dente; it should still have a little bite because it will finish in the oven.
Before draining, scoop out about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta well in a colander, then return it to the warm pot or a large mixing bowl so it stays hot for mixing with the cream cheese.
Make the meat sauce
While the water is heating and the pasta cooks, prepare the meat sauce. In a large skillet over medium‑high heat, add the ground beef and diced onion and cook, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until the beef is browned and the onion is soft.
Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the jar of spaghetti or marinara sauce and add Italian seasoning if you’d like, then stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer on low for 5–10 minutes so the flavors meld, tasting and adjusting salt and pepper as needed.
Make the cream cheese spaghetti
In the pot or mixing bowl with the hot, drained spaghetti, add the softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour in a couple of tablespoons of the reserved hot pasta water to help loosen the cream cheese, then toss everything together with tongs or two forks until the cream cheese melts and coats every strand. If the mixture seems too thick or clumpy, add more pasta water a splash at a time until the spaghetti is evenly coated and looks creamy and glossy rather than dry or sticky.
The goal is a rich, tangy cream cheese “sauce” that clings to the noodles and will hold up as a middle layer in the casserole. Taste a strand and adjust seasoning—this layer should be well seasoned, since it’s the heart of the dish and will be surrounded by sauce and cheese.
Assemble the casserole
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13‑inch baking dish. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of the dish to keep the spaghetti from sticking and to flavor the underside.
Next, add all of the cream cheese‑coated spaghetti and spread it out evenly from corner to corner, gently pressing it into an even layer.
Pour the remaining meat sauce over the spaghetti and use a spatula to spread it evenly, making sure most of the noodles are covered so they don’t dry out. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, followed by the extra Parmesan if using, so you have a full, even cheese blanket over the casserole.
Bake
Place the casserole on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for about 25–30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is fully melted.
If you like a deeper golden, lightly crisped top, you can switch the oven to broil for the last 1–2 minutes, watching closely so the cheese doesn’t burn. When the top is browned to your liking and everything is hot, remove the casserole from the oven.
Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the layers set up so you can cut and lift clean squares or rectangles without the noodles sliding around. Garnish with chopped parsley if you like a bit of color.
Tips & Variations
Cream cheese layer
Softened cream cheese mixes much more easily with hot pasta, so let the block sit at room temperature or cube it before adding to the spaghetti.
Some versions beat the cream cheese with a bit of sour cream or ricotta to create an even richer, “million dollar” style filling; you can swap up to half the cream cheese for ricotta or cottage cheese if you like a fluffier, lasagna‑like middle. Using a bit of reserved pasta water is key for loosening the cream cheese so it melts into a smooth sauce rather than clumping.
Sauce and meat options
Jarred marinara makes this very weeknight‑friendly, but you can use homemade sauce, meat sauce, or even a mix of spaghetti sauce and crushed tomatoes.
Ground beef is classic, but Italian sausage, a beef/sausage mix, or ground turkey all work; just brown thoroughly and drain any excess fat. If you like more texture, you can add finely chopped bell pepper or mushrooms when you cook the onions to bulk up the sauce.
Cheese choices
Mozzarella gives a stretchy, melty topping, while Parmesan adds a salty, nutty note.
Some baked cream cheese spaghetti recipes use a blend like mozzarella plus cheddar for a slightly sharper flavor, or sprinkle extra Parmesan over the top right before baking for more browning. Whatever you use, shred it yourself if possible for the best melt and texture.
Make‑ahead and freezing
This casserole is very make‑ahead friendly. You can assemble it completely, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, then bake straight from the fridge, adding a bit of extra time until it’s hot in the center.
Many “million dollar spaghetti” style recipes also freeze well: assemble, wrap tightly, and freeze, then thaw overnight and bake until bubbly. Because the cream cheese layer keeps the pasta moist, it holds up better to reheating than regular baked spaghetti.
Serving & Storage
Serve Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole hot, scooped or cut into squares, with a big green salad and garlic bread or rolls to soak up any extra sauce. It’s rich and filling, so a smaller portion goes a long way, especially if you’re serving sides.
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm larger amounts in the oven, covered with foil, until hot. The cream cheese helps the pasta stay creamy instead of drying out, so it reheats as a comforting, almost better‑the‑next‑day kind of casserole.
