Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Baked spaghetti casserole on a navy blue plate with basil garnish.

This layered baked spaghetti is loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, a creamy cottage cheese and sour cream filling, and a melty mozzarella topping for a rich and cheesy casserole everyone will love!

3.7 from 19 votes

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Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 5

Servings:

Calories: 561kcal

Ingredients

16 oz. spaghetti
1 lb. ground beef
½ lb. Italian sausage
1 teaspoon minced garlic
36 oz. jarred spaghetti sauce (about 1 ½ jars)
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon oregano
1 cup cottage cheese (small curd)
½ cup sour cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
Pinch Salt and pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add 1 Tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain, then toss lightly with oil to keep the noodles from sticking.
Meanwhile, add the ground beef and Italian sausage to a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Cook the meats, breaking up any large chunks, until no pink remains. Drain all but about a Tablespoon of fat from the pan.
Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Stir in the spaghetti sauce, parsley, basil, and oregano. Add the cooked noodles and stir until well coated. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, mix together the cottage cheese, sour cream, and Parmesan cheese. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Spread ½ of the spaghetti mixture on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Layer with all of the cottage cheese mixture. Spread the remaining spaghetti on top, then sprinkle with cheese.
Bake the casserole for 45 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly, and cheese is melty and starting to brown. Serve.

Notes

To make this gluten free, simply substitute gluten free spaghetti for traditional. Check labels on the spaghetti sauce to ensure it's gluten free as well.

To make ahead of time, prepare the casserole as written, allow the sauce to cool, then layer everything in the pan. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove the dish from the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake as written.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword cheesy, cottage cheese, ground beef, italian sausage, sour cream

Nutrition