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Million Dollar Spaghetti

Million Dollar Spaghetti

A delicious and hearty Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe that combines spaghetti, meat sauce, and a creamy cheese layer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • 9×13-inch pan
  • mixing bowl

Ingredients
  

Pasta

  • 16 ounces spaghetti noodles

Meat

  • ½ pound ground beef
  • ½ pound ground Italian sausage or pork sausage
  • salt and pepper to taste

Vegetables

  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

Sauce

  • 24 ounces marinara sauce

Dairy

  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ⅔ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

Cooking Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Make Meat 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 of the marinara sauce (reserve ½ cup for later) to the mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Prepare noodles: Cook spaghetti according to package instructions, just until 'al dente'. Drain, and place hot spaghetti in a large mixing bowl with butter and ½ cup reserved marinara sauce and toss to combine.
  • Make Cheese layer: Combine cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese in a bowl and mix well.
  • Assemble: Pour HALF of the pasta into a 9×13’’ pan. Smooth cheese layer on top. Top with remaining noodles. Add meat sauce on top and smooth into an even layer. Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Check it around 20 minutes and if the cheese is browning too quickly, tent a piece of tinfoil over it. Wait at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving, to allow it to set up. Enjoy!

Notes

To Make Ahead: You can prepare this spaghetti casserole 1 day ahead of time. Follow recipe instructions up to step 6 (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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 17gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 605mgPotassium: 356mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 640IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 163mgIron: 1mg
Keyword baked spaghetti recipe, comfort food, easy spaghetti recipe, meat and cheese spaghetti, Million Dollar Spaghetti, pasta casserole
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