Description
Million Dollar Spaghetti is a rich, comforting baked pasta dish featuring layers of creamy cheese, savory meat sauce, and tender spaghetti, baked to golden perfection. This hearty casserole blends cream cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, and Italian-seasoned ground beef for a decadent family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 3 cups marinara sauce, divided
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti
- Kosher salt, to taste (for pasta water)
Cheeses
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat and brown meat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef with the finely diced onion and minced garlic over medium heat until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent. Drain any excess grease from the skillet. Season the meat with 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and stir in 2 cups of marinara sauce. Set aside.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook the pasta until slightly undercooked, about 3 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain the spaghetti well and toss it with 1 cup of marinara sauce to lightly coat.
- Make cheese mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, garlic powder, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Mix until smooth and well blended.
- Layer ingredients: In the prepared baking dish, spread half of the sauced spaghetti as the first layer. Next, evenly dollop or spread the cheese mixture over the spaghetti. Add the remaining spaghetti as the next layer. Finally, pour the meat sauce mixture evenly on top and finish with a generous layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake and serve: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the edges start to turn golden. For a crispier, browned cheese topping, broil the casserole for an additional 2–3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy your Million Dollar Spaghetti.
Notes
- Make sure to undercook the spaghetti slightly so it doesn’t become mushy during baking.
- Broiling at the end is optional but gives a lovely crispy cheese crust.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- Use low-fat cheeses if you want to reduce fat content.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated covered in the oven or microwave.
