My easy and delicious cheesy spaghetti recipe is a meal my family requests on a regular basis. It can be made in under 30 minutes with just a few ingredients. You won’t believe how easy it is to put this dinner together.

 

Spaghetti night is always a favorite in my house. While we usually stick with the classic red sauce, sometimes I like to switch things up and add a little extra richness.

That’s when this creamy spaghetti recipe comes in handy. This recipe is smooth, comforting, and a great twist to make our spaghetti dinner a bit more special.

My secret ingredient is cream cheese. It adds just the right amount of creaminess to the sauce. The kids go crazy for this dinner and I hope your family will love it too.

A few of my other favorite simple pasta dishes include this green pasta sauce, baked Velveeta mac and cheese, and taco twist casserole.

Why I love this recipe

• So easy. Five ingredients and quick to make, this dinner is so simple.
• 30 minutes. I love a recipe that comes together quickly.
• Customizable. Switch up the meat or pasta. You can even throw in some vegetables.

Ingredients needed

• Spaghetti – Use spaghetti noodles or your favorite pasta shape.
• Italian sausage – You can use your favorite Italian sausage.
• Marinara sauce – I like using Rao’s marinara but feel free to use the one you prefer.
• Cream cheese – I recommend using full fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor.
• Garlic – A little garlic adds great flavor but can be left out.
• Optional – Grated parmesan cheese.

How to make creamy spaghetti

This easy pasta recipe can be prepared in just a few steps. Go to the recipe card for the full recipe and video.

1. Boil water in a large pot. Add in spaghetti and cook according to the package.
2. Cook sausage in a large skillet until browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess grease. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
3. Stir in the marinara sauce and the the softened cream cheese. Keep stirring until the cream cheese melts.

4. Once the pasta has cooked, drain off the water. Put the spaghetti in the sauce and toss to combine.
5. Optional, you can top the pasta with grated parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Variations

• Meat: You can substitute with ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, pepperoni, or just leave out the meat.
• Pasta: Try substituting with different pasta like fettuccini, angel hair pasta, linguini, rotini, mostaccioli, and others.
• Vegetables: You can add in vegetables like diced onion, diced bell pepper, mushrooms, or spinach.

Heather’s recipe tips

• I recommend softening the cream cheese and cutting it into smaller cubes. This helps it to melt into the sauce faster.
• Add some salt the pasta cooking water. This helps to season the spaghetti noodles.

Storage instructions

Store: If you have leftovers, let it cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will last 3-4 days.

Reheat: Reheat the pasta either in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.

What to serve with creamy spaghetti

I like serving this with garlic bread, breadsticks, a simple salad, cucumber salad, or roasted vegetables.

More easy pasta recipes

• Slumgullion – This American goulash is a classic recipe.
• Buffalo chicken pasta – Creamy, delicious buffalo chicken with pasta baked to perfection.
• Pasta side dishes – These simple pasta dishes make perfect sides.

Let me know if you make this spaghetti in the comments below.