Million Dollar Spaghetti

2023-07-28
Million Dollar Spaghetti
Cook Time:
8 mins
Hands On Time:
20 mins
Bake Time:
40 mins
Stand Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 18 mins
Servings:
12

If a bowl of cheesy pasta is your idea of the perfect dinner, this is the recipe for you. Take everything you love about twirling up forkfuls of spaghetti and layer it with a rich meat sauce and plenty of cheese. The result is a rich, gooey spaghetti casserole that looks (and tastes!) like lasagna but is so much easier to make.

Thanks to shortcuts, like bottled marinara sauce, you can have the whole thing in the oven with just 20 minutes of prep time. Serve million dollar spaghetti warm from the oven with homemade garlic bread and a fresh green salad, and you're sure to feel like a million bucks. This is the casserole your dinner rotation has been missing.

What Is Million Dollar Spaghetti?

Million dollar spaghetti is a pasta casserole made with layers of spaghetti, a meaty tomato sauce, and a creamy cottage cheese mixture. Think of it like lasagna but with spaghetti noodles instead of pasta sheets. The final dish is cheesy and rich, and worthy of its name.

Ingredients for Million Dollar Spaghetti

As expensive as this dish sounds, a few key pantry staples and inexpensive ingredients make million dollar spaghetti one of our favorite cheap dinner ideas. Chances are you may have just about everything you need on hand already. To make this dish, you'll need:

  • Meat: Our Test Kitchen used a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage. You can vary the heat depending on the Italian sausage used. We liked the spice level using hot Italian sausage. You can also use all ground beef or all sausage if you prefer.
  • Sauce: Choose your favorite marinara sauce—any brand will work!
  • Noodles: Spaghetti noodles give this casserole recipe its signature texture but you can swap in angel hair, linguine, or any other long thin noodles you have on hand. Simply cook the pasta to al dente and continue with the recipe as written.
  • Cheese: If you'd prefer you can substitute ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese in this recipe. We also added cream cheese for a rich, creamy texture, sour cream for tanginess, shredded mozzarella for a classic melty, cheesy topping, and Parmesan for a nutty, umami-rich flavor.
  • Seasonings: We amped up the flavor of the spaghetti with onion and garlic for a savory depth, Italian seasoning for an earthy, aromatic flavor, and fresh parsley for a bright addition.

Can I Make Million Dollar Spaghetti Ahead?

Million dollar spaghetti can be made in advance to get ahead of a busy week. To make it ahead, assemble the dish as directed through Step 7. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.

When ready to serve, let the casserole stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as directed, adding a few minutes to the baking time if needed, and tenting the dish with foil to prevent excess browning.

Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 1 lb. dried spaghetti

  • 2 (24-oz.) jars spaghetti sauce

  • 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

  • 8 oz. lean ground beef

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

  • 8 oz. cottage cheese

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

  • Chopped fresh parsley

  • Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Make Spaghetti

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 3-qt. baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Add 1 jar spaghetti sauce and stir to combine; set aside.

  2. Brown Ground Beef

    In an extra-large skillet cook sausage, ground beef, and onion over medium until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Drain fat.

  3. Make Sauce

    Stir in garlic and 1 tsp. of the Italian seasoning; cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 jar spaghetti sauce.

  4. Make Cheese Mixture

    In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, and remaining 1 tsp. Italian seasoning; set aside.

  5. Assemble

    Add half of the spaghetti mixture to the prepared dish and top with the cottage cheese mixture.

  6. Layer on Sauce

    Top with the remaining spaghetti mixture. Spoon meat sauce mixture over the top and spread to an even layer.

  7. Add Cheese

    Top with remaining 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese.

  8. Bake and Serve

    Bake until heated through and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe Variations

To change up this pasta casserole, consider these variations:

  • Pasta: While we love this dish with spaghetti, there's no rule about what pasta shape to use. If you have a different type on hand that your family loves, feel free to sub it in.
  • Protein: Swap the ground beef or sausage with ground turkey or other ground meats as desired. You can also skip the meat, if needed, and opt to bulk up the dish with veggies instead.
  • Veggies: Give the casserole a nutrient-rich boost with sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, kale, broccoli florets, or other favorite vegetables.
  • Cottage cheese: While cottage cheese is an easy item to grab from the fridge, you can also use ricotta in its place.
  • Herbs: Complement the Italian seasoning with fresh basil.
  • Heat: Add a touch of heat with red pepper flakes, or choose a spicy sausage variety.

Can I Freeze Million Dollar Spaghetti?

Whether baked or unbaked, this casserole can be frozen in advance, or as a way to store leftovers. To freeze the unbaked dish, assemble as directed through Step 7. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats, and bake as directed.

You can also freeze the baked lasagna, whether whole or in slices. for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, bring to room temperature, and reheat, covered with foil, in a preheated 350°F oven until hot throughout. You can also heat small portions in the microwave.

How To Store and Reheat Leftover Million Dollar Spaghetti

To store leftovers of this casserole, wrap and refrigerate for up to four days, or freeze for up to two months, ideally wrapped in individual portions for quick thawing.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Heat, covered with foil, in a preheated 350°F oven until hot throughout. You can also reheat small portions in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What's the difference between baked spaghetti and lasagna?

    These two dishes may be somewhat similar in makeup, but there are distinct differences. While this spaghetti casserole is layered, similar to a lasagna, the spaghetti noodles and informal assembly make it much easier and quicker to prepare.

  • Why is it called "Million Dollar Spaghetti"?

    This pasta dish is so good, it tastes like a million bucks! (Hence the name.)

  • Can I make million dollar spaghetti without meat?

    To make this dish vegetarian, skip the meat entirely, or substitute with mushrooms or other vegetables as desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

467 Calories
28g Fat
29g Carbs
25g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 466.7
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 27.6g 35%
Saturated Fat 12.2g 61%
Cholesterol 80.4mg 27%
Sodium 1160.3mg 50%
Total Carbohydrate 28.7g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3.2g 12%
Total Sugars 10.3g
Protein 25.3g 51%
Vitamin D 0.5mcg 2%
Vitamin C 4.3mg 5%
Calcium 253mg 19%
Iron 2.8mg 16%
Potassium 769.1mg 16%
Fatty acids, total trans 0.3g
Vitamin D 19.5IU
Alanine 1.1g
Arginine 1.3g
Ash 4.9g
Aspartic acid 1.9g
Caffeine 0mg
Carotene, alpha 0.2mcg
Choline, total 81.3mg
Copper, Cu 0.2mg
Cystine 0.2g
Energy 1953.1kJ
Fluoride, F 24.7mcg
Folate, total 70.6mcg
Glutamic acid 4.6g
Glycine 1.1g
Histidine 0.7g
Isoleucine 1.1g
Leucine 2g
Lysine 1.8g
Methionine 0.6g
Magnesium, Mg 56.9mg
Manganese, Mn 0.4mg
Niacin 9.2mg
Phosphorus, P 364.6mg
Pantothenic acid 0.7mg
Phenylalanine 1g
Phytosterols 3.6mg
Proline 1.8g
Retinol 129.9mcg
Selenium, Se 33.6mcg
Serine 1.1g
Starch 9.6g
Theobromine 0mg
Threonine 1g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 3.6mg
Tryptophan 0.2g
Tyrosine 0.9g
Valine 1.2g
Vitamin A, IU 1310.9IU
Vitamin A, RAE 174.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 1.4mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.5mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 27mcg
Water 224g
Zinc, Zn 3.7mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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