Description

Million Dollar Spaghetti is a decadent baked pasta casserole featuring layers of tender spaghetti, rich meat sauce made with ground beef and Italian sausage, and creamy cheese blends including cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan. This comfort food classic is baked to bubbly perfection and served warm, making it perfect for family dinners or gatherings.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Pasta

16 ounces spaghetti noodles
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup marinara sauce (reserved)

Meat Sauce

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground Italian sausage or pork sausage
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
24 ounces marinara sauce (use all but 1/2 cup)

Cheese Layer

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

Toppings

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
Make Meat Sauce: In a large skillet, cook and crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain off most of the grease. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic; cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in all but ½ cup of the marinara sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook Spaghetti: Prepare the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain well, then immediately toss the hot noodles in a large bowl with butter and the reserved ½ cup marinara sauce to coat evenly.
Prepare Cheese Layer: In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese or ricotta. Mix thoroughly until smooth and uniform.
Assemble Casserole: Spread half of the sauced spaghetti evenly into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Carefully smooth the cheese mixture over the pasta layer. Top with the remaining spaghetti noodles followed by the meat sauce, spreading it evenly. Finish by sprinkling shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheeses over the top.
Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the dish is hot and bubbly. Check halfway through, and if the cheese begins to brown too quickly, tent the pan with foil to prevent burning.
Rest and Serve: Once baked, remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for at least 15 minutes to set. This helps the layers firm up for easier slicing and serving. Enjoy warm.

Notes

Reserve ½ cup of marinara sauce before adding the bulk to the meat mixture to coat the pasta later.
Letting the casserole rest after baking allows it to set and makes serving cleaner.
You can substitute ricotta cheese for cottage cheese in the cheese layer according to preference.
To prevent the cheese from browning too fast during baking, tent the dish with aluminum foil after 20 minutes if needed.
This recipe serves 15, making it ideal for large gatherings or meal prepping.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 1/15th of the casserole)
Calories: 380 kcal
Sugar: 5 g
Sodium: 480 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg