Million Dollar Spaghetti (Printable)

Baked spaghetti layered with meat sauce, creamy cheese filling and Alfredo, topped with melted mozzarella.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound dried spaghetti (16 oz)

→ Meat Sauce

02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 jar marinara sauce (24 ounces)
07 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Cheese Mixture

11 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
13 - 1/2 cup sour cream
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Alfredo Layer

16 - 1 cup prepared Alfredo sauce

→ Topping

17 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
18 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a thin film of oil or nonstick spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, add spaghetti and cook until just al dente; drain in a colander and set aside.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add ground beef, Italian sausage and chopped onion; cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and the onion is softened; drain excess fat.
04 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook 1 minute, then stir in marinara sauce, dried basil, dried oregano, salt and pepper; reduce heat and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - In a mixing bowl, blend softened cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream, grated Parmesan and chopped parsley until smooth and homogenous.
06 - Arrange half of the cooked spaghetti in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
07 - Evenly spread the cheese mixture over the first spaghetti layer, smoothing to the edges.
08 - Top the cheese mixture with the remaining spaghetti, spreading it to create an even top layer.
09 - Pour the prepared Alfredo sauce over the top spaghetti layer and spread gently to cover evenly.
10 - Spoon the meat sauce evenly over the Alfredo layer, distributing to cover the surface.
11 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and the remaining grated Parmesan evenly over the top.
12 - Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes; remove foil and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes more until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
13 - Allow the casserole to rest 10 minutes to set, then slice and serve with desired accompaniments.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The secret double layer of cheese and Alfredo transforms simple pasta into something you’ll crave again and again.
  • This bakes up enough to feed a small crowd, and the leftovers are just as dreamy reheated.
02 -
  • I learned the hard way not to skip letting it rest—cutting too soon makes a messy plate instead of neat, satisfying squares.
  • Dotting the cheese mixture evenly instead of plopping it all in one spot means every forkful gets some creamy filling.
03 -
  • Baking the dish covered at first keeps it from drying out, but always finish uncovered for that signature bubbly, golden finish.
  • The real magic comes from a blend of cheeses—don’t be tempted to use pre-shredded mixes alone as they melt less smoothly.
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