Million Dollar Spaghetti

Million Dollar Spaghetti brings the best of spaghetti to the best of lasagna and marries them together. Don't shy away from this crowd-pleasing casserole!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword How Do I Make Million Dollar Spaghetti, How To Make Million Dollar Spaghetti, Million Dollar Spaghetti, Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 616kcal

Author Kathleen

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 of 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°F (177ºC).
Bring a large pot of water, with 1 tablespoon of salt, to a boil. Cook pasta (16 ounces) according to the package. Drain well, then return pasta to the 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 (1 cup) and garlic and cook until they begin to soften about 5 minutes. Add sausage to skillet, and brown, crumbling sausage (1 1/2 pounds) with a wooden spoon. Cook until there is no longer any pink in the sausage. Drain well. Add the remaining 3 cups or 1 jar of marinara sauce to the skillet. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese (8 ounces), cream cheese (8 ounces), sour cream (1/4 cup), 1 cup mozzarella, and Italian seasoning (3 teaspoons). Set aside.
Place half the sliced butter in the baking dish. Spread half the spaghetti in the dish, then spread the cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti. Top with the remaining butter slices. Spread remaining spaghetti over cheese mixture. Pour tomato meat sauce evenly over the top layer of spaghetti.
Top with remaining mozzarella and bake in the preheated oven until casserole is heated through about 35-45 minutes.

Notes

Does that say cottage cheese? Yes, it does. Before you dismiss this recipe, 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! More importantly, its texture changes when it melts to something wonderful.
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! It just won’t be quite as creamy, though. Use the same amount as the cottage cheese.
Spice it up! The dried Italian seasonings and the sausage, as well as the extra spices you add to this dish, will give this casserole that zesty Italian kick — but try tossing in a handful of chopped fresh basil, if you have any on hand, especially as a finishing garnish.
Meat: I use Italian sausage in this 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 Italian sausage (like my sister, Alise!!), you can absolutely use ground beef instead, but, I don’t think the final flavor is as robust.

Nutrition