Spaghetti with Alfredo

Spaghetti with Alfredo features rich, savory meat sauce and tender noodles that’s cloaked in creamy homemade Alfredo and topped with melted Mozzarella, baked until golden and bubbly. This isn’t just spaghetti – it’s the ultimate, comforting pasta bake that delivers deep flavor and cheesy satisfaction within 30 minutes of making!

The real magic lies in the homemade Alfredo sauce, a simple blend of heavy whipping cream, butter, and Parmesan that creates a far more luxurious texture and rich flavor than any jar could. Its savory depth is enhanced with a hint of steak seasoning, a strategic choice that perfectly bridges the creamy sauce to the hearty ground beef.

What is spaghetti with Alfredo?

Spaghetti with Alfredo is a baked pasta casserole that consists of three key components: a savory ground beef sauce, al dente spaghetti tossed in a creamy homemade Alfredo sauce, and a topping of shredded Mozzarella.

The Alfredo, made with cream, butter, Parmesan, and a touch of steak seasoning, provides a creamy, luxurious coating for the tender noodles that complements the heartier meat sauce. 

Once assembled, it’s baked just until the cheese melts and bubbles, creating an ultra comforting meal with contrasting yet harmonious flavors and textures with every forkful.

Ingredients needed to make spaghetti with Alfredo

• Pasta: This recipe is made with spaghetti pasta which is cooked separately, according to the package directions. Feel free to also experiment with fettuccine, rigatoni (great for holding sauce), or penne. 
• Ground beef: Provides savory, meaty flavor and texture. You could use lean ground beef, ground turkey or chicken instead for a lighter version.  
• Aromatics: Onion and garlic are typical aromatics in most Italian dishes as the flavor foundation. Minced garlic is added to the ground beef while pressed garlic is used to make the alfredo sauce. 
• Salt and pepper: This simple seasoning is all that’s needed to enhance the flavors of this spaghetti with Alfredo sauce. 
• Red pasta sauce: We love to purchase a good quality pasta sauce, such as Delallo, but feel free to use your preferred brand. This is added to the browned, crumbled ground beef for extra depth of flavor and moisture. Use your favorite marinara sauce!
• Butter: Use unsalted butter in the Alfredo sauce if you want to keep the overall level of salt under control in this dish. 
• Heavy whipping cream: The key ingredient for making a luxurious and flavorful white Alfredo sauce. 
• Montreal steak seasoning: This choice of seasoning adds a smoky, savory flavor profile to the Alfredo sauce that perfectly complements the ground beef. 
• Parmesan cheese: Finely grated from a block for the best flavor and so that it melts effortlessly into the Alfredo sauce. 
• Mozzarella cheese: Freshly shredded and sprinkled over the assembled dish just before baking to create an irresistible cheesy top crust. 
• Fresh parsley: Minced and lightly sprinkled over the baked spaghetti with Alfredo. 

How do you make this spaghetti with Alfredo? 

Make the meat sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or a meat smasher tool.  
3. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Add in the onion and garlic and cook for another few minutes or until the onion is soft and fragrant.
5. Pour in the red pasta sauce and stir to combine, allowing the meat sauce to simmer over low heat.

Cook the pasta

1. Cook the pasta while the meat is cooking in the steps above. 
2. Add the pasta to a salted pot of boiling water and cook according to package directions, until al dente. 
3. Drain the pasta and set it aside in a large bowl.

Make the Alfredo sauce

1. Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan together with the pressed garlic.
2. Add the heavy cream to the melted butter and stir to combine. 
3. Season the Alfredo sauce with the Montreal Steak Seasoning. 
4. Add in the Parmesan cheese while still stirring, continuing to do so until the sauce is slightly thickened. 
5. Season the Alfredo sauce with salt and pepper as needed.

Assemble and bake

1. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the spaghetti noodles in the large bowl and toss to combine. 
2. Add the Alfredo-coated spaghetti noodles to the baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
3. Next, add the meaty pasta sauce followed by the shredded Mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake the assembled pasta dish for about 20 minutes uncovered or until golden brown on top!

Garnish and serve

1. Remove the bake from the oven and sprinkle with finely minced fresh parsley.
2. Serve and enjoy!

Serving

This spaghetti with Alfredo is a comforting and satisfying meal as it is – loaded with savory ground meat sauce, tender noodles, a creamy Alfredo sauce, and cheesy topping. For a lighter contrast, pair it with this refreshing and simple Tomato Cucumber Herb Salad or Caesar Salad Dressing without Mayo.

I love rounding off the meal with a slice of crispy garlic bread or Quick Dinner Rolls – perfect for soaking up any leftover sauce!

Still have some room for something sweet? Try this light Lemon Cheesecake Mousse or a fruit salad with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They’re easy options that won’t weigh you down after such a hearty pasta bake!

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If there’s enough left in the baking dish, simply cover it with plastic wrap. 
• Freezing: Freeze this pasta bake (once completely cooled) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven, covered with foil, to restore that freshly baked texture.
• Make-ahead: You can prep this whole dish and pop it into the fridge for 1-2 days until you’re ready to bake it. You may need to add some extra baking time if the Alfredo with spaghetti is fridge cold.
• Double the recipe: Make two spaghetti pasta bakes by doubling up on the ingredients and store one (unbaked) in the freezer as a convenient make-ahead meal for those busy days! 
• Drain excess grease: Drain any excess grease from the browned ground beef that you notice in the skillet before combining it with the rest of the ingredients otherwise you can end up with an overly oily pasta bake.
• Use freshly shredded cheese: Avoid pre-shredded cheese as this is often coated in anti-caking agents for a longer shelf-life. This prevents the cheese from melting as well and also dulls the flavor.
• Don’t overcook the pasta: I like to cook the spaghetti for this recipe until al dente, shaving about 2 minutes off the recommended package directions as the noodles will continue to cook when coated in the Alfredo sauce and baked in the oven. 

Variations:

• Spaghetti Alfredo with sausage: Swap the ground beef for mild or hot Italian sausage (casings removed) for a more robust, fennel-spiced flavor.
• Chicken and spinach spaghetti with Alfredo: Use shredded rotisserie chicken or sautéed chicken breasts and stir a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach into the Alfredo-coated noodles before assembling to bake. 
• Gluten-free spaghetti with Alfredo: Use certified gluten-free spaghetti noodles when making this dish. The rest of the ingredients are already gluten-free, although it’s always good to check store-bought seasonings.  
• Spicy kick: Add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the ground beef while browning for a lovely kick of heat.  
• Stuffed shells with Alfredo: Use the meat sauce as a filling for jumbo pasta shells. Top with the Alfredo sauce and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese before baking.
• Crunchy Ritz topping: A sprinkle of Ritz crackers over the top of the assembled spaghetti Alfredo is great for a golden brown finish and for a slight crunch. You could also use seasoned breadcrumbs. 

If you love this comforting spaghetti with Alfredo, you’ll also want to add Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole and Italian Sausage Bake to your dinner menu rotations!

More Alfredo-inspired meals you may want to try:

• Seafood Alfredo
• Alfredo Tortellini Chicken
• Butternut Squash Alfredo
• Paprika Chicken Alfredo Bake
• Sausage Gnocchi with Tomato Alfredo Sauce Recipe

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Spaghetti with Alfredo

Sandy Coughlin

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food: a baked spaghetti Alfredo casserole with savory meat sauce, luxuriously creamy homemade Alfredo, and a golden, bubbly Mozzarella topping. Easy to make and impossible to resist!

Spicy kick: Add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the ground beef while browning for a lovely kick of heat.

Crunchy Ritz topping: A sprinkle of Ritz crackers over the top of the assembled spaghetti Alfredo is great for a golden brown finish and for a slight crunch. You could also use seasoned breadcrumbs. 

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Yield: 12

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 1 lb spaghetti, pasta
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 24 oz jar red pasta sauce, use a good quality, like Delallo
• ½ cup butter
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• Fresh parsley, for garnish, minced

Equipment

• 9×13 baking dish

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or a meat smasher tool.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add in the onion and garlic and cook for another few minutes or until the onion is soft and fragrant.
• Pour in the pasta sauce and stir to combine, allowing the meat sauce to simmer over low heat.
• Cook the pasta while the meat is cooking in the steps above.
• Add the pasta to a salted pot of boiling water and cook according to package directions, until al dente.
• Drain the pasta and set it aside in a large bowl.

Make the alfredo sauce:

• Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan together with the pressed garlic.
• Add the heavy cream to the melted butter and stir to combine.
• Season the Alfredo sauce with the Montreal Steak Seasoning.
• Add in the Parmesan cheese while still stirring, continuing to do so until the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Season the Alfredo sauce with salt and pepper as needed.

Assemble the dish:

• Pour the Alfredo sauce over the spaghetti noodles in the large bowl and toss to combine.
• Add the Alfredo-coated spaghetti noodles to the baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
• Next, add the meaty pasta sauce followed by the shredded Mozzarella cheese.
• Bake the assembled pasta dish for about 20 minutes uncovered or until golden brown on top!
• Remove the bake from the oven and sprinkle with finely minced fresh parsley.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If there’s enough left in the baking dish, simply cover it with plastic wrap. 
• Freezing: Freeze this pasta bake (once completely cooled) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven, covered with foil, to restore that freshly baked texture.
• Make-ahead: You can prep this whole dish and pop it into the fridge for 1-2 days until you’re ready to bake it. You may need to add some extra baking time if the Alfredo with spaghetti is fridge cold.
• Cook Pasta Al Dente: I like to cook the spaghetti for this recipe until al dente, shaving about 2 minutes off the recommended package directions as the noodles will continue to cook when coated in the Alfredo sauce and baked in the oven. 

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Calories: 569kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 118mg, Sodium: 484mg, Potassium: 283mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1085IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 343mg, Iron: 2mg

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