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    Home » Recipes » Casseroles

    Rod's Spaghetti Casserole

    Published on April 4, 2017 - Updated on June 30, 2022 by Chef Rodney - 1 Comment - This post may contain affiliate links.

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    spaghetti casserole
    This Spaghetti Casserole is a delicious variation on an Italian classic pasta dish. I just love this delicious pasta casserole.
    Spaghetti Casserole

    Rod's Spaghetti Casserole is a delicious recipe I slapped together one night. It reminds me of when I was a kid eating Mom's homemade spaghetti. This recipe is very easy to make and your whole family will love it!

    Spaghetti Casserole
    Ground Beef Mixture

    💭 What is Al Dente

    When making most pasta dishes, it's important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term "al dente", it means cooking the pasta so it's still chewy and firm and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.

    Spaghetti Casserole
    Cream Cheese Mixture on Cooked Spaghetti

    🐄 How to Handle Raw Beef

    Thaw raw ground beef on a plate on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator, to avoid dripping onto other foods.
    Keep raw and ready-to-eat meats separate.
    Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw ground beef. Wash cutting boards, bowls, and utensils used to prepare raw ground beef with hot soapy water and rinse well.
    Use separate plates to carry raw ground beef patties to the cooking area and cooked patties to the serving area.
    Use a Thermometer to ensure Ground Beef Reaches the Safely Cooked Internal Temperature of 160°F.

    Spaghetti Casserole
    Casserole Ready for the Oven

    There's just something about a baked pasta dish like this one that I just love. Is it the melted cheese? The way the pasta sauce evenly coats all the noodles? Doesn't matter.

    Spaghetti Casserole
    Fresh out of the Oven

    💭 Recipe Tip

    If cottage cheese is not your thing, you can substitute it with a little more cream cheese and/or sour cream. Ricotta Cheese would work as well. Or you can use nothing at all.

    Spaghetti Casserole

    Additionally, if you don't have any mozzarella cheese on hand you can substitute for Monterey Jack or Provolone. Just make sure you pick a cheese that melts well.

    Spaghetti Casserole

    While you can pretty much use any brand of cream cheese, I highly recommend you use Philadelphia brand cream cheese. You will taste the difference.

    philadelphia cream cheese
    Spaghetti Casserole

    For more great recipes like this one, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • Instant Pot Spaghetti
    • Baked Chicken Zucchini Spaghetti Casserole
    • Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
    • Spaghetti Squash with Peppers and Beans
    • Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

    📋 What Ingredients do I need

    You will need the following ingredients to make this Spaghetti Casserole recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Ground Beef, Pasta Sauce, Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese, Unsalted Butter, Spaghetti, Yellow Onion and Mozzarella Cheese.

    🥣 How to Make Rod's Spaghetti Casserole

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese and mix thoroughly. I find it easier to soften the cream cheese first. Set aside.
    Cook the spaghetti "al dente" according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
    Add a small amount of olive oil to a skillet and saute the diced onions for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook until the beef is browned. Drain fat and return meat to skillet.
    Add the spaghetti sauce to the beef mixture. Mix thoroughly and remove from heat.
    Put a few slices of butter in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Then layer half of the noodles in the bottom of the dish.
    Spread the cheese mixture over this layer of noodles. Add the rest of the noodles on top of the cheese layer along with a few tablespoons of butter.
    Pour the meat mixture on top of the noodles and spread evenly ensuring all the noodles are covered.
    Bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and spread the shredded cheese on top of the meat mixture. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

    Spaghetti Casserole

    Rod's Spaghetti Casserole

    This Spaghetti Casserole is a delicious variation on an Italian classic pasta dish. I just love this delicious pasta casserole.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 632 kcal

    Equipment

    • Skillet
    • Saucepan

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 lb Ground Beef
    • 28 oz Pasta Sauce
    • 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
    • ¼ Cup Sour Cream
    • 8 oz Cottage Cheese
    • ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
    • 16 oz Spaghetti
    • 1 Yellow Onion, Diced
    • 4 Cups Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese and mix thoroughly. I find it easier to soften the cream cheese first. Set aside.
    • Cook the spaghetti "al dente" according to instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
    • Add a small amount of olive oil to a skillet and saute the diced onions for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook until the beef is browned. Drain fat and return meat to skillet.
    • Add the spaghetti sauce to the beef mixture. Mix thoroughly and remove from heat.
    • Put a few slices of butter in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Then layer half of the noodles in the bottom of the dish.
    • Spread the cheese mixture over this layer of noodles. Add the rest of the noodles on top of the cheese layer along with a few tablespoons of butter.
    • Pour the meat mixture on top of the noodles and spread evenly ensuring all the noodles are covered.
    • Bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and spread the shredded cheese on top of the meat mixture. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 632kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 28gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 971mgPotassium: 598mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1300IUVitamin C: 6.4mgCalcium: 307mgIron: 2.6mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    Reader Interactions

    1 Comment

    1. Nathalie

      April 12, 2022 at 2:01 pm

      What a superb recipe. Made this recipe a few days ago and had leftovers and served it the next day. It was a great hit with my family. Congrats to the chef for posting this recipe.

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Rodney and welcome to my blog. I am a foodie and self-taught cook. After years of experimenting in the kitchen, I decided to share some of my favorite recipes with you. Read More →

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