Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole is a budget-friendly casserole that’s easy to make.

Layers of spaghetti and cheese are smothered in a savory beefy sauce and baked until brown and bubbly.

piece of Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole on a plate

Casseroles are an easy way to feed a hungry family!

Million Dollar Spaghetti is a combination of baked spaghetti and lasagna.
It’s is a large and hearty casserole that reheats and freezes well for future meals.
While the ingredients are simple this meal is delicious, everyone raves about it.

Steps for making Million Dollar Spaghetti

Ingredients in 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 if you’d like!

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: We most often make this with spaghetti but other types of pasta can be used. Try ziti or rigatoni noodles.

Million Dollar Spaghetti in a pan and being served with a spoon

Serving Suggestions

Million dollar spaghetti is a hearty casserole that is a complete meal on its own. You can pair it with garlic bread and a fresh salad if you’d like.

Million Dollar Spaghetti in a pan with cheese and parsley

Leftovers and Prep 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: Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking and add an additional 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

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Million Dollar Spaghetti on a plate with parsley

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Loaded with layers of spaghetti, cheese, zesty sauce, and Italian sausage, this is an easy hearty casserole that’s budget-friendly and perfect for a crowd.

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning to skillet, and cook until no pink remains. Drain excess fat. Add the remaining 24 oz of spaghetti sauce to skillet. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Set aside.
Place half the slices of butter (if using) in a 9×13 baking dish. Spread half of the spaghetti in the dish, then top with the cheese mixture. Spread the remaining spaghetti over the cheese mixture. Top with the remaining butter slices (if using). Pour tomato meat sauce evenly over top.
Top with remaining mozzarella and bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the casserole is heated through, about 35-45 minutes.
Rest 15 minutes before serving.

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 provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Casserole, Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine American

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