Creamy Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Name: Creamy Baked Spaghetti Casserole with Meat Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1/2 cup onion, diced; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; Italian seasoning, to taste; onion powder, to taste; garlic powder, to taste; 24 oz pasta sauce; 16 oz spaghetti; 1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese; 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

This creamy baked spaghetti casserole layers cooked spaghetti in Alfredo sauce with seasoned ground beef and pasta sauce, then bakes with mozzarella until golden and bubbly.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Baked spaghetti 🏷️Pasta casserole 🏷️Spaghetti 🏷️Ground beef Alfredo sauce

🏷️

🏷️Mozzarella

-0:00

TikTok

Total

45 min

Servings

6

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$28–$46

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

-0:00

TikTok

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion, diced
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
onion powder, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
24 oz pasta sauce
16 oz spaghetti
1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)optional

15 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
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and begin breaking it up.
3
Season the beef with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add the diced onion and mix to combine.
4
Cook for about 10 minutes, until the beef is fully browned.
5
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, or according to package directions.
6
Pour the pasta sauce into the pan with the cooked beef. Stir and let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.
7
In a separate medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
8
Pour in the heavy cream and season with Italian seasoning, onion powder, and black pepper.
9
Stir in the shredded parmesan cheese until it's melted and the sauce is smooth. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
10
Drain the cooked spaghetti and place it in a large casserole dish.
11
Pour the parmesan cream sauce over the spaghetti and toss well to coat everything evenly.
12
Spoon the meat sauce over the top of the spaghetti, spreading it into an even layer.
13
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
14
Bake at 415°F (215°C) for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly.
15
Remove from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes, then serve.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Cook the spaghetti 1 minute under al dente; it will finish cooking in the oven and won't turn mushy.
Brown the ground beef thoroughly and drain excess fat before adding pasta sauce to avoid a greasy final dish.
Layer the Alfredo sauce and meat sauce separately rather than mixing, so each flavor remains distinct.
Cover with foil for the first 20 minutes of baking to prevent the cheese from browning too fast before the inside heats through.

Substitutions

Ground beef → Italian sausage or ground turkey (same cooking method)
Mozzarella → Parmesan or a blend of both (Parmesan won't melt as smoothly alone)
Butter → olive oil in equal amount for the Alfredo base

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate leftovers covered up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 20–25 minutes until warmed through; freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight before reheating.