Winner’s Spaghetti Casserole

Winner’s Spaghetti Casserole

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Servings: 8-10

    • About This Recipe

    “This fast, easy recipe is a real family pleaser! I have used this recipe for many years as my good old stand-by for potlucks and tailgate parties. I have also baked this recipe in two smaller pans, keeping one for my family and bringing the other over to a new mother or neighbor as a welcome gift. This is my version of one I found in acommunity cookbook called “Enough to Feed an Army.” (NOTE: Updated the amount of the spaghetti, I also now use a smaller box of pasta in this, even though the original called for a 1 pound box)”

    Ingredients

  • 1 (10 -16ounce) packages thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
  • 1 (28ounce) jars prepared spaghetti sauce
  • 1lblean ground beef
  • 1smallonion, chopped
  • 1smallgreen bell pepper, seeded, chopped
  • 8ounces cream cheese or 8ouncesneufchatel cheese
  • 1tablespoon butter or 1tablespoonmargarine
  • parmesan cheese, grated

    • Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
  • Place cooked spaghetti in a deep 1.5 quart oval baking dish or a glass 9×13″ casserole.
  • In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through;drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce.
  • Heat over low heat, covered, until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
  • Add onions and peppers to the butter and saute until just lightly browned.
  • Cut up cream cheese into small chunks and add to the onion mixture; stir until melted and well combined.
  • Pour half of the meat sauce over the cooked spaghetti.
  • Pour all of the cream cheese sauce over the first layer of meat sauce, using a spatula to spread evenly.
  • Pour remaining meat sauce over the cream cheese layer, again using a spatula to spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top to taste.
  • Cover with foil and bake for about 25 minutes or warm and bubbly.
  • Remove cover and bake 5 minutes more.
  • This can be prepared ahead, refrigerated, and not baked until the following day, if desired (if you do, allow extra baking time).

    • Reviews

  • “I have made this dish twice now, and both times it has been a success. To save time, I didn’t cut up the cream cheese, and that worked out fine. My family loved it. I really enjoyed it also. I am not a spaghetti fan, but this was a dish my family and I could agree on.”

  • “This is a simple tasty recipe that is similiar to traditional spaghetti.The flavor was unique in that the creamy layer had the onion/green pepper (I also added two cloves of garlic) flavor rather than the meat sauce.I did find it a bit of a stretch to spread the meat sauce into two separate layers in a 9×13-inch pan, and would consider using more ground beef and spaghetti sauce the next time around.I recently made a similiar casserole in which the spaghetti noodles were mixed with egg and parmesan cheese to bind them together.My husband started to compare the two, but after a bit of thought, he decided that the other was more like lasagna and this like spaghetti so he took back his comment about using something to bind the spaghetti noodles together.Thanks for the recipe it is a keeper in my house! :)”

  • “This is similar to a spaghetti casserole that I make, I added some mushrooms to the sauce mixture and a little garlic.Served it with garlic bread and we all enjoyed, thanks for posting!”

  • “Nice change from the regular spaghetti.I cut it into 12 pieces and still had leftovers.But no one left the table hungry, very filling!I wonder if you could mix 1 egg and some milk to add to the spaghetti before putting it into the pan?That way after it was baked it would help hold the spaghetti together when you tried to take it out of the pan.”

  • “My husband and I tried this at a potluck and I begged the lady for the recipe!!!”

  • “Thanks for all your kind words about this recipe.I would like to clarify something that seems to be a consistent comment from the reviewers so far.There are many spaghetti pie/lasagna recipes, which may have perhaps led you to anticipate that this recipe would also be something that you would cut and serve.This is different – it is a baked pasta casserole, similar to baked ziti, only using spaghetti and of course a different sauce.It is actually not supposed to hold together into a square – you would serve this using a spoon.All of your suggestions do sound tasty as well, but I wanted any one else who wishes to try this to realize that it is meant to be a casserole. You may also use a large deep oval casserole to bake this in with no alteration in cooking time.”

  • “My kids didn’t like this…and my husband said it would taste better if it didn’t have the cream cheese layer which would make it just regular spaghetti…so he’s no help..I liked it but I won’t make it since they don’t…thanks anyway..^-^”

  • “excellent flavor.DH really liked this, and he is not a casserole lover.I used red pepper instead of green (personal preference).It is a bit messy to serve, so I think next time I will add raw egg and maybe some parmesean to the needles just to make it a little easier.”

  • “HeatherFeather,Yum,I have never made spaghetti with cream cheese before, but I certainly will again,This was a delicious recipe,and VERY easy.I left out the bell pepper,but otherwise went exactly by your recipe.Great recipe,Thanks,Darlene Summers”

  • “The whole family loved it!”

  • “Wonderful kid-friendly meal. Assembled ahead of time using 10 oz spaghetti and baked at dinnertime. Perfect for a busy weeknight. Thanks for sharing the recipe!”

  • “I have made this many times but never reviewed. I have to say this is one of our favourite dishes, it is so easy to put together and if there is leftovers they are wonderful. I do add a little more spaghetti sauce, we like things with lots of sauce!”

  • “I wanted a change from spaghetti and this intrigued me.I thought it was quite nice and filling.It made a ton, too!Next time I think I will make 2 smaller batches and freeze one.To compliment this I made the Easy Cheesy Cheddar Garlic Biscuits (recipe #42851).Great dinner!”

  • “Very tasty but next time I will follow Karen in Kansas’ suggestion and layer everything twice, including the spaghetti.”

  • “Excellent spaghetti casserole. We were getting tired of plain old stove top spaghetti with sauce and so I tried this recipe with my homemade sauce. Thecream cheese was a tasty addition. My 2 teenage sons and husband loved it. Thanks.”

  • “Delicious!Made it with fettucine, as that’s all I had, and think it would be better with the thin spaghetti or even angel hair.The flavors, though, are fantastic!!”

  • “Completely delicious!A real hit with my family.We’ll be making it again ~ thank you!!!”

  • “HeatherFeather, you have done it again.Just made this tonight.It is easy, tasty, and so fragrant!I followed it exactly but added veggie beef crumbles.This recipe rocks!Thanks mucho!”

  • “This is very tasty and even better the second day (I think).Loved the addition of cream cheese.”

  • “Delicious!!! I added a can of mushrooms to the meat sauce mixture, and used 1/2 of a bag of frozen red, green, and yellow peppers and onions and sauteed them with the cream cheese. Also spread 3/4 cup of shredded Asiago cheese over the top during last 10 minutes of baking, and served with 5 cheese garlic toast! Total comfort food for a -23 degree day in Illinois!! Thanks, HeatherFeather, this recipe is truly a “Winner” and a keeper!!!”

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