Description
This Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole is a rich and decadent baked pasta dish that’s loaded with flavor and perfect for feeding a crowd. Layers of spaghetti, a creamy cheese mixture, hearty meat sauce, and melted mozzarella make it a truly indulgent comfort food experience.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 jars (24 ounce each) marinara sauce, any variety
- 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup butter, sliced
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and toss with 1 jar of marinara sauce. Set aside.
- Brown Meat and Make Sauce: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage with the diced onion and garlic. Drain off any excess grease. Add the second jar of marinara sauce to the meat mixture and simmer until heated through.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and 1 ½ cups of the mozzarella cheese. Mix well until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Casserole: Place the butter slices in the bottom of a 13×9 inch deep dish casserole. Layer half of the spaghetti (with sauce) over the butter. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti. Top with the remaining spaghetti and then the meat sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese over the top.
- Bake: Bake uncovered in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Notes
- For a meatless version, add your favorite vegetables to the marinara sauce, such as green peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, or eggplant.
- You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and bake when ready. If baking chilled, add an extra 15 minutes to the baking time.
- To freeze the casserole, cover it with foil and freeze for up to 30 days. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking. It’s not recommended to bake from frozen, as this can dry out the casserole.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 600kcal
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
