Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole
It was quick and delicious I saw a version of this on Pinterest It looked so good that I had to add it to the menu ASAP
It was quick and delicious I saw a version of this on Pinterest It looked so good that I had to add it to the menu ASAP
- Carbohydrate 45.0418035845411 g
- Cholesterol 90.377178782336 mg
- Fat 18.3231609609661 g
- Fiber 1.98145283400117 g
- Protein 26.7820373214409 g
- Saturated Fat 9.5523052412026 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (178g)
- Sodium 225.829729047255 mg
- Sugar 43.0603507505399 g
- Trans Fat 2.44053996745075 g
- Calories 458 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through; drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce. Set aside.
- Cook spaghetti according to directions on packet. Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl. Add cream cheese, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic. Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated.
- Lightly grease a 9x13" pan. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish. Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.
Swapping ground turkey for the ground beef changes the fat profile significantly, leading to a drier finished casserole because lean poultry lacks the rendering capacity of beef. Achieving the right textural contrast in baked pasta requires careful management of starches and moisture. Without specific technical adjustments, noodles turn mushy and dairy breaks into an oily film inside a crowded oven.
- Coat the drained spaghetti with cream cheese while the pasta remains piping hot. Residual heat melts the dairy smoothly without requiring extra equipment or double boilers.
- Drain the browned ground beef thoroughly in a colander before combining it with the jarred sauce. Excess grease pools on the surface during baking and prevents the parmesan from forming a proper crust.
- Bake the assembled dish uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Covering the pan traps steam and destroys the surface texture needed for a bubbly finish.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese instead of pre-shredded varieties. Anti-caking agents in pre-bagged cheese prevent proper melting and create a grainy texture on top.
Proper fat content in the meat and adequate draining of the sauce ingredients prevent a watery separation during the baking window. Controlling these elements ensures the pasta retains its distinct bite beneath the melted dairy layer.
