Easy Spaghetti Casserole

This is an Easy Spaghetti Casserole that everyone in the family will love. Perfect for weeknights, too, because you might just have enough leftover for lunch at work the next day. Made with hot pasta, cream cheese, zesty meaty tomato sauce and ooey-gooey cheese...can you really go wrong? The secret to make this easy casserole so delicious isn't the pasta or the sauce...

Easy Spaghetti Casserole is going to be a family favorite.

What makes this dish so yummy is the chicken broth and cream cheese.

To add the most flavor possible in our spaghetti casserole recipe, we cooked our pasta in chicken broth instead of plain water. The noodles absorb all of that chicken flavor and taste better than bland spaghetti.

While the pasta is cooking, brown up some lean ground beef. Add tomatoes or our Simply Awesome Pasta Sauce and simmer.

While the pasta is still hot, add the cream cheese and seasonings...and some of that hot pasta broth. More flavor! The hot broth also helps melt the cheese, and keeps the spaghetti casserole from drying out during baking.

Stir the noodles and cream cheese mixture until the cheese is melts and is nice and creamy. Resist the urge to eat the pasta now.

I mean, you totally could. Chef's privilege.

Spoon the pasta and cheese into the bottom of a prepared casserole dish. Top with your meaty tomato sauce and add shredded cheese.

Bake the spaghetti casserole until bubbly and golden and serve with salad and hot bread.

Love Pasta? Try these recipes:

Fire Roasted Tomato Orzo Pasta

Spicy Cajun Pasta

Mexican Chicken Spaghetti

📖 Recipe

Easy Spaghetti Casserole

5 from 1 vote

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Calories

Ingredients

  

• 1 12 oz package thin spaghetti pasta
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese softened
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup pasta cooking water
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 3 ½ cups prepared pasta sauce or crushed tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large pot, bring chicken broth and water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Reduce cooking time by two minutes. Drain pasta, reserving ¾ cups of the cooking broth.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a skillet heat oil and garlic until it starts to turn golden. Add ground beef, salt and pepper. Cook until brown. To the beef, add pasta sauce or crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.
• In the pasta pot or a large bowl, combine pasta, cream cheese, hot pasta cooking broth, parmesan cheese, oregano and basil. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and thoroughly combined.
• Spoon the pasta and cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Spread the meat and tomato sauce evenly over the noodles. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and cheese is golden.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!