Cozy Creamy Southern Spaghetti Bake Casserole

Introduction

Looking for a comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner with irresistible Southern charm? This Cozy Creamy Southern Spaghetti Bake Casserole answers the call. It delivers classic spaghetti comfort, layered with rich cheese, a savory meat sauce, and a velvety creaminess that sets it apart. Perfect for busy weeknights or casual Sunday suppers, it’s a warm, bubbly meal that brings everyone together around the table.

Deliciously Unique Southern Spaghetti Bake Casserole

What makes this casserole so special is the combination of robust, tangy tomato-meat sauce with a decadent cream cheese layer, all blanketed in gooey melted cheddar. It’s Southern hospitality in a baking dish—a recipe known for its ability to satisfy picky eaters and impress potluck guests alike!

Building Layers of Creaminess

The secret is in the cheese mixture: softened cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese whip up into a luscious blend that infuses the casserole with unrivaled moisture and tang. This layer nestles between the spaghetti and zesty meat sauce, ensuring each bite is as creamy as it is flavorful.

Assembling Your Southern Spaghetti Bake

Spread cooked spaghetti evenly in a baking dish, smother it with the cheese mixture, and top with homemade or jarred meat sauce. A blanket of sharp cheddar tops it all. Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly—the aroma alone will have everyone rushing to the dinner table!

Serving Suggestions for a Show-Stopping Spaghetti Bake

Garnish with fresh parsley or sliced green onions for color and freshness. Serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad to balance the richness. This casserole also makes excellent leftovers—simply reheat for another cozy dinner or pack into lunchboxes.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields about 8 hearty servings, with each portion averaging 475–500 calories, depending on meat and cheese choices. It’s indulgent and filling, so a little goes a long way!

Cozy Creamy Southern Spaghetti Bake Casserole (Recap)

Perfectly baked, irresistibly creamy, and packed with flavor, this Southern Spaghetti Bake Casserole is the ultimate comfort food. It’s easy to prepare ahead and is always a hit at parties, potlucks, or as a family meal staple.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for efficient grocery trips and meal planning.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, brown ground beef or sausage over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Drain excess fat, then stir in spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 5–10 minutes; add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
6. Layer half the spaghetti in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with all of the cheese mixture and spread evenly. Add the remaining spaghetti in a layer over the cheese.
7. Pour meat sauce over the top layer of spaghetti. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese in an even layer.
8. Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool slightly before garnishing with parsley or green onions. Serve warm.

Weekly Meal Planning

This recipe fits beautifully into a weekly meal plan—it feeds a crowd and makes delicious leftovers. Save and schedule this recipe to plan which night you’ll bake it, then generate smart shopping lists that consolidate ingredients from all your upcoming meals.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically calculates total ingredient quantities across multiple recipes
• Organizes shopping lists by grocery store sections
• Prevents duplicate purchases and forgotten items
• Makes weekly meal prep more efficient and organized

Pro tip: When meal prepping several dinners, schedule your recipes and let CookifyAI do the ingredient math. If this casserole and another dish use onions or cheese, your shopping list will tell you exactly how much to buy—no guesswork, no wasted food!

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Enjoy this Cozy Creamy Southern Spaghetti Bake Casserole—a timeless classic made simple and sensational!