Description
Spaghetti lovers discover a Mediterranean Magic Spaghetti Bake blending rich cheese, herbs, and savory proteins. Layers of comfort promise a delicious meal you’ll want to savor with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (453 g) lean ground beef
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (50 g) parmesan cheese, grated
- 26 oz (737 g) prepared spaghetti sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with rack centered. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent adherence.
- Meat Foundation: In a skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat, fragmenting into fine pieces until no pink remains. Drain excess fat, then blend with spaghetti sauce, simmering briefly to harmonize flavors.
- Pasta Transformation: Boil spaghetti until al dente, then return to pot. Incorporate cream cheese, garlic, and Italian seasoning, stirring until pasta becomes luxuriously coated and cream cheese melts completely.
- Layering Technique: Create a thin sauce base in the baking dish. Nestle cream-infused spaghetti atop the sauce, then cascade remaining meat sauce over the pasta, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
- Cheese Finale: Liberally shower parmesan across the surface for a decadent topping. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until edges bubble vigorously and cheese transforms into a golden, appetizing crust.
- Serving: Extract from oven and pause 5 minutes, allowing the dish to settle and flavors to integrate before presenting this sumptuous culinary creation.
Notes
- Prep Like a Pro: Drain ground beef thoroughly to prevent excess grease making the dish soggy and ensure a crisp, clean flavor profile.
- Cheese Melting Magic: Let cream cheese soften at room temperature before mixing to achieve smooth, silky sauce without lumps.
- Pasta Perfect Technique: Cook spaghetti just until al dente to prevent mushiness during baking, maintaining ideal texture and bite.
- Resting is Crucial: Allow the baked dish to sit for 5 minutes after removing from oven, enabling flavors to settle and making serving easier without falling apart.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg