Million Dollar Spaghetti
This baked spaghetti casserole has a creamy middle and rich meat sauce along with a bubbly cheese topping. It's a great choice for a busy weeknight, perhaps paired with a simple salad.
Servings: 8 people
Equipment
- Pot Large
- Skillet Large
- Baking Dish 9 x 13-Inch
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces spaghetti
- 6 Tablespoons butter melted
- 36 Ounces marinara sauce
- 1 Pound lean ground beef
- ½ Pound Italian sausage
- 8 Ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 Cup cottage cheese
- ½ Cup sour cream
- 2 Cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ Cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 Teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ Teaspoon onion powder
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 4 Tablespoons of the melted butter.
Cook the Spaghetti
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the spaghetti following the package directions. Drain well.
- Return the spaghetti to the pot and toss with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of melted butter and about one-third of the marinara sauce until evenly coated.
I recommend that you cook your spaghetti to al dente, because it's going to soften some more while baking later.
Prepare the Meat Layer
- Meanwhile, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and fully done, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks.
- Stir the remaining marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper into the meat.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
Don't forget to drain any excess grease to prevent a greasy casserole.
Prepare the Cheese Layer
- In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, ¼ Cup Parmesan cheese and ½ Cup mozzarella until smooth.
Assemble the Casserole
- Spread half of the spaghetti into the prepared baking dish.
- Evenly spread the cheese mixture over the spaghetti. Sprinkle ½ Cup mozzarella over the cheese mixture.
- Top with the remaining spaghetti.
- Pour the meat sauce evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Cup mozzarella and ¼ Cup Parmesan.
Bake the Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
- Sprinkle the finished dish with chopped fresh parsley, if liked.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving - it will hold together better!
Notes
Cook the spaghetti to al dente: Take the pasta off the heat as soon as it reaches al dente. Softer spaghetti can get too soft during the long bake.
Soften the cream cheese completely: I find room temperature cream cheese much easier to mix smoothly with the cottage cheese and sour cream.
Let it rest: Give the casserole a full ten-minute rest before cutting into it. I find the portions hold together much better if I don’t rush this part.
Soften the cream cheese completely: I find room temperature cream cheese much easier to mix smoothly with the cottage cheese and sour cream.
Let it rest: Give the casserole a full ten-minute rest before cutting into it. I find the portions hold together much better if I don’t rush this part.
Nutrition
Calories: 689kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1462mg | Potassium: 911mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1325IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 341mg | Iron: 4mg
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