Description
Spaghetti lovers will adore this million dollar spaghetti casserole that combines hearty meat sauce with creamy cheese layers. Baked to golden perfection, this comforting dish delivers rich flavors you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 16 ounces (453 grams) spaghetti
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 24 ounces (680 grams) marinara sauce
- 1 cup (226 grams) cottage cheese
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese
Dairy and Cheese Toppings:
- 1 cup (227 grams) sour cream
- 2 cups (226 grams) shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a deep baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente, then thoroughly drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles until completely browned and no pink remains.
- Stir marinara sauce into the cooked beef, ensuring even distribution and simmering for 2-3 minutes.
- Create the creamy cheese layer by whisking cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream until smooth and well-combined.
- Arrange the first half of cooked spaghetti as a base layer in the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
- Gently spread the entire cheese mixture over the first spaghetti layer, creating a consistent creamy coating.
- Top the cheese layer with the remaining spaghetti, covering it completely.
- Pour the meat sauce evenly over the entire spaghetti surface, ensuring thorough coverage.
- Sprinkle generous amounts of mozzarella and parmesan cheese across the top of the dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and develops a golden-brown crust.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5-7 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle and dish to cool slightly.
Notes
- Swap cottage cheese with ricotta for a smoother, more traditional Italian texture and richer flavor profile.
- Enhance meat sauce by adding fresh herbs like basil or oregano for deeper complexity and aromatic depth.
- Make it vegetarian by replacing ground beef with plant-based crumbles or roasted vegetables like zucchini and eggplant.
- Reduce calories by using low-fat cheese options and lean ground turkey instead of traditional ground beef.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg