Baked Cowboy Butter Spaghetti is made with pasta tossed in a creamy, garlicky cowboy butter topped with seasoned ground beef and marinara, plenty of cheese and baked until hot and bubbly.

From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito

If you love a good baked pasta but want something a little different from traditional baked spaghetti, this one is such a fun twist. I saw this recipe making its rounds on social media and I knew I just had to try it.

The spaghetti gets coated in a rich cowboy butter-inspired cream sauce made with butter, garlic, Dijon mustard and seasonings. Then it’s topped with a savory ground beef and marinara mixture and plenty of mozzarella and Parmesan before being baked until everything comes together. It’s creamy, cheesy, beefy and loaded with flavor. This is the kind of comfort-food dinner that feels familiar but still has something different going on.

Why You’ll Love It

Loaded with flavor: Garlic, butter, Dijon, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning give this baked spaghetti tons of flavor.
Super creamy: Heavy cream, Parmesan and mozzarella create a rich sauce that coats every strand of spaghetti.
The best of both worlds: You get creamy cowboy butter pasta AND classic beefy marinara baked together in one dish.
Great comfort food: This is a hearty, satisfying dinner that’s perfect for feeding the whole family.

Ingredients

You can find the full ingredients list along with measurements and insturctions on the recipe card below.

Spaghetti – Cook the pasta until al dente so it doesn’t become too soft while baking.
Ground beef – Adds a hearty, savory element to the marinara sauce.
Onion – Sautéed with the beef until soft for extra flavor.
Garlic – Fresh chopped garlic is used in both the beef mixture and cowboy butter sauce.
Salt and pepper – Used to season the beef mixture to taste.
Italian seasoning – Adds classic Italian flavor to the beef and marinara.
Worcestershire sauce – Just a little adds great savory depth to the ground beef.
Marinara sauce – Creates the tomato sauce portion of the dish. Use your favorite brand.
Butter – One full stick creates the rich base for the cowboy butter cream sauce.
Red pepper flakes – Adds a little heat. Adjust according to your preference.
Paprika – Adds warmth and flavor to the butter sauce.
Garlic powder – Boosts the garlicky flavor.
Onion powder – Adds another layer of savory seasoning.
Dijon mustard – One of the signature flavors in the cowboy butter-inspired sauce and gives it a subtle tang.
Heavy cream – Use room-temperature heavy cream for a smooth, rich sauce.
Parmesan cheese – Adds salty, nutty flavor and helps thicken the cream sauce.
Mozzarella cheese – Makes the pasta creamy and gives the top that delicious cheesy finish.

How to Make It

Heres how to make this delicious spaghetti dinner. You can find the full ingredients list along with instuctions on the recipe card below.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and diced onion over medium high heat until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Drain any excess grease from the skillet. Add chopped garlic and season the beef with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and the marinara sauce. Let the beef and marinara mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and set aside.

cooked ground beef in skillet with marinara sauce

In a large oven safe pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the red pepper flakes, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Dijon mustard and fresh chopped garlic. Stir everything together and let the garlic and seasonings cook in the butter for about 1–2 minutes. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Add half of the parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese and stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy.

melted seasoned butter with parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and heavy cream poured in

Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the cowboy butter cream sauce and toss until the pasta is completely coated. Spoon the ground beef and marinara mixture evenly over the top of the creamy spaghetti. Sprinkle additional Parmesan and mozzarella cheese over the top. Place it into the oven for 20 minutes. Let it rest for a few minutes, garnish with parsley (optional) and enjoy!

spaghetti mixed in cowboy butter topped with ground beef and tomato sauce and cheese then baked

Pro Tips

Cook the spaghetti al dente because it will continue cooking slightly in the oven.
Bring the heavy cream closer to room temperature before adding it to the butter to help the sauce come together smoothly.
Keep the heat around medium-low when making the cowboy butter sauce so the fresh garlic doesn’t burn.
Freshly grated Parmesan melts beautifully into the sauce, but pre-grated Parmesan will work in a pinch.
Adjust the red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you want the pasta.
Don’t skip the Worcestershire sauce. A small amount adds a lot of savory flavor to the beef.
Let the baked spaghetti rest for about 5 minutes before serving so the sauce has a chance to settle.

Variations

For a spicier version, increase the red pepper flakes or add a little cayenne pepper to the cowboy butter sauce.
Ground Italian sausage can be used instead of ground beef, or try a combination of sausage and beef.
You can also use penne, rigatoni or another short pasta instead of spaghetti.
For an extra cheesy version, add more mozzarella between the creamy pasta and beef layer before baking.
If you like a little freshness in your cowboy butter, chopped parsley can be stirred into the cream sauce or sprinkled over the finished pasta.

What to Serve With It

This Baked Cowboy Butter Spaghetti is super rich and hearty, so I love serving it with something simple on the side.

Garlic bread, cheesy breadsticks or warm Italian bread are perfect for scooping up all that extra creamy sauce. A simple Caesar salad, garden salad or roasted broccoli also works really well and helps balance out the richness of the pasta.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

To reheat, microwave individual portions until warmed through. Since creamy pasta sauces naturally thicken in the refrigerator, you can add a small splash of heavy cream or milk before reheating to loosen the sauce back up.

Larger portions can be covered with foil and reheated in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.

Other Easy Spaghetti Recipes

Growing up, I just loved when we would have spaghetti for dinner and I still do! I've rounded up all my Best Spaghetti Recipes so you can find them easily in one place. I highly recommend my Dirty Spaghetti Recipe. Its always a huge hit!

ALL MY BEST SPAGHETTI RECIPES