Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole is a rich, cheesy baked pasta dish featuring layers of spaghetti mixed with savory meat sauce and a creamy cheese mixture, topped with melted mozzarella for a comforting family meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 16 oz. dried spaghetti
- 2 x 24 oz. jars pasta sauce (divided)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Meat Sauce
- 1 onion (peeled and diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and finely diced or minced)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Cheese Mixture
- 8 oz. ricotta cheese
- 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese (divided)
Garnish (Optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat and cook pasta: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Cook the dried spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, then toss it with one jar of pasta sauce and set aside.
- Sauté onions and garlic: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook ground beef and make meat sauce: Add the ground beef to the skillet with onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking up lumps with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink. Stir in Italian seasoning and the remaining jar of pasta sauce. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat.
- Prepare cheese mixture: In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, softened cream cheese, and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Mix until smooth and well blended.
- Assemble casserole – first layer: Spread 1/2 cup of the meat sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the spaghetti mixture over the sauce, then spoon on the cheese mixture and gently spread it out evenly.
- Assemble casserole – second layer: Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce over the cheese, then add the remaining spaghetti. Top with the rest of the meat sauce. Finally, sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
- Bake the casserole: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden and bubbly.
- Rest and serve: Allow the casserole to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with fresh chopped parsley for added color and flavor.
Notes
- Use Italian seasoning to add a classic herb flavor, but feel free to adjust herbs based on your preference.
- For extra richness, you can substitute half of the ricotta with cottage cheese.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to blend more easily with the ricotta and mozzarella.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- This dish pairs well with a fresh green salad and crusty bread for a complete meal.
Keywords: spaghetti casserole, baked pasta, cheesy spaghetti, ground beef spaghetti, Italian casserole, comfort food
