Million-dollar spaghetti is a creamy, cheesy, budget-friendly casserole that's so easy to make.
This crowd-pleasing dish is made with layers of spaghetti and cheese that is smothered in a hearty meat sauce and baked until browned and bubbly.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Spaghetti is tossed in a savory meat sauce and topped with a creamy cheesy sauce for a hearty meal! While the ingredients are simple, this meal is delicious.
- Skill Level: This easy, beginner-friendly recipe is an easy way to feed the family!
- Serving: Million Dollar Spaghetti is a combination of baked spaghetti and lasagna and pairs well with all the classic sides: garlic bread, Caesar salad, easy arugula salad, and more!
- Freezing: This hearty casserole reheats and freezes well for future meals!
Ingredient Tips for Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Meat: I like using Italian sausage as it has lots of flavor, but in a pinch, you can substitute ground beef or ground turkey. If substituting the sausage, I would recommend adding extra seasoning to the sauce.
- Sauce: This recipe uses pasta sauce as the base to keep it quick and easy. You can use homemade marinara sauce or your favorite jar of sauce. Feel free to stir in fresh herbs!
- Cheese: The cheese layer is made with either cottage cheese or ricotta cheese. I prefer cottage cheese because I think it adds so much creaminess to the recipe.
- Pasta: Cook the pasta al dente so it holds up during baking. While I prefer to make this with spaghetti, other types of pasta work well too. Try ziti or rigatoni noodles.
Storing, Reheating, & Planning Ahead
The leftovers of this casserole reheat well! The pasta softens up a bit when reheating, but the flavor is just as good as when it was fresh out of the oven.
- Prep Ahead: This spaghetti can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking and add 15 minutes to the baking time.
- Freezing: To freeze the casserole, wrap it in plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
More Favorite Spaghetti Recipes
Did you enjoy this Million Dollar Spaghetti? Leave us a rating and comment below!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- 1 ½ pounds Italian sausage casing removed, or ground beef or turkey
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 48 ounces marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce, 2 jars, divided
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning divided
- 8 ounces cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- chopped fresh parsley and parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain well and return the pasta to the original pot. Add 24 oz of prepared spaghetti sauce and toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, combine Italian sausage, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Drain excess fat. Stir in the remaining 24 oz of spaghetti sauce and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, blend cottage cheese (or ricotta), cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning using a hand mixer. Set aside.
- Spread half of the spaghetti in the prepared baking dish, then top with the cottage cheese mixture. Spread the remaining spaghetti over the cheese mixture. Pour the meat sauce evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered 35-45 minutes, until the casserole is heated through, adding the mozzarella on top for the last 20 minutes of cook time.
- Rest 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
If replacing the sausage for ground beef or turkey, add additional seasoning to the sauce. For a little kick, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
This casserole can be prepared 24 hours in advance. If made ahead of time, let set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. Add 15 minutes to the baking time.
Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 583 | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 826mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 745IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 1.7mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Dinner, Pasta
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
More Must-Try Casseroles
Absolutely the BEST meatballs I’ve ever served to my family! Every time I make these, they are gobbled up by kids and grandkids.
I am so happy to hear that your family loves this recipe Chris!
I see lots of your recipes that sound wonderful but I can’t get them to print. Has anyone else had this problem?
I haven’t heard this issue before and it seems to be working for me. Are you using the print button just above the recipe?
Amazing! Love the richness with the butter!!!! Droool. I even added more cheese and mixed cheddar and Mozzarella! Amazing recipe thank you so much.
AWESOME!! I call it “Poor man’s Lasagna “, only because I used my Grandmother’s recipe in the past using just sauce,pasta and cheddar cheese. This blows hers outta the park!! (Sorry Grandma) Doubled the cheese filling,and used homemade sauce. Cudos to the chef. Thank you!
Oh no! Sorry, Grandma! But I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I too was skeptical about the butter and some of the other dairy ingredients, but I made it as written and it was so good! Just trust the process, people! I will probably try it without the stick of butter and just spray the pan like others have suggested just because the whole stick of butter is kind of a lot. Also to note: this makes a metric ton of food. Cut the recipe if you don’t have a big family or like a billion leftovers.
I’ve made “baked spaghetti” (hubby’s grandmother’s recipe) for my hubby for 25 yrs. Only used cheddar. He loved it. Made this one for his birthday (doubled it) and he said it’s the best food I’ve ever made. Doesn’t ever want me to make his grandma’s recipe again. He’s eaten it 4 days in a row. And wants me to make it again for Father’s Day. (One week after I made it last time.) I used Rao’s sauce.
Well that’s definitely love!! Happy Father’s Day with this dish! I may just follow suit with you and make it myself!
I am a very amateur home chef. I mean pasta is really all I have the confidence to make. I made this tonight and my husband (who is an amazing cook) gave me the highest compliment you could receive from him. He said “the last time I smelled cooking this good it was coming from my grandmother’s kitchen”. His grandmother was his everything and to hear that from him made me realize this recipe deserves way more than 5 stars. Obviously it tastes amazing as well!! The only thing I did different was use ground beef instead of sausage. But everything else was used exact. Thanks so much!
I actually make this for Easter and double the recipe. The whole family LOVES it, and looks forward to eating this instead of a traditional ham dinner. I love it because I can make it the day before and actually enjoy the holiday.
This sounds delicious. I will be making this weekend. Does it freeze well after baked? I work 2 jobs so on my one day off I make 2 or 3 different things and freeze in portions so I will have lunch and dinner when at work.
Yes, this freezes well both before and after baking (like lasagna).
What is the reasoning behind using the butter?
Hi Susan, The butter on the bottom keeps it from sticking as well as adding flavor throughout. Some readers have used non-stick spray instead with good results as well.
Delicious !!! The only change I made was using ground beef instead of italian sausage as it is just our personal preference. I halved the recipe, baked in a 2 qt casserole dish and it still made quite a bit. Will be adding it to my recipe files to make again.
This is so company special. I made this last nite for company and EVERYONE LOVED IT. This will good in my file and I’m sure I will make it again. I play bunco once a month and I’m sure when it’s my turn to host this will be on table.
That is awesome, Carol! This is such a great hosting recipe.
Million Dollar Spag. we love it but I have aproblem now…I need to serve it on Wed. night but I can only prep it on Monday should I bake it Mon & then refrig & reheat or just keep in fridge and bake Wed. I hope you see this soon. Thank You Kathleen
Yes Valerie, you can assemble and then refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the fridge to warm up while the oven is preheating.
Excellent recipe! I also mixed Italian sausage and hamburger, added grated fresh Parmesan with the other cheeses. Turned out AWESOME!!!
Sounds delicious, Annie! Thanks for sharing.
Does it matter whether you use salted or unsalted butter? I forgot to buy salted and all I have is unsalted.
Unsalted will work just fine!
The recipe calls for 48 oz sauce , 2 jars divided. Is that 2 jars of 48 oz each? or 2 jars of 24 oz each?
Great questions, Isabella. We use 2 jars of pasta sauce to equal 48 ounces in total. We say divided because 24 ounces is added in step 2 and the additional 24 ounces is added in step 3.
This is easy to make and is absolutely delicious! I used ricotta. I will share this recipe with friends. Love it!
So glad you enjoyed it, Angela!
I just bought ricotta. Can you use ricotta instead of cottage cheese? Thank you.
Hi Joli, that should turn out fine. Enjoy!
The concept of Million Dollar Spaghetti just can’t be beat.
It’s a better version of Spaghetti and a better version of Lasagna but put into 1. This is a family favorite.
I like to do different combos of meat. 1/2 Sausage, 1/2 ground beef… or 1/3 Sausage, 1/3 Veal, 1/3 Beef.
Other tip – I make my three mixes in the morning or the night before (Noodles + Sauce, Meat Sauce, Cheese Blend) and put them in separate Tupperware. Then assemble when ready to bake. The assembly takes no time.
In my honest opinion – It is better when you make it ahead of time and assemble when ready to bake. It lets the flavors kind of meld together… think like how soup is often better the 2nd day.
Great tip to make parts ahead of time Mike. I ALWAYS love it the second day even more, I agree!
Looks delicious! How long can you leave it in the freezer unbaked until you should bake it?
Hi Ashely, it should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
This was super rich, the flavor was ok but I would cut all the extra cheeses in half..