Million Dollar Spaghetti is a DELICIOUS easy dinner idea! The noodles are layered with a cheesy center and topped with a yummy homemade meat sauce and cheese.
Million Dollar Spaghetti is like the happy marriage of my favorite Spaghetti pie, to a classic lasagna. The noodles are layered with a cheesy filling in the middle, then a yummy meat sauce and cheese on top. YUM!
Contrary to what the name might lead you to believe, it’s a super inexpensive meal to make, but it DOES taste like a million bucks 🙂 . Your family will LOVE you for this one!
Start by boiling a package of spaghetti noodles. Once cooked, drain the water and toss them in a bowl with some butter and a little marinara sauce. Pour half the noodles in a pan and spread a creamy, cheesy mixture on top.
Then add the remaining noodles on top, creating a little surprise filling inside.
Next add your marinara meat sauce, and extra cheese on top to finish it off. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly. I love it when the cheese on the edges get golden –YUM!.
I like to use both ground beef and ground Italian sausage in this recipe. It adds really great flavor. You could freeze the leftover 1/2 pound of Italian sausage and save it for another recipe down the road, like Baked Ziti or Pizza Casserole.
Tips for making this a freezable meal:
Prepare recipe right up until the baking step. Cover well with greased aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, then bake for about 20 minutes covered and then 15-20 minutes uncovered. If baking from frozen, bake covered for about 40 minutes, then uncover and bake 20-30 minutes longer, or until bubbly and warm.
Consider serving this with:
- Fresh Fruit Salad
- Classic Wedge Salad
- Fresh Green Salad
- A big tray of raw veggies with Easy Vegetable Dip
- Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks
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Million Dollar Spaghetti is a DELICIOUS easy dinner idea! The noodles are layered with a cheesy center and topped with a yummy homemade meat sauce and cheese.
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 1 small onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 24 ounce jars marinara pasta sauce
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley leaves for garnish, optional
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- 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 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce (reserve 1/2 cup for the noodles) to the mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
Cook Spaghetti according to package instructions, just until “al dente”.
Place hot spaghetti in a large mixing bowl with butter and 1/2 cup marinara sauce and toss to combine. Pour HALF of the pasta into a 9x13’’ pan.
Combine cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese in a bowl and mix well. Smooth over noodles in the pan.
Top with remaining noodles. Add meat mixture on top and smooth into an even layer. Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Check it around 20 minutes and if the cheese is browning too quickly, place a piece of tinfoil over it.
- Wait about 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
This is a great freezer meal! Tips for freezing this recipe are listed in the post above!
I love to serve this with Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks!
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
pat says
Is there anyway you can remove some of your ads from interfering in your script, especially the recipes. They even show up while printing out recipes. It is a horrible thing.
Lauren Allen says
Hi Pat, I am in the middle of a complete site redesign that should fix all of these issues! Look for changes in the next week or two. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Ann Simmons says
I copy and paste recipe in my notes then delete the adds before printing.
florida1 says
I will make it, but not sure why you would use store-bought marinara sauce (they are all gawd-awful), instead of quickly making your own? Anyway; it looks good, will let you know back. 🙂
Chris says
Why marinara sauce? Just curious that you don’t use spaghetti sauce?
Julian says
Is there any sense of serving size or nutrition information?
Lauren Allen says
It makes about 10-12 servings
Tina says
Can you substitute ricotta? If so how much to use and which cheese to substitute? Also, do you happen to know the difference in taste? I just prefer ricotta to cottage cheese, etc.
Lauren Allen says
Hi Tina, I haven’t tried that but I think it should taste great!
Miranda says
I substituted ricotta and it was just as delicious
Natalie McIntee says
I was going to do that also did you cut any cream cheese?
Kim says
I made this tonight and it was sooo good! Thank you!
Lauren Allen says
So glad! Thanks so much for sharing!
Chrissy says
I used “gawd-awful” store bought sauce but I did add zucchini and carrots… maybe that will redeem me. Anyway, your recipe was spot on and my kiddos loved it served with salad on the side.
Sheila says
Can you freeze it?
Lauren Allen says
I have not tried it to say for sure, but I think it would work great. I would do the following: Make as instructed, but don’t bake it. Cover really well with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to eat, bake it from frozen for 1 hours (still covered with foil.) Then uncover and bake for another 20-40 minutes or so, or until it’s hot and bubbly. Hope that helps, and hope you enjoy it!
Beckie says
Loved this dinner as an easy change up of speghetti on our normal “dinner rotation.” My kids loved it and thought it was a fun way to eat there noodles and my husband and I loved the creaminess of the recipe. Thanks!
Tara says
Amazing recipe!!! Would not change a thing. Thank you so much!
Shane says
Made this tonight, and it was so good! Substituted whole wheat spaghetti & Italian blend cheese for the top. Only thing I will change next time is the filling. The cream cheese mixture definitely could have used some seasoning. Overall though, it was a win!
Chrissy Blake says
Made this last night and just got done eating it for left overs for lunch today and I will just say this is AMAZING! My husband and very picky son both loved it! We also made your biscuits and gravy last weekend TWICE! Thank you for having great recipes that are easy to follow, easy to make and are super yummy! Your site is exactly what this busy mama needed in her life 🙂
Lauren Allen says
That’s what I LOVE to hear! Thank you so much for sharing, and for following TBFS 🙂
Meredith says
Has you tried it with gluten-free pasta? Wondering how it would hold up? Looks delish!
Lauren Allen says
I’ve never used gluten free pasta, so I can’t say for sure. But I would love to hear if you try it! 🙂
Mary says
I used Barilla gluten free spaghetti. Cook until al dente. It held up amazing, couldn’t tell a difference from regular spaghetti!
Bigbear says
I made this a few days ago just as written and it was very good BUT we found that it really is million dollar spaghetti when it sits in the fridge for a couple days !!! This is in my keep folder thanks for the recipe:-)
Jessica says
Can this be made in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to bake? Say make it in the morning and bake in the evening
Lauren Allen says
Yes, that should work great!
Rachel Schafer says
This is my new go-to when I’m bringing dinner to friends. Love that it has all of the flavors or regular pasta but served in a fun and different way!
Lauren Allen says
Thanks Rachel! <3
Martha in KS says
I made this using frozen meatballs which I halved. Split the recipe in half & shared with my elderly neighbors. It received a hearty thumbs up. Thanks for a great recipe!
Lauren Allen says
Martha, thank you so much for sharing! I’m glad you like the recipe!
Lisa Huff says
Such a great idea, yum!
Shabibi Khan says
Hi Laura,
Can we use chicken or turkey for the meat sauce? If yes, since both chicken and turkey are leaner how I do make sure that the sauce is not dry. Thanks,
Lauren Allen says
I’d suggest ground turkey or chicken. Don’t over cook them, and you shouldn’t have a problem with dryness 🙂
Patty M says
Made this tonight…it was quick and easy and delicious!!! Definitely making this again! Thanks for the recipe, absolutely loved it ❤️
Linda says
This is delicious. I made it just as written, and it is the perfect comfort food for any time of year. Lots of compliments and sounds of yum… 🙂
Lauren Allen says
It really is the perfect comfort food! Thanks for sharing Linda– I’m really happy everyone enjoyed it!
Gwendolyn says
Tried this meal today and it tasted wonderful! Great recipe! We have a bunch of picky eaters in the family and they all liked this meal. Will defiantly make this again. Thank u for the recipe !
Lauren Allen says
I love it when we win over the picky eaters! 🙂 So happy to hear it–thanks for commenting!
Jasmine says
Absolutely amazing! My son loved it…didn’t tell him all of the ingredients. Perfect with homemade garlic toast. Definitely will make again
Marla Rawson says
We love this recipe. We always put fresh mushrooms in it. My favorite meal!
Lauren Allen says
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing Marla, and I’m happy you’ve enjoyed it!