Welcome to “Million Dollar Spaghetti,” the show where you compete to win a million dollars against a plate of spaghetti– oh, my producer is saying this isn’t a game show, it’s one of the most scrumptious pasta recipes!
This dish is part spaghetti and part lasagna. With three different kinds of cheese, Italian sausage, and a half cup of butter.
And that is the real reason this is called Million Dollar Spaghetti. Because, of all the delicious spaghetti recipes, this packs such a flavor punch, you’ll say “This tastes like a million dollars!”
So let’s get started!
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What I Love About Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe
Million Dollar Spaghetti will make more than your taste buds happy:
- Even picky eaters will love it!
- Casserole = Make Ahead MAGIC
- Ooey gooey comfort food
- Clean-up is a cinch.
- Leftovers for DAYS….hopefully!
How To Make Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Cook spaghetti then toss with 3 cups marinara sauce.
- Cook the onions and garlic until soft then add the sausage and brown and crumble. Stir in the remaining marinara.
- Combine Cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Place half the sliced of butter in the baking dish. Spread half the spaghetti in the dish, then spread cheese mixture evenly over spaghetti. Top with the remaining butter slices. Spread remaining spaghetti over cheese mixture. Pour tomato meat sauce evenly over top layer of spaghetti. **See photos below
- Top with mozzarella and bake until bubbly.
Spaghetti Recipe Notes
Spaghetti is one of the staple dishes in most households — which means you likely already have most of these ingredients in your pantry!
Ingredient Notes
Does that say cottage cheese? Yes, it does. Before you dismiss Million Dollar Spaghetti for that quirk, hear me out: cottage cheese is a mind-blowing ingredient that far too many people avoid, thinking their food will turn out tasting too “curdled.” That is not the case at all!
Cottage cheese adds a fabulous creamy texture to foods as well as hearty servings of protein. But if it still seems just too odd for you, ricotta cheese is a perfectly acceptable substitute! Use the same amount as the cottage cheese. As is traditional with pasta dishes, a healthy sprinkling of parmesan cheese is a great final touch to this dish.
Spice it up! The dried Italian seasonings and the sausage, as well as the extra spices you add to Million Dollar Spaghetti, will give this casserole that zesty Italian kick — but try tossing in a handful or two of chopped fresh basil or oregano, especially as a finishing garnish.
This recipe looks familiar . . . And it might! Million Dollar Spaghetti has been making the rounds in recent months, particularly on Facebook. This family-pleasing dish has many versions sprinkled across the web, but this is the only one I’ve found that has that certain extra umph. Is it because of the deep creaminess of the cottage cheese? Is it because of the tang of the sour cream? Is it because of that eyes-roll-back-into-your-head goodness of sweet Italian sausage? Yes. Yes to all.
Pre-cook your sausage! If the term “casserole” makes you think “add everything to a dish and bake it,” think again! There is some prep that must be done ahead of oven baking — such as fully cooking your Italian sausage. Save your family severe stomachaches!
Pasta: Spaghetti noodles aren’t the only kind of pasta that can go into this dish. It works pretty darn well with a bunch of other shapes of pasta. My favorites with this dish are ziti or rigatoni.
Meat: I use Italian sausage in my recipe, and man, is it good. The extra flavor added by that sausage is simply outstanding, and really makes this recipe a true crowd-pleaser. If you or your audience are not particularly fond of sausage, you can absolutely use ground beef instead, but I don’t think the final flavor is as robust.
Storing Tips
Casseroles like Million Dollar Spaghetti do fabulously when stored — just make sure you store it properly, in the fridge, in an airtight container.
Can You Freeze This?
Absolutely! Many casserole baking dishes come with their own attachable airtight lid. If yours doesn’t have one, simply ladle the Million Dollar Spaghetti into any airtight container you have, and store in your freezer for up to three months. Remember, frozen pasta will get softer, so there will be a textural change.
To Freezer Before Its Baked
- Assemble the recipe through step 5.
- Wrap the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil. (Remember, plastic wrap sticks best to itself. Start with a long piece of plastic wrap that goes all the way around the baking dish.)
- Thaw the casserole overnight in the fridge.
- Bake it!
- Enjoy ♥
Make Ahead Tips
If there’s food more make-ahead friendly than casseroles, I don’t know it! Million Dollar Spaghetti can be whipped up in a pinch by making the sauce (Step 3) and storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. When you’re ready to compile the full dish, simply make the remaining ingredients, mix in the sauce, and proceed, time saved!
It’s a great dish to prep the day before or early on the day of serving. Just assemble the dish, and refrigerate. A covered pan of million dollar spaghetti can last 24 hours without drying out. Just before dinner you can pull the dish out of the fridge and bake. I would strongly recommend that you let the pasta sit out on the counter for 30-40 minutes or so after pulling it out of the fridge.
***Do not put a cold glass or ceramic baking dish in a hot oven or it might break. I usually pull the pasta out and set it on the counter while I fix the garlic bread and salad.
If necessary, you can use two 8×8 baking pans. Sometimes I’ll bake one small pan and freeze the other for a later meal.
After baking, this casserole needs to sit for a little bit before cutting. I usually give it 10 full minutes of cooling before I dig into it with a knife or spatula.”)
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Million Dollar Spaghetti behaves quite well in the fridge! This lasagna-spaghetti hybrid will retain its shape and dignity for up to four days in the fridge. Longer, and you risk bacteria growth, as well as soggy, inedible pasta. But! If eaten within the four-day window, Million Dollar Spaghetti is just as mouth-watering as it was the first day!
Recipe Variations
What Other Baked Spaghetti I Can Try?
If you were brave and tried the cottage cheese in your Million Dollar Spaghetti, then you no doubt have come to understand why unusual cheeses in baked spaghetti is a good idea. Feeling even more adventurous? Try out baked spaghetti with cream cheese for your next dish!
Can I Cook This Using Instant Pot?
One of the greatest culinary inventions for the time-pressed chef is the Instant Pot — so I am happy to report that Million Dollar Spaghetti is Instant Pot friendly! Instant Pot spaghetti is a dish made in dinner heaven. Want to take it further? Try Instant Pot spaghetti and meatballs for a quick twist on a traditional fave!
Can I Add A Mexican Twist?
¡Sí! Taco spaghetti is a tried and true favorite in my household. Merging Mexican seasonings with Spaghetti to create a Mexican Spaghetti hybrid is a path to deliciousness, friend. Maybe serve with a margarita, age permitting!
Million Dollar Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried spaghetti noodles
- 1 cup (1 Medium) yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage casing removed
- 6 cups homemade marinara sauce,-divided or 2 (24-ounce) jars marinara sauce
- 8 ounces cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 3 cups mozzarella shredded-divided
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 cup butter cut into slices-divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water, with 1 Tablespoon of salt, to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package. Drain well, then return pasta to original pot, and add 3 cups or 1 jar of prepared marinara sauce and combine. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften about 5 minutes. Add sausage to skillet, and brown, crumbling sausage with a wooden spoon. Cook until there is no longer any pink in sausage. Drain well. Add the remaining 3 cups or 1 jar marinara sauce to skillet. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Place half the sliced of butter in the baking dish. Spread half the spaghetti in the dish, then spread cheese mixture evenly over spaghetti. Top with the remaining butter slices. Spread remaining spaghetti over cheese mixture. Pour tomato meat sauce evenly over top layer of spaghetti.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and bake in preheated oven until casserole is heated through, about 35-45 minutes.
Nutrition
More Spaghetti Recipes
I don’t know about you, but once I take a culinary risk — like cottage cheese with pasta! — I’m hungry for more creative spaghetti dishes! Here are a few more to get your tummy rumbling and your mind whirling:
- Italian Spaghetti
- Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
- Crock Pot Spaghetti
- Spaghetti Casserole
- Spaghetti Pie
Conclusion
Though Million Dollar Spaghetti might not give you an actual million dollars, it’ll certainly make you feel rich — in the kind of ooey gooey comfort food that pulls every member of the family to the table!
Slice up hearty portions of this belly-filling lasagna-spaghetti hybrid and settle down into the warmth of a meal well served.
Sarah says
February 16, 2020 at 5:57 pmI would have given this 5 stars except the directions for layering the dish were not clear. The photos for layering don’t match the instructions and the instructions themselves were a bit confusing on layering. Otherwise, this is a fantastic recipe! It was a huge hit for both kids and adults!
Candace E Starkey says
October 29, 2019 at 3:27 pmThan You for the great recipes!
Kathleen says
October 30, 2019 at 1:11 amThanks Candace! ❤️ Enjoy cooking!
Tiffini@BabyGearsPro says
September 7, 2019 at 8:16 pmI love this Spaghetti. Its looks Tasty & yummy.
Kathleen says
September 8, 2019 at 7:10 amThank you, Tiffini! Glad you think so. 😊 Hope you give this recipe a try!
Grace says
September 6, 2019 at 8:04 pmMy only issue with this recipe is the way the instructions are written out, I got all the ingredients correct but the order in which to assemble is a hard read since it flip flops back and fourth in the instructions and gets confusing. But at last I made it!
Donna Oliphint says
September 6, 2019 at 3:08 pmCan’t wait to try this! I always use cottage cheese in my lasagna because I live in an area that only gets a couple of national brands of ricotta. They always have a dry, grainy texture and no flavor to me. I’ve even made the “homemade” version with milk, cream and lemon juice. The cottage cheese definitely makes it creamier. Thanks for the recipe!
Kathleen says
September 8, 2019 at 7:26 amThank you so much, Donna! So happy you wanna try this! Let me know how it turns out 😊 Love using cottage cheese as well ❤️
Carla Asper says
July 14, 2019 at 6:26 pmQuestion
..isthe nutrition info per serving?
Kathleen says
July 16, 2019 at 6:25 amHi, Carla, I just updated the nutrition facts per serving. Thank you, and I hope you like this recipe!
EJ says
May 29, 2019 at 4:02 amSuper easy and delicious! I used ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese and I used ground beef and Italian sausage for my meat lovers!
Kathleen says
May 29, 2019 at 2:18 pmHi, EJ! Great tweak! Glad you like this 🙂
Bee says
March 12, 2019 at 1:59 pmAbsolutely amazing! My son loved it…didn’t tell him all of the ingredients. Perfect with homemade garlic toast. Definitely will make again
Kathleen says
March 12, 2019 at 10:59 pmThanks so much Bee! So glad your son loves it <3
RR rOSENA says
March 8, 2019 at 11:10 pmThe BOMB made it twice I tweeked it a lil bit but very very delish. My family loved it. They wanted more and more. I do not even have left overs grand kids and all. They do not want regular spaghetti anymore.I give you 5 stars plus. Thankful for the recipe……..
Kathleen says
March 10, 2019 at 5:46 pmI’m so happy to hear that! My family is the same way now. No regular spaghetti only Million Dollar Spaghetti. LOL
Mary Hubbard says
February 11, 2019 at 2:48 amI have made this twice now and it is a big hit every time, I use a larger casserole dish to make it in though because it makes to much for any 8×8 I have
Kathleen says
February 11, 2019 at 5:42 amHi, Mary! Yay, so glad you like it! 🙂 <3
Janell says
January 20, 2019 at 4:43 pmI have made this before and it is delicious. We are iced in and I don’t have any cottage or ricotta cheese. Can this be made without it and still be good?
Kathleen says
January 21, 2019 at 6:50 pmHi Janell! Well, to be honest, I don’t think it will have that delicious creaminess! <3
Arlene says
November 19, 2018 at 12:32 amWow! I made this just now and the amount is HUGE! I kept checking the recipe to make sure I had the right measurements. I had to put my 9×13 on a cookie sheet pan because I knew it was going bake over.
The recipe says for 6 servings, but it definitely is more like 16. Lol
Also prep time and cook times are a little different. Takes some time to make this crazy goodness!
Kathleen says
November 20, 2018 at 6:22 pmHi Arlene! So glad you liked the Million Dolar Spaghetti. I agree with you it’s Crazy Good! <3
Jen says
October 26, 2018 at 2:54 amHi! I am planning on making this recipe for a large crowd tomorrow and just wanted to make sure that it is recommended to use 2- 24 oz sauce jars for recipe. Does it make it too saucy? Thanks
Kathleen says
October 26, 2018 at 2:51 pmHi Jen. I don’t think it’s over sauced at all. Hundreds of other people have made this and no one has commented that they thought it was too saucy. I hope you enjoy it!!
Debbie says
September 29, 2018 at 1:10 amHi Kathleen… just wondering what spaghetti sauce you used for this recipe
Kathleen says
October 13, 2018 at 4:31 pmHi Debbie I think I used “Classico-Tomato and Basil”
Cindy says
August 28, 2018 at 7:01 pmHow would this be with zoodles and not spaghetti?
Kathleen says
August 31, 2018 at 5:03 amHi Cindy! I love zoodles. I just worry about the water content of the zucchini noodles. I haven’t made Million Dollar Spaghetti with zoodles but I’m afraid the whole thing might come out on the watery side. Hope that helps.
Lisa says
August 27, 2018 at 5:37 pmEveryone loved this meal. I had to double the recipe for the amount of people and it was a bit of work. However, it was absolutely delicious!
Kathleen says
August 27, 2018 at 9:28 pmYay! So happy everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing! <3
Jeremiah says
August 18, 2018 at 4:10 pmGreat recipe! A little bit of work but well worth it.
Kathleen says
August 18, 2018 at 4:22 pmSo glad you liked the Million Dollar Spaghetti, Jeremiah!
Kathy thomas says
August 6, 2018 at 5:08 pmCan I freeze the portion that’s baked and didn’t get eaten? I baked the whole 9 x 13
And we have quite a bit left. I didn’t know if it would work to freeze the leftovers and reheat them later.
Kathleen says
August 12, 2018 at 9:15 pmHi Kathy. I do often. That said, the freeze makes the pasta a lot softer and some people don’t like it that way.
Ashley says
August 3, 2018 at 11:51 amI found this recipe via pinterest. I was a little hesitant because I’m not a huge fan of cottage cheese, but I thought I would try it and I could always change it next time. It was AMAZING!!! It is our new favorite meal. My husband even requested it as our Christmas dinner last year.
We have family coming into town tonight. When I asked my husband what he thought I should make for dinner, he instantly said Million Dollar Spaghetti! Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe.
Kathleen says
August 3, 2018 at 3:53 pmOh, Ashley, you made my day!! I’m so happy that your family likes our Million Dollar Spaghetti and I really appreciate you sharing your experience with our community. I hope you give some of our other recipes a try and find some more family favorites <3
Kathleen Pratchen says
July 25, 2018 at 10:17 pmI made this and actually used plain yogurt, cream cheese and sour cream and goat cheese. Turned out great!!! Oh and cheddar cheese 😉
Kathleen says
July 27, 2018 at 1:31 pmSounds delicious, Kathleen! Thanks for sharing.
Miranda says
May 20, 2018 at 11:35 amIt turned out delicious. It was like making lasagna but i like this better. It even looked like your pics. I already shared the recipe with my sister. Thanks
Kathleen Smith says
May 21, 2018 at 4:00 amHi Miranda! So glad you enjoyed the Million Dollar Spaghetti. I’m thrilled to hear that your finished dish looked like the photos on the post. I always try to make the food look as realistic as possible so you know what your actually going to get when you make it! <3
Rachel says
April 23, 2018 at 4:19 amI would like to make this tmrw night. What size dish would you recommend if I would like to halve the recipe?
TIA
Kathleen Smith says
April 24, 2018 at 8:10 pmHi Rachel, I would recommend an 8×8 size dish, hope you enjoy this recipe!
Danielle Tynan says
April 30, 2018 at 3:49 amI made it and it was a freaking hit so cool!
Kathleen Smith says
May 1, 2018 at 6:32 pmYay! I am so happy you loved this recipe and thank you for sharing with us how this turned out for you!
Sharon says
April 17, 2018 at 11:08 amI will cook this tonight, but I mainly want to thank you for taking the time for the detailed explanation. A lot of people without someone like family to teach them do not have that. I will be cooking this with my 12-year-old grandson. Thankss.
Kathleen Smith says
April 20, 2018 at 11:35 pmThank you so much Sharon. I love hearing that you think its helpful. Sure hope you enjoy!
Amanda says
April 10, 2018 at 6:48 pmThis looks amazing! How many people does this recipe feed usually?
Kathleen Smith says
April 13, 2018 at 6:21 pmHi Amanda, 8-10 🙂
Kelly says
March 13, 2017 at 4:09 pmThis looks so amazing! Your pictures are stunning! Can’t wait to try it!
Kathleen Smith says
March 15, 2017 at 5:00 pmThank you Kelly! <3
Sonja says
March 3, 2017 at 3:18 pmEasy and so good! Ths
Kathleen Smith says
March 6, 2017 at 5:08 pmThank you Sonja. I totally agree with you!