Amazing Spaghetti Casserole
This amazing spaghetti casserole is both budget friendly and easy to make. Not to mention, it is absolutely delicious! My family loves this dish. Your family and guest will love it too!
Spaghetti casserole is a comforting baked dish made with tender pasta layered in a rich tomato-based meat sauce and plenty of cheese. As it bakes, the flavors blend together, creating a hearty, savory meal with a warm, bubbly top and satisfying texture. Easy to prepare and perfect for feeding a crowd, spaghetti casserole delivers classic Italian-inspired comfort in every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Amazing Spaghetti Casserole
- Delicious. It uses cream cheese to make the spaghetti extra creamy, coating each strand for a rich bite.
- Easy to make. The recipe requires some prep, but once assembled, the casserole may be baked right away or refrigerated for later. The spaghetti casserole freezes well too.
- Double it. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and anytime you need a meal to take to a friend. The recipe fills a 9×9 pan (but can be doubled with a 9×13 pan) and it makes tasty leftovers. Just add a green salad and loaf of garlic bread for a complete meal.
Ingredients
- Pasta: I prefer to use spaghetti noodles for this dish but you can substitute any noodle you prefer. Just be sure to cook the pasta to al dente. It’s important not to cook the pasta to a soft stage. The noodles will continue to cook in the baked casserole.
- Meat: This is what makes my spaghetti casserole so amazing! Instead of using ground beef, I like to use Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage. Its balanced seasoning adds depth to the casserole.
- Sweet yellow onions and freshly minced garlic: I like to use sweet onions when cooking. I love their flavor and they don’t make me cry while cutting.
- Dried Italian seasoning
- Spaghetti sauce: I really like using Rao’s, but feel free to use whatever marinara your family likes.
- Cheesy mixture: Cottage cheese (or ricotta), cream cheese, mozzarella cheese and sour cream are all used in this recipe to create a flavorful cheese mixture.
More Family Favorite Casseroles
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
- Chili Cheese Casserole (only 3 ingredients)
- Easy Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Old Fashion Chicken and Biscuit Casserole
Amazing Spaghetti Casserole
Spaghetti casserole is a comforting baked dish made with tender pasta layered in a rich tomato-based meat sauce and plenty of cheese. As it bakes, the flavors blend together, creating a hearty, savory meal with a warm, bubbly top and satisfying texture. Easy to prepare and perfect for feeding a crowd, spaghetti casserole delivers classic Italian-inspired comfort in every bite.
6
servings40
minutes40
minutes1
hour20
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
8 ounces 8 dried spaghetti noodles, cooked
1 medium 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
5-6 cloves 5-6 fresh garlic, minced
19 ounce 19 Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage, casings removed
3 heaping teaspoons 3 dried Italian seasoning, divided
28 ounce 28 jar Rao’s marinara spaghetti sauce, divided
4-6 Tablespoons 4-6 butter, cut into slices, divided
- Cheese mixture
4 ounces 4 cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese
4 ounces 4 cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup 1/4 sour cream
3 cups 3 mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
- In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions, drain and return pasta to the pot. Add 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce. Combine and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cool until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning to skillet. Cook until no pink remains. Drain well. Add the other half jar of spaghetti sauce to skillet. Combine and set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Place half the butter slices in a 9×9 baking dish. Spread half the spaghetti in dish, then spread cheese mixture evenly over spaghetti. Spread remaining spaghetti over cheese mixture. Top with remaining butter slices. Pour tomato meat sauce evenly over top layer of spaghetti. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until casserole is heated through, about 35-40 minutes.
- Serve with a side salad and garlic bread.
