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Spaghetti casserole is one of those dinners that feels comforting in the best way – familiar, filling, and made to feed a hungry table. Layers of pasta, meat sauce, and cheese make an easy dinner that works just as well for busy weeknights as it does for make-ahead meals.
Why this recipe works so well
- It’s a meal everyone recognizes. Spaghetti, meat sauce, and cheese baked together in one pan – it’s not fancy, but it’s so good!
- It works around real life. Make it ahead, stick it in the fridge or freezer, and bake when you need it.
- It feeds a lot of people. One pan, good portions, and leftovers that heat up well. This makes enough to feed a house full of people without standing over the stove all night!
Spaghetti casserole is just baked spaghetti, plain and simple – it’s the kind of dinner that shows up when you need something easy and solid on the table!
Printable Recipe Card
Ingredients
For the spaghetti:
- 1 (16-oz) package spaghetti (uncooked)
- 1 tablespoon oil
For the spaghetti sauce:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 medium onion (diced (about 1 cup))
- 2 sticks celery (diced (about 1 cup))
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
For the cheese sauce:
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
For topping:
- 1 (8-oz) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Tips
- Use a deep baking dish. This casserole bubbles as it bakes. A deep 13×9-inch dish helps prevent spills and keeps cleanup easy.
- Soften the cream cheese first. Let the cream cheese sit out until soft so it mixes smoothly with the ricotta and sour cream. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Giving the casserole 5–10 minutes to sit helps it hold together better when scooped and keeps it from being soupy.
Instructions
- Get started:Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a deep 13×9-inch baking dish and set aside.Get your ingredients ready.
- Cook spaghetti:Cook the spaghetti according to the package. Drain it, put it back in the pot, drizzle with oil, cover, and set it aside.1 (16-oz) package spaghetti, 1 tablespoon oil
- Brown the beef and vegetables:While the pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until browned. Drain extra grease if you prefer.Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.1 tablespoon oil, 1 pound ground beef, salt & pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 medium onion, 2 sticks celery, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
- Make the tomato sauce:Reduce the heat to medium. Stir the Italian seasoning and tomato paste into the beef mixture, then add the diced tomatoes. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Stir up the cheese layer:Mix the cream cheese, ricotta, and sour cream until smooth. No need to overthink it!1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, 1 cup ricotta cheese, ¼ cup sour cream
- Put it together:Spread about ¼ of the meat sauce over the bottom of your prepared casserole dish. Cover with half the spaghetti. Spread the cheese mixture over it, then add the rest of the spaghetti.Spoon the remaining meat sauce over the top and sprinkle with mozzarella.1 (8-oz) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Bake:
Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35–45 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted.Let it sit for a few minutes, then serve.
Baked Spaghetti Casserole
make your kitchen smell like home?Spaghetti Casserole FAQs
You can put the whole thing together and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
(If you want, leave the mozzarella off and add it right before baking.)
Let it sit out while the oven heats, then bake as usual. It might need about 5 extra minutes.
Freeze after baking:
Bake it, cool it, wrap it up, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Bake from frozen at 375°F, loosely covered, until hot in the middle (about 1 hour). Take the foil off and bake another 10–15 minutes.
Freeze before baking:
Line the dish with foil, assemble the casserole, and freeze until solid. Wrap it tight and freeze for up to 2 months.
When you’re ready, unwrap it, put it back in the same dish, and bake at 350°F for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until bubbly all the way through.
Sure. Ground turkey or sausage both work just fine!
This casserole is forgiving. If you don’t have ricotta, here are easy swaps that work just fine:
Use more sour cream
Swap the ricotta for an extra 1 cup sour cream. The casserole will still be creamy and hold together well.
Use cottage cheese
Small curd cottage cheese works great here. If the curds bother you, give it a quick blend — if not, just stir it in as-is.
Use all cream cheese
You can replace the ricotta with another 8 oz cream cheese. The casserole will be a little richer, but still very good.
Mix and match what you have
As long as you end up with about 2 cups total of creamy dairy (ricotta, sour cream, cream cheese, or cottage cheese), it’ll work.
Perfect to serve with
(… besides garlic bread, of course!)
More casserole recipes
If dinner needs to be easy but still cozy and comforting, these casserole recipes are for you. They’re warm, hearty, and so satisfying – real-life meals that bring everyone to the table without a lot of fuss.
Browse all casserole recipes 〉
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Sandra H says
Delicious, pretty simple to whip up & the whole family loves it! It freezes nicely for a night you have no time to make dinner. I added mushrooms to mine & it was amazing! I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because it takes a bit of time but it’s not too bad! I will be adding this to our monthly meal plan. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Sandra!
Sandra H says
Delicious, pretty simple to whip up & the whole family loves it! It freezes nicely for a night you have no time to make dinner. I added mushrooms to mine & it was amazing! I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because it takes a bit of time bit no bad! I will be adding this to our monthly meal plan. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
KP says
Delicious but need to add sauce to the first layer of noodles as well because it makes it a little dry with just the cheese mixture layer!
Nora says
Thanks for your feedback, I do really appreciate it!
Kathy O says
Perfect for someone newly trying to make real dinners. A few steps, but all easy. And delish!