🍝 Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole
🍽️ Servings: 8
⏰ Time: ~1 hour (15–20 min prep + 40 min bake)
📝 Ingredients:
Pasta:
-
1 lb (450g) spaghetti
-
Salt for pasta water
Meat Sauce:
-
1 lb (450g) ground beef (or half beef, half Italian sausage)
-
1 small onion, diced
-
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 jar (24 oz / 680g) marinara or pasta sauce
-
1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
-
Salt & pepper, to taste
Cheese Layer:
-
8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
-
1 cup ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
-
½ cup sour cream
-
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
-
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
🔥 Instructions:
1. Preheat Oven:
Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the Spaghetti:
Boil spaghetti in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Make the Meat Sauce:
-
In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onions until browned.
-
Add garlic, cook 1 minute more.
-
Stir in marinara sauce and seasoning. Simmer 5–10 minutes.
4. Mix Cheese Layer:
In a medium bowl, combine:
-
Cream cheese
-
Ricotta or cottage cheese
-
Sour cream
-
1 cup mozzarella
-
Parmesan
Mix until smooth.
5. Assemble the Casserole:
-
Bottom Layer:
-
Spread half the cooked spaghetti in the baking dish.
-
Layer all of the cheese mixture on top.
-
-
Middle Layer:
-
Add the rest of the spaghetti.
-
-
Top Layer:
-
Pour all the meat sauce over the top.
-
Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella.
-
6. Bake:
-
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
-
Uncover and bake 10 more minutes until bubbly and golden.
Let it sit for 10–15 minutes before slicing (helps it set).
🍴 Serving Suggestions:
-
Garlic bread or a side salad
-
Garnish with chopped parsley or basil
❄️ Make-Ahead/Freezer Tips:
-
Assemble, cover tightly, and freeze before baking.
-
Thaw overnight in fridge and bake as directed, adding 10–15 minutes if still cold.
Let me know if you’d like a low-carb or vegetarian version!