The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti

The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti recipe – cheesy spaghetti topped with Italian seasoned cream cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese – SOOOO good! Spaghetti, eggs, parmesan cheese, melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic, cream cheese, sour cream, Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Can make in advance and refrigerate or freeze for a quick meal later. Serve with a salad and some garlic bread for a meal better than any restaurant!

The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti - cheesy spaghetti topped with Italian seasoned cream cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese - SOOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too! We ate this two days in a row!

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The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti

I call this The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti because I combined two of my favorite baked spaghetti recipes and made one great recipe. The “ultimate” if you will. This baked pasta is crazy good. I wanted to eat the whole pan! We ate this for dinner and again for lunch the next day. O-M-YUM! So delicious! I will take this casserole over a meal at a restaurant any day. One bite and you will surely agree!

How To Make Baked Spaghetti

This baked pasta recipe is very easy to make with only a few ingredients. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, parmesan, and melted butter. Season with salt and black pepper. Add cooked spaghetti and toss to coat. Spread spaghetti mixture in the bottom of a baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

In another bowl, mix together Italian seasoning, garlic, cream cheese, and sour cream. Spread an even layer over the pasta.

In a large skillet, cook Italian sausage or ground beef over medium heat until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess grease. Stir in a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. Spread sauce over the cream cheese layer. Top casserole with mozzarella cheese. Bake in a preheated oven until bubbly and the cheese has melted. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can substitute ground turkey or turkey sausage for reduced calories.
  • Feel free to add some fresh chopped yellow onion and bell pepper to the skillet when cooking the meat.
  • My favorite store-bought spaghetti sauces are Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Marinara (green label), Carbone, Rao’s, and La Famiglia DelGrosso.
  • Can Baked Spaghetti be made in advance? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
    • If baking cold straight from the fridge, you will need to add 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time.
  • Can I freeze Baked Spaghetti? Absolutely! Assemble the casserole and cool completely. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
    • When ready to bake, thaw completely and bake as directed below.
    • This makes a lot of food. You can split the recipe into two 8×8 foil pans – bake one now and freeze one unbaked for later. 
  • For the leftovers, I cut them into single-serving squares and freeze them wrapped in plastic wrap. When ready to eat, just thaw and pop in the microwave. Perfect for a quick and easy meal later!
The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti - cheesy spaghetti topped with Italian seasoned cream cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese - SOOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too! We ate this two days in a row!

Baked Spaghetti Casserole for a Crowd

This makes a ton. It would be great for a potluck. You can serve about 12 people with this casserole. If you have a larger crowd, just double or triple the recipe. You can make this in advance, so it is great for parties! Serve this with a simple salad and some garlic bread and olive oil dip for an amazing Italian feast!

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plate of baked spaghetti

The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti

Yield: 8 people
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti – cheesy spaghetti topped with Italian seasoned cream cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese – SOOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too! We ate this two days in a row!

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Whisk together eggs, parmesan cheese, and melted butter. Toss with pasta. Place in prepared pan.
  • Combine Italian seasoning, garlic, cream cheese, and sour cream. Spread over pasta.
  • Combined cooked sausage or hamburger and spaghetti sauce. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Top with 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti - cheesy spaghetti topped with Italian seasoned cream cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese - SOOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too! We ate this two days in a row!
The Ultimate Baked Spaghetti - cheesy spaghetti topped with Italian seasoned cream cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese - SOOOO good! Makes a great freezer meal too! We ate this two days in a row!

Steph

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Comments

  1. Made with zoodles last night. I spiraled 4 zucchini. No cooking just add to the pan. All other ingredients as listed. Soooo good. Probably could have used more zoodles.

    1. You can try that. It may take longer to cook if you cover it. Also make sure that the meat sauce and cheese completely covers the spaghetti.

  2. In the past, I’ve made a dish similar to this called, Eagle Nest Pie. Several of us made your version for our church’s Jubilee services/fellowship meal. I’m switching to your recipe–it’s not a lot different, but enough to make it more affordable and simpler, yet yummy!
    Recently, I had rotator cuff surgery and a friend gave me a small casserole of this spaghetti. I typically eat a low-carb lifestyle, but I always make exceptions for your baked spaghetti. PURE COMFORT FOOD!

  3. This was really good and all 4 of us liked it. Having the leftovers for lunch =) I made as written, using 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage. I thought that combo was perfect- the sausage gave it nice flavor and the ground beef made sure the sausage wasn’t overpowering. I used 15 oz thin spaghetti; I think if I added that extra ounce the casserole might have bubbled over the 13×9 pan. The cheese was nice and brown on the edges. I will make this recipe the next time I have company over.

  4. I made this a few days ago for my husband and myself. I divided it into two containers and froze one. It was absolutely delicious. I used the Rao’s sauce, which I love. My husband said next time to add more ground beef. He is a real meat lover and said it needed a little bit more. For me it was perfect.
    I will be making this many times. Thank you.

  5. Made this tonight and it was delicious.used ragu that’s all I had.It still was amazing.so easy to make and feeds everyone with left overs. Thank you for the receipt.

  6. Absolutely amazing! The best baked spaghetti I have had. But I make it with zucchini. I later if my homegrown zucchini on the very bottom and then one layer of zucchini on top of the cream cheese mixture. It turned about amazing. I will be making this my go-to!

  7. This recipe is the bomb. I live in a group home with 12 people and when I make this spaghetti it goes over great with the residents. What you have a cook that comes in three times a week to cook lunch and dinner. She claims to make baked spaghetti but all her spaghetti is just spaghetti sauce and noodles thrown into the oven nobody really even wants to eat it because the noodles are like stuck together. I usually make the spaghetti two times a month and it goes over well with the resident. Thank you for such a great meal.

  8. Just baked this delicious casserole. Had to try it out. First time making it for my son and family coming for Good Friday dinner. Mixed everything together as some other reviews said. It came out Great. Going to have Caesar salad and Texas toast with it. I made it ahead of time, froze it, then thawed out and baked. Will definitely make again. May bake two smaller ones and freeze one for later as there are only two of us most of the time.

  9. So delicious! My husband said it needed a little of the sauce in the noodles so not so dry, but I didn’t want it to turn out like lasagna. Maybe next time I’ll stir in a sauce with noodles for the hubby and see how it turns out. I’m sure it will be just as good. Thank you!

  10. I made this once before, about 5-6 years ago. I remember it to be delicious. It reminded me a lot of lasagna. I will be making it again today, if I have sour cream. I hope it lives up to my memory.

  11. I have made this recipe several times. One thing I do different is that I mix everything together and then put it in the 9×13 dish

  12. I made this for a dinner party of eight people. Everyone raved about it ! It was delicious. I had leftovers for lunch today ,,,, it was even better the next day!

  13. As usual your recipes do not disappoint, even my 3 and 6 year old grandkids who are VERY picky. I wondered about the cream cheese and sour cream but have learned to trust you and glad I did. 🙂

    My daughter, who is a culinary teacher, was over for a quick visit, said she didn’t really like baked spaghetti, but not only ended up eating some, but taking some home LOL

    thanks.

  14. This is now my husband’s favorite meal!! I will definitely save this recipe. Thank you for sharing.

  15. I’ve made this receipt numerous times and LOVE IT. This will be the first time I freeze it. My question is … Can you freeze this unbaked and then bake it without thawing it first?

  16. Going to make this and which do you prefer – mild sausage or hamburger meat? Can’t wait to try this Rao sauce.

  17. Just made this again tonight. SO good!! My husband L O V E S it so much. Luckily, we have plenty leftover. He would not mind eating this every night 😀 I do add an extra Tbsp melted butter. I might add an extra egg to keep the spaghetti moist. I did also add 1/4 of the pasta cooking liquid.

    1. I have not tested this recipe with spaghetti squash, so I can not say with certainty how it would turn out.

  18. I made this for my niece’s family and her kids loved it! Her 4 year old daughter said she would pay $24 for a plate of it in a restaurant. LOL

  19. Once again, my family has requested this yummy spaghetti bake for our Christmas dinner!!! Such a great recipe, so creamy, delicious, easy to make and never disappoints!! Thank you!!!

  20. My family loves this recipe, definitely a favorite.
    Has anyone tried making it in a 9×13 crock pot?
    Going with friends and would like it ready when we get home.

    1. I think it would be just fine in the slow cooker. I would undercook the pasta by a few minutes so it isn’t mushy.

  21. I have never made a spaghetti bake before this recipe. It by far exceeded my expectations. I was concerned that the noodles would be dry, but they were perfect.

  22. This was terrific! I made tonight and split into 2 smaller casseroles. I used Italian sausage and removed from casing and browned and crumbled in pan before I added the pasta sauce. I also added an extra 1/2 cup sauce too. So flavorful! Husband had seconds! Thanks for this recipe. I will definitely make this regularly.

  23. Excellent
    Was delicious and the whole family enjoyed, will def add this to my rotating schedule of dinners.

  24. Made this and was delicious. Making it for church potluck..i might add more sauce when serving..

  25. My family loves this dish. We do use less spaghetti because for our taste it’s just too much base. Since we all work different shifts it’s so good right then or as a warm up. Thank you for sharing!

  26. Made this tonight for my family. Just didn’t add meat and my picky girls loved as did my husband. I thought it was good too! I’m rating it 5 stars because it was very easy to make and tasted good.

  27. Our family loves this so much that I’m making it for about 250 guests at my daughters wedding in December. I have done a couple trial runs and the spaghetti mixture seems to dry out a bit and the cream cheese mixture seems chunky and not creamy. I prepared it per the instructions, baked it, cooled it and wrapped it generously with foil/saran wrap. I frozen it for 3 weeks and thawed in the refrigerator, then reheated. Any helpful tips would be greatly appreciated to make this taste as amazing as it does when it is freshly made. I am freezing it a few weeks before, so we are not so overwhelmed the week of the wedding. Thank you in advance for any helpful hints

  28. WE MADE THIS LAST WEEK EVERYONE LOVED IT MY HUSBAND BRAGGED TO EVERYONE THAT WOULD LISTON HOW AWESOME IT WAS………AND IT WAS!!!

  29. Can anyone tell me where in aus I can get the Italian sausage from please?
    Or will I just use normal mince
    Thanks

    1. You can use ground beef or ground pork and add Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, garlic, onion)

  30. I just made this baked spaghetti and it was a hit.my husban love it .I will definately be making this again.I have never had baked spaghetti before.

  31. How long can you freeze this? Thaw in refrigerator; bring out for how many mins. to come to room temperature and would you bake it at the same temperture and time.

  32. This is one of mine and my husband’s favorite dinners so I’m going to make a couple pans for a big get together we’re having tomorrow. Would it be ok to make the pans tonight and keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours? Also, how much do you think I need to increase the cook time for 2 or 3 pans?

  33. I really like this recipe! Mine was a little dry & the spaghetti stuck together…..is that normal? The mozzarella cheese burned a little on the edges…should I not bake it as long?

    1. LaKeshia – I've never had issues with the spaghetti being dry. Maybe try and cook it a minute or two less than the directions on the package. If the cheese is getting too browned, try covering the dish during the last few minutes of baking.

  34. Made this tonight and it was really delicious! The only thing I did different was add diced onion to the ground beef, but thatsca personal preference. Thank you for sharing!

  35. Hello

    I was wondering do I cover the spaghetti up in foil before I put in the oven ? and should I put the spaghetti on the top shelf or the bottom shelf in the oven??

  36. I made this for hubby and myself earlier in the week and it was wonderful! While preparing, I divided everything evenly into two 8×8 pans and froze one (without the mozzarella cheese on top) for another day. We both loved the combination of sour cream and cream cheese with the spaghetti and sauce. I used plain Ragu sauce but next time will use a more flavorful sauce or doctor it up some. When we reheated the leftovers the next day, I added garlic and onion powder, bit more mozzarella and just microwaved it. It was better the second time around! It is rare for me to find a "casserole" hubby likes but this one is definitely going to appear on the menu every few weeks. Thank you for sharing!

    1. Hi! I’m making this recipe tonight for the 2nd time and can’t wait to see if it turns out just as good this time as it did last time. An interesting spin on the spaghetti dish. So rich and creamy with alot of flavor. I also loved how I could tweak the amount of the ingredients to my preference. This dish was a hit with all of us.

  37. Just wondered if anyone has mixed it altogether and baked it. I thought the pasta might get dry without the sauce mixed in. Also my husband isn't a fan of cream cheese and sour cream and I thought it would be less recognizable to him that way.

    1. It won't help mixing it. He will still taste both even mixed together. Plus mixing it would ruin this dish. You could make two pans of it though one with the creamy layer, one without. Cook both then freeze half of each for another dinner. The pasta isn't dry at all. The egg/butter/Parmesan mixture makes it firm but moist. Too bad hubs doesn't like cream cheese or sour cream though, that makes this dish really good.

    2. Hey Steph!
      It's been awhile since I had a chance to make any of your great recipes but I just made this dish last night and I am thinking that my "thin" spaghetti wasn't thin enough because I ended up with too much of the spaghetti layer and my pan was full before I could get to the meat sauce part so I improvised and luckily had enough extra everything to make two 1/3 full pans lol One for us and one for my Mom and Brother who LOVED it. What brand did you use for your noodle?

    3. Lawanda, when I make this or any other baked spaghetti recipe I mix mine together. I think it turns out better that way. But I mix all the ingredients together except the mozzarella and some of the parmesean cheese and layer that over the top. It turns out great and doesn't mess the recipe up. Some times I spread a little sauce on top before the cheese layer.

    4. Lawanda, when I make this or any other baked spaghetti recipe I mix mine together. I think it turns out better that way. But I mix all the ingredients together except the mozzarella and some of the parmesean cheese and layer that over the top. It turns out great and doesn't mess the recipe up. Some times I spread a little sauce on top before the cheese layer.

  38. As I am on summer vacation it is always my mission to begin trying new recipes that will be delicious, easy for the work week and be enough to feed us for two days. This recipe checks all my needs. I made it tonight and it was incredibly delicious. My husband raved over it and said that this recipe definitely needs to be a part of our menu. Thank you for sharing!

  39. I made it today and it would have been better if I would have mixed the noodles with the meat sauce.

  40. I cooked this last night but want to reheat it for friends in the next day or so. For how long do you recommend I cook it and at what temperature?

  41. My family and I are obsessed with this bake! I found myself going back for 2nds, 3rds and 4ths. Super rich and easy to make. I ran out of time and the fam was hungry so I upped the temp to 400 and baked for 20 and it came out perfect. Thanks so much for making and sharing!

  42. I made this last night & it was SO good! A big hit with everyone! And it's so simple too. What a great combination – delicious & easy! Definitely a keeper! Thanks!

  43. love this recipe! I've always made it true to the recipe but tonight I made a healthier version. we have several friends over for dinner and I wanted to see if anyone could tell a difference. no one could! they all loved it! I used whole wheat noodles, light sour cream, non fat cream cheese, turkey meatballs and low fat skim milk shredded mozzarella cheese. it was awesome! next time I'll also substitute the butter for olive oil and see how that goes. 🙂

  44. Hi there! To freeze this – do you bake, then freeze and reheat? or freeze unbaked, thaw and bake?

    Thanks!

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