Cream Cheese Baked Spaghetti Casserole with Ricotta Cheese
Servings: 6
Calories: 520kcal
Cream cheese baked spaghetti casserole with ricotta cheese is a family fav that's filling and delicious!
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 90% fat
- 1 yellow onion small, chopped, about 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 24 oz jar marinara sauce your favorite variety
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning dried
- 1 lb spaghetti pasta noodles
- 4 oz cream cheese microwaved to soften
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 8 oz mozzarella or provolone cheese sliced or shredded, more if desired
- Parsley or basil for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a large nonstick skillet (or any skillet, add oil if not non-stick) add ground beef, chopped onions, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium high heat until meat is browned. Drain excess grease. Add jarred marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine and simmer while you prepare the pasta noodles.
- Cook pasta to al dente in heavily salted water. Drain, but don’t rinse. Add pasta to ground beef tomato sauce mixture. Coat noodles with sauce. Remove from heat.
- Microwave the cream cheese for 30 seconds or until very soft. Add to a medium bowl along with the ricotta and parmesan cheese. Stir until well combined.
- Spray a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Layer half the noodle mixture on the bottom. Spread all the cream cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with the remaining noodle mixture. Layer the sliced cheese over the top.
- Bake uncovered in a preheated oven at 375º F. for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. To brown the top, turn heat to broil and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
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Notes
- Ground Beef: I used ground sirloin which is 90% lean. Use whatever variety you prefer. If your cut is fatty, I recommend draining the excess.
- Vegetarian: Omit the beef and replace with sliced mushrooms or just use the sauce.
- Cheese: Use sliced or shredded cheese. I like to use sliced mozzarella or provolone, or a mix.For the interior, you can use cottage cheese instead of ricotta. You can use mozzarella instead of parmesan. Whatever you use, it just has to be very creamy so it will spread over the noodles. I always microwave the cream cheese until it's very soft.
- To make ahead: prepare the recipe but instead of baking it, cover it with foil and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 375º F and bake covered for about an hour. When hot and bubbly, remove the foil and turn oven to broil. Heat for an additional 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Storing leftovers: cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 407mg | Iron: 3mg