Million Dollar Spaghetti (View Print Version)

Rich baked spaghetti layered with meat sauce, creamy cheese blend and Alfredo, finished with bubbling mozzarella.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb dried spaghetti

→ Meat Sauce

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

→ Cheese Mixture

11 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
12 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
13 - 1/2 cup sour cream
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 2 tbsp 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil or nonstick spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add spaghetti, and cook until just al dente; drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, Italian sausage, and chopped onion until browned; 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 black pepper.
05 - Reduce heat and simmer the meat sauce for 5–7 minutes to blend flavors, then remove from heat.
06 - In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, then fold in ricotta, sour cream, grated Parmesan, and chopped parsley until uniform.
07 - Spread half of the cooked spaghetti evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
08 - Spoon and spread the cheese mixture evenly over the first spaghetti layer.
09 - Arrange the remaining spaghetti over the cheese mixture to form the second layer.
10 - Pour the prepared Alfredo sauce evenly over the top spaghetti layer and spread lightly to cover.
11 - Spread the meat sauce over the Alfredo layer, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella and additional grated Parmesan evenly on top.
12 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
13 - Remove foil and continue baking 10–15 minutes more, until the cheeses are golden and bubbling; let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This recipe is like a cheesy, creamy pasta bake with secret sauce layers—the best kind of surprise.
  • It feeds a crowd and always wows guests, even the picky ones who “don&apost like casseroles.”
02 -
  • If you rush and slice before letting it rest, expect a saucy avalanche—trust me on this one.
  • Unexpectedly, using a touch of Alfredo sauce changed everything—it made the middle gloriously creamy without being soupy.
03 -
  • Mix the noodles with a tiny knob of butter before layering to prevent sticking.
  • Let the cheese rest at room temperature before baking so it melts more evenly and luxuriously.
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