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This Easy Baked Spaghetti is a one-pan meal that’s always a hit at the supper table or at a covered dish supper. With a creamy, cheesy center, and a meaty sauce, this pasta casserole is comfort food taken to a whole new level!
When you’ve got a big casserole dish, loaded with perfectly cooked pasta that’s been tossed in cream cheese, then topped with more cheese and a meat sauce that tastes like it’s been cooking for hours, well, you’ve got something special.
When I developed this recipe, I took all the traditional ingredients of a spaghetti dinner and baked lasagna and added them together. The results are absolute “out of this world” so, now you know how I came up with the name!
To pull this recipe together I start by making the sauce. I use a little shortcut here because it’s such a time saver. I use a jarred Mariana sauce and mix it with cooked ground beef and onions. Then, I let it simmer a bit to bring all the flavors together for a true home-cooked taste.
While my sauce is bubbling away, I cook the pasta and make the cheese layer. I blend cottage cheese, Parmesan, and one egg together to make a creamy mixture that will melt into the pasta. That layer right there is what makes this easy-baked spaghetti so special.
Whenever I serve it, my normal lively, noisy table conversation gets quiet and the only sounds are oohhs and aahhs. I’m not kidding. This is a dish that is so comforting and so satisfying.
I make this casserole in a 9×13 dish. The recipe makes enough for 12 people if you’re serving a salad and bread along with your meal. If not, and you’re feeding a bunch of hungry folks, then you can easily get 8 servings. An added bonus to this out of this world dish is that it freezes well.
Just assemble it per the instructions, then instead of baking it in the oven, just wrap it up and freeze it. When you want to serve it, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw 24 hours prior to baking. I’ve often divided the recipe into two portions, cooking one and freezing one. This is a great way to stretch your budget and stock your fridge!
I could go on and on about how good this easy-baked spaghetti is, but the real proof is in the taste. All I can say with that is, get ready to savor the best, over the top, out of this world, baked spaghetti ever. Enjoy!
More Recipes You’ll Love…
- Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Spaghetti Salad
- Out of This World Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- Skillet Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small to medium onion – chopped
- 1 24 oz jar Marinara sauce – I use Rao’s
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese – grated
- 1 egg
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese – grated
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium size skillet, cook ground beef and onion until done. Drain off fat. Pour Mariana sauce over meat and mix well.
- In a large pot, cook spaghetti according to package directions. When done, drain. Add cream cheese and mix well, coating all spaghetti.
- Mix together, in a medium size bowl, cottage cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese and egg.
- To build baked spaghetti, place approximately ½ cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Place half of spaghetti on top of meat mixture smoothing to the edges of casserole dish. Layer on cottage cheese mixture, covering all of spaghetti. Layer remaining spaghetti over cheese. Spoon remaining meat mixture over all layers. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle on ½ cup of Parmesan cheese and bake for additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden brown. Remove from and allow to reset 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
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I made this last week and followed the recipe exactly, except for I use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. It was delicious and the entire pan got devoured. This week I thought I was making the same recipe but I forgot the cream cheese and it is not as good. I also baked it twice as long because I got mixed up with another recipe so for the others out there the cream cheese makes this recipe pop with creamy cheesiness!
Do you use the powder grated parmesan cheese in the green jar that’s located in dry grocery or do you use the refrigerated cheese in a bag
Just use whatever you have or you like.
~Donya
This recipe is our go too for spaghetti night. It’s so good. I add garlic and Italian Seasoning to the meat. and I use half of the cream cheese.
Making this for my hubby as requested for his birthday meal. The family loves it and I love how easy it is! Thank you!
I’m also a southern soul, born and raised in Hampton SC, but my father was German, so we had some interesting dishes over the years. I’m going to make the baked spaghetti today. It’s really cold here in VA today so it sounds good. Thanks for your wonderful recipes.
Thanks for your kind comment and the terrific rating! Welcome to the Southern Soul family.
~Donya
It is “Out Of This World Spaghetti”. I made this recipe for 48 hungry Masons. They loved it!
Thanks so much for the great comment and the terrific rating!
~Donya
Was glad to read this comment as I am also looking for a meal to serve 75 hungry (are there any other kind) Masons 🙂
Loved it, and making it again!,,
Awesome and thanks for the terrific rating!
~Donya
This recipe is delicious and satisfying.
My husband and i enjoyed it.
Awesome and thanks for the terrific rating!
~Donya
This is an easy recipe and everyone loved it! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks so much, Deb. I really appreciate the excellent rating!
~Donya
My son had a school function tonight in which I needed to feed about 20 teenage boys, so I went on the search a few weeks ago for meals to feed a crowd and I landed on this one. I ended up making 3 pans worth (plus an extra pan with everything but the cottage cheese mix) and the boys devoured it. Many went back for 2nds, some 3rds & one even told me he went back 4 times. My son even asked me why I hadn’t made this at home before, so now I have a new meal to add to my menu at home. Thanks for making this night a success!
Hey there Lisa!
My goodness, I am so happy to hear that this dish was a hit, it’s definitely perfect for feeding a crowd! When my son was in High School, this was one of the meals I also used to prepare anytime he brought home a huge crowd of hungry teenage boys, it’s always a hit. Like you said, it’s perfect for family dinners and weeknight meals, it’s also super freezer-friendly and you can prepare it ahead of time then bake when you’re ready. Thank you so much for your kind words and your phenomenal rating, I really appreciate your support! I hope y’all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, happy Holidays!
~Donya