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A freshly baked casserole dish of Million Dollar Spaghetti topped with melted cheese and garnished with parsley.

Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe

A rich and creamy baked spaghetti casserole layered with cheese, meat sauce, and pasta for a comforting and indulgent meal.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 450

Ingredients
  

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • large skillet
  • mixing bowl
  • spatula
  • oven

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and fully cooked, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
  4. Stir the marinara or spaghetti sauce into the cooked ground beef. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Mix until smooth and well-blended.
  6. Layer half of the cooked spaghetti in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti.
  7. Add the remaining spaghetti on top of the cheese layer, spreading it out evenly. Pour the meat sauce over the spaghetti, spreading it to cover completely.
  8. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese over the top. Dot with the small pieces of butter for extra richness.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden on top.
  10. Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

For a lighter version, you can use low-fat cream cheese, sour cream, and mozzarella. Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or mushrooms to the meat sauce for extra nutrition.