Description
Indulge in the rich and comforting flavors of Million Dollar Spaghetti with this ultimate family recipe. Layers of pasta, cheeses, meats, and sauce come together in a decadent baked casserole that is sure to please everyone at the table.
Ingredients
Scale
Spaghetti:
- 1 (8 oz) package spaghetti
Meat Sauce:
- 1 lb lean ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 (16 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
Cheese Mixture:
- ½ cup butter, sliced and divided
- 1 (8 oz) container cottage cheese
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 (8 oz) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook Spaghetti: Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brown the meat in a skillet over medium heat, drain grease, and stir in spaghetti sauce.
- Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream until smooth.
- Layer Casserole: Place half the butter slices in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer half the cooked spaghetti, spread half of the cheese mixture, add remaining spaghetti, top with remaining butter slices, pour meat-sauce mixture over the top.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with shredded Cheddar, and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to rest before serving.
Notes
- Slightly undercook the pasta to prevent sogginess when baked.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a pinch of Italian seasoning or substituting part of the beef with mild Italian sausage.
- This casserole freezes well and can be reheated in the oven.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
- Calories: 587
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1238 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
