Description
Baked cream cheese spaghetti delivers pure comfort straight from your kitchen, warming hearts with its creamy, cheesy embrace. Grab your favorite pasta pot and prepare for a delightful meal that turns simple ingredients into something spectacular.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 oz cream cheese
Cheese Blend:
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings and Extras:
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Crank your oven to a toasty 350F and grab a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Boil 8 oz of spaghetti in salted water for exactly 8-9 minutes until perfectly al dente, then drain thoroughly.
- Whip 8 oz cream cheese with ½ cup sour cream, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper until silky smooth.
- Fold the drained spaghetti into the cream cheese mixture, ensuring every strand gets coated evenly.
- Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce across the bottom of your baking dish to create a saucy foundation.
- Carefully transfer the creamy spaghetti mixture on top of the sauce, creating an even layer.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 cup marinara sauce over the pasta, covering it completely.
- Generously sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese across the top.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese transforms into a bubbly, golden blanket.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the dish to set and cool slightly.
Notes
- Always use room-temperature cream cheese for smoother blending and easier mixing with other ingredients.
- Drain spaghetti completely to prevent excess water from making the dish watery and diluting the creamy sauce.
- For a protein boost, stir in cooked ground beef, chicken, or Italian sausage before baking.
- Make this dish gluten-free by substituting regular spaghetti with gluten-free pasta and checking marinara sauce ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 625 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg