Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Recipe Yield: 8 servings
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara or spaghetti sauce
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned and cooked through, breaking it up into small pieces. Drain any excess fat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the marinara or spaghetti sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Mix Cheese Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, sour cream, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Layer the Casserole:
- Spread half of the cooked spaghetti in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti layer.
- Add the remaining spaghetti on top of the cheese mixture.
- Pour the meat sauce over the top layer of spaghetti, spreading it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the meat sauce layer.
- Dot the top with small pieces of butter.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the casserole is heated through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Enjoy this rich and comforting Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole!