The Best Spaghetti Casserole

An easy spaghetti casserole to make for a fun twist on pasta night. Sour cream adds richness to noodles with beef and tomato sauce, baked with cheese.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 570 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 (16 ounce) container fat-free sour cream
• cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 (26.5 ounce) cans meatless spaghetti sauce
• 0.25 cup chopped onion
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Boil spaghetti in generously salted water until cooked through but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Step 2

While pasta cooks, stir cream cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese together until combined; set aside.

Step 3

Heat olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef in large chunks and cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Step 4

Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook, breaking up meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and tilt the pan to pool grease onto one side, trying to keep the beef mixture on the other. Use a large spoon to remove grease; discard grease once cooled.

Step 5

Add marinara to beef mixture in skillet; stir until combined. Add reserved spaghetti. Fold and stir until well coated in sauce.

Step 6

Transfer ½ of the pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Spread sour cream mixture evenly over pasta mixture in baking dish, then top with remaining pasta mixture.

Step 7

Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella evenly over spaghetti mixture. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a baking sheet. 

Step 8

Bake in preheated oven until cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Increase oven temperature to broil. 

Step 9

Broil until cheese has started to turn golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.