Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients:
8 ounces spaghetti
1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage)
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce (your favorite brand)
1/2 cup water
4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Cook the spaghetti:
Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the meat sauce:
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any excess fat.
Add the marinara sauce and water to the cooked meat, stirring well. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Make the cream cheese mixture:
In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Combine the spaghetti with the cream cheese mixture:
In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked spaghetti with the cream cheese mixture until the noodles are evenly coated.
Layer the spaghetti and sauce:
Spread half of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Top with the cream cheese-coated spaghetti.
Add the remaining meat sauce on top, spreading it evenly over the spaghetti.
Add mozzarella and bake:
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Garnish and serve:
Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving