Million Dollar Spaghetti (2024)

Million Dollar Spaghetti is a spaghetti casserole with layers of noodles, cheese, and homemade meat sauce. It’s budget friendly, easy to make, and a meal the whole family will love.

Looking for more pasta recipes? Try my Shrimp Alfredo, Sun-dried Tomato Pasta, or American Goulash!

Why I love this meal:

• Family Friendly – The perfect marriage between my favorite Spaghetti Pie and a classic Lasagna. The entire family enjoys this easy casserole.
• Budget Friendly – Feeds a big group with inexpensive ingredients. What else could you want?
• Delicious – It truly tastes like a million bucks! The homemade meat sauce takes the flavor to the next level.

How to Make Million Dollar Spaghetti:

Make the Sauce: In a large skillet cook and crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage and season with salt and pepper. Remove most of the grease. Add onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until onion is translucent.Add all but ½ cup marinara sauce (reserve for later), to the mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.

Prep the Noodles: Boil a package of spaghetti noodles, drain the water, and toss them in a bowl with some butter and a little marinara sauce.

Make Cheese Layer: Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese in a bowl.

Assemble Casserole: Pour half the noodles into a 9×13” pan. Smooth cheese layer on top. Add remaining noodles. Then, layer the meat sauce.

Top with Cheese, and Bake: Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheese over top and bake at 350 degrees F until cheese is melted and bubbly. I love it when the cheese on the edges get golden. Yum!

Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: You can prepare this spaghetti casserole 1 day ahead of time. Follow recipe instructions up to step 8 (just before baking). allow it to cool, cover it well with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Or, prep the sauce, noodles and cheese layer 1-3 days ahead of time and assemble right before baking.

To Freeze: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step. Cover well with greased aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, then bake for about 20 minutes, covered, and then 20-25 minutes uncovered. If baking from frozen, bake covered for about 40 minutes, then uncover and bake at least 30-40 minutes longer, or until bubbly and warm.

Recipe Variations:

• Vegetarian Million Dollar Spaghetti: leave out the meat entirely or substitute plant based meat.
• Ground Beef vs. Sausage: I like to use both ground beef and ground pork sausage in this recipe but you don’t have to use both. If you do, consider saving the leftover ½ pound of sausage to make Baked Ziti or Pizza Casserole.
• Ricotta: if you prefer ricotta cheese to cottage cheese, feel free to substitute at a 1:1 ratio.
• Pasta: we use spaghetti for million dollar spaghetti but feel free to use your favorite kind of pasta.

Serve With:

• Fresh Fruit Salad
• Classic Wedge Salad or Green garden salad
• Brussels Sprouts Salad
• A big tray of raw veggies with Easy Vegetable Dip
• Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks

I originally shared this recipe February 2017. Updated February 2022.

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