Ingredients
12 oz spaghetti
1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz marinara sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk or half-and-half
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
-
Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain, toss with a little olive oil, and set aside.
-
In a skillet, sauté onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, then beef; cook until browned. Drain fat.
-
Stir in marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
-
In a bowl, whisk together cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, milk, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.
-
Layer half the spaghetti in the baking dish, then spread the cream cheese mixture over it. Top with remaining spaghetti.
-
Pour meat sauce over the top evenly, then sprinkle mozzarella cheese.
-
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
-
Let rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream for a lighter version.
Add sautéed vegetables like spinach or mushrooms for extra nutrition.
Freeze before baking for a make-ahead meal option.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg