Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Name: Baked Spaghetti Casserole with Ground Beef
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 1 lb ground beef; 24 oz marinara sauce; 1.5 cups heavy cream; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated; 1 lb spaghetti, cooked; 1/2 cup reserved pasta water; 2 cups shredded three pepper Colby Jack cheese; salt, to taste; 1 tsp dried parsley, for garnish

This Baked Spaghetti Casserole combines a creamy Parmesan spaghetti base with rich ground beef marinara sauce and melted three-pepper Colby Jack cheese, all baked until bubbly. It's a one-dish Italian-American comfort meal that's ideal for weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Baked spaghetti 🏷️Spaghetti casserole 🏷️Pasta bake 🏷️Ground beef Marinara

🏷️

🏷️Creamy pasta

-0:00

thegoldenbalanceonTikTok

Total

45 min

Servings

6

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$22–$36

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by thegoldenbalance

-0:00

thegoldenbalanceonTikTok

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
24 oz marinara sauce
1.5 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 lb spaghetti, cooked
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
2 cups shredded three pepper Colby Jack cheese
salt, to taste
1 tsp dried parsley, for garnishoptional

11 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Powered by Instacart

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
In a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onion and sauté until softened.
2
Season the onions with salt, then add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until fully browned.
3
Season the browned meat with another pinch of salt. Lower the heat and stir in your favorite marinara sauce. Let it simmer gently.
4
In a separate pot, warm the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to bubble around the edges.
5
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it melts into a smooth sauce.
6
Add the cooked spaghetti to the cream sauce, followed by a splash of reserved pasta water to help thicken the sauce and coat the noodles. Toss everything together until the spaghetti is fully coated.
7
Transfer the creamy spaghetti to a 9x13 inch baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
8
Pour the meat sauce over the spaghetti layer and spread it evenly.
9
Top the casserole with a generous layer of shredded cheese.
10
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
11
Garnish with dried parsley before serving.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Reserve pasta water before draining; its starch helps bind the creamy Parmesan layer and prevents a stodgy texture.
Layer the casserole in order: cooked spaghetti + cream mixture first, then ground beef marinara, then cheese on top. This prevents the pasta from drying out.
Check doneness by looking for bubbling around the edges and a light golden top; overbaking dries the layers.
Use freshly grated Parmesan for creamier texture; pre-shredded types contain anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.

Substitutions

Ground beef → ground Italian sausage or ground turkey (adjust browning time for leaner meat)
Heavy cream → half-and-half or whole milk (sauce will be thinner; reduce volume by 1/4 cup)
Three-pepper Colby Jack → sharp cheddar or mozzarella blend (adjust for desired sharpness)
Marinara sauce → meat sauce or Alfredo (skip browning step if using pre-made meat sauce)

Storage & make-ahead

Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 15–20 minutes until warmed through. Freezes well up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.