Spaghetti Casserole for Spaghetti Stella’s Birthday

Everything you love about spaghetti- rich sauce, gooey cheese, and delicious pasta – all baked together in a casserole! This comfort food dish will warm you right up, fill your tummy, and put a smile on your face!

Spaghetti Stella, our little foodie, loved this casserole and so will you!

Our “Prego” announcement and Stella’s 1st Birthday!  Little did we know how much our baby would love pasta 🙂

 then things got fun…

and very messy!

She’s pretty darn proud of herself!

My girl has a good appetite for sure!

Slurp!

Spaghetti Stella photos by Lisa Anne Photography.

Prego baby announcement photo by Megan Keys Photography.

 

Makes 9 servings

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Start by cooking spaghetti according to package directions. I use the pot size spaghetti or you can break the noodles in half. 
3. Drain and set aside.
4. In a large saute pan, add onions and a swirl of olive oil and cook over medium heat for about five minutes, until they start to soften and brown.
5. Add garlic and cook another minute.
6. Add ground pork and cook, crumbling with a spoon.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Once pork is no longer pink, drain any fat and add cubed cream cheese.
9. Mix until combined and melted.
10. Now stir in marinara sauce.
11. In a 9×13 pan, add a ladle or two of sauce on the bottom of the dish, spreading to cover. 
12. Now add half of the pasta, then half of the remaining sauce, then 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
13. Top with remaining pasta, the rest of the sauce, and the last 1 cup of cheese. 
14. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese has melted.
15. Serve hot with bread and a side salad {to be healthy, of course!}.

Start by cooking spaghetti according to package directions.
 I use the pot size spaghetti or you can break the noodles in half.

Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan, add onions and a swirl of olive oil and cook over medium heat.

 Cook for about five minutes, until they start to soften and brown.
Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add ground pork and cook, crumbling with a spoon.
Season with salt and pepper.

Once pork is no longer pink, drain any fat and add cubed cream cheese.
Mix until combined and melted then stir in marinara sauce.

In a 9×13 pan, add a ladle or two of sauce on the bottom of the dish, spreading to cover.

Now add half of the pasta..

then half of the remaining sauce…

then 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
You can use any cheese you like.
I was low on mozzarella so I used a mix of cheddar and sliced mozzarella.

Top with remaining pasta…

 the rest of the sauce, and the last 1 cup of cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

The cheese should be melted and the casserole hot and bubbly.

Top with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning and scoop onto plates.

This is definitely a messy but good family meal but it is worth it!

Me? Make a mess? No way!