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
This is excellent as written. No changes necessary.
Will definitely be making this especially after so many great reviews…have tons of company here at the beach and need something I can make before going to the beach, come home and pop it into the oven.. just wondering why so much butter, a stick of butter … really necessary??
No, butter isNOT necessary. I did not use any. Just put some sauce on bottom of dish.
I’ve always went by this recipe, NOT exactly. But I’ve been on keto and there’s keto friendly noodles that I buy and sauce. I use ground beef instead also but everything is love about this recipe. My boyfriend tells me it’s just cause I LOVE cream cheese so much. ❤️
I have everything I need to make this except for cream cheese. Do you think I can do without it?
Hi Bobbie, you could replace it with additional cottage or ricotta cheese. It will change the flavor but I think it will still taste delicious!
Do you think you could make this recipe 48 hours ahead of time and put it in the fridge instead of 24? Or should I freeze it? Seems silly to freeze it just to have to get it out to thaw in a day?
I’ve made this recipe before and we all love it, want to make it for my family coming this weekend!
I think making it 48 hours ahead should be just fine. The pasta can soak up the sauce as it sits so you’ll want to ensure you cook the pasta al dente (very firm) and perhaps make it a little bit more saucy.
The meat sauce will last about 4 days in the fridge so you could even make it and keep the parts separate and assemble the day of (or day before) baking. I hope that helps! Let us know how it goes!
I plan to make ahead and freeze for another day. Do I cook it entirely in the oven before freezing? Thanks!
Prepare and assemble the recipe and it can be frozen before baking. Thaw in the fridge 24 hours before baking.
I’ve been making this for about two years now (ground beef instead of sausage) and its literally the talk of the neighborhood. I have to share with my parents, neighbors and friends. My kids and husband go crazy for it and I started to double the ingredients to make two batches at a time. I make it about once a month/twice and it’s absolutely our favorite dinner.
I’m so glad everyone has loved it!
So good! Can I share a pic?
We would love to see a picture of your dish Sabrina! Tag us on Instagram @spendpennies
This is awesome!!!
I love every recipe from you I have ever made.
I am making your spaghetti bake tonight. But I am cutting it in half. Just the 2 of us
Very good! I agree with what someone else mentioned that it was a little time consuming. I also had to frequently revisit the recipe to get all the steps, and even then I accidentally layered the ingredients in the pan wrong. It still turned out good! There just wasn’t the distinct cheese layer in the middle because I accidentally made 2 layers of it instead of one. I would also advocate adding a little more sauce if you like a saucy spaghetti. Mine wasn’t dry, but I just like extra sauce. I will definitely make it again with a couple tiny tweaks. Thank you for this recipe!
Yes, after the first like four times I made it, it took me time. But now I make it following no recipe or referring to photos. I don’t even have to measure. All memory now.
How do you think Million Dollar Spaghetti would do made in a casserole size crock pot? Would like to make this camping. We have electricity—no oven.
Hi Nancy, we haven’t tried this recipe in a crockpot but it should work. Let us know how it turns out!
Interested if you made it in crock pot, I would like to try it that way. I am a big fan of crock pots.
Loved this recipe! I used 1 lb each of mild Italian sausage and ground Chuck. I also used almost the full 66 oz jar of Ragu chunky sause (I hate dry baked spaghetti). Also ended up using 8 oz each of both mozzarella and the Italian blend cheeses. Turned out AMAZING!
Made this tonight for my hubby, 1 year old and in laws. They loved it and went back for seconds. My hubby said it was a little too much Italian seasoning but said it was definitely a remake. So next time I’ll cut the Italian seasoning in half. Also I used ground beef because that’s what we had at home. It was a little time consuming but that’s because I had to look at the recipe on my phone every step.
So happy you all loved it Alyssa! It is such a delicious recipe.
What is the green herb sprinkled on top? TY
Parsley! It is such a pretty garnish Amber :)
Wanting to learn new recipes
Really excellent recipe! I don’t normally go for casserole-type dishes, but this was great. I like to make a meat sauce to go with cheese-stuffed shells and always end up with plenty of leftover sauce. I wanted something other than shells and better than regular spaghetti and this recipe fit the bill! I cut the recipe in half and it fit perfectly in an 8×8 dish. Delicious!
The Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole is great and a family favorite! Thank you for sharing❤️
Before you put the dish in the oven.. should it be covered with tinfoil? Doesn’t say in the recipe. Thanks!!
This is baked uncovered.
Yes it’s best to cook with foil regular time then take foil off and bake for 10 to broil cheese
What do you do with the second jar of spaghetti sauce?
One jar is added to the pasta in step 2.
One jar is added to the meat sauce in step 3.
So u buy two 24 oz of spaghetti sauce
Yes.