Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti
This million dollar baked spaghetti layers buttery noodles with a rich, creamy cheese mixture and a deeply savory meat sauce, all blanketed under a golden, bubbly mozzarella crust. It's the lovechild of classic spaghetti and lasagna, but without the fuss.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish - Standard size for this recipe
- Large pot - For boiling pasta (at least 5 quart capacity)
- Large skillet or Dutch oven - Heavy-bottomed for building the meat sauce
- Colander - For draining pasta
- Wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula
- Mixing bowls - Medium and large sizes needed
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Aluminum foil
- Box grater - Or use pre-shredded mozzarella
- Ladle - For sauce
- Rimmed Baking Sheet - Optional, to catch any sauce drips while baking
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti - 450g
- 1 lb lean ground beef - 450g
- 1 lb Italian sausage - 450g, casings removed
- 1 medium yellow onion - finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 jars marinara sauce - 24 oz/680g each
- 8 oz cream cheese - 225g, softened to room temperature
- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese - 425g
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese - 50g, divided
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese - 340g, divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - 55g, sliced thin
- 1 egg - beaten
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional
- salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
- cooking spray or butter - for greasing the baking dish
For Garnish
- fresh basil or parsley - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cook spaghetti in salted water for 2-3 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Return pasta to pot, add butter and toss until melted. Add beaten egg and toss quickly to coat without scrambling.
- Brown ground beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into crumbles. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
- Drain excess fat, then add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in both jars of marinara sauce and stir. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix softened cream cheese, ricotta, and 1/4 cup Parmesan in a bowl with salt and pepper until smooth and lump-free.
- Toss the buttered spaghetti with 1/2 cup of the meat sauce. Spread half of the spaghetti evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Dollop the entire cream cheese and ricotta mixture over the pasta and spread evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.
- Top with remaining spaghetti, then the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 2 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
Notes
- Don't skip softening the cream cheese. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps in the cheese layer. Leave it on the counter for at least 45 minutes before you start.
- Undercook the pasta on purpose. Cooking it 2-3 minutes short of al dente prevents mushy noodles in the final dish.
- Toss drained pasta immediately with butter and egg while still hot to prevent clumping and help the pasta layer hold its shape.
- Spread the cheese layer all the way to the edges to prevent the pasta around the perimeter from drying out.
- Let the casserole rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting. This allows the layers to set so servings hold together neatly.
- Use full-fat cream cheese and whole-milk ricotta for the creamiest results. Low-fat versions release excess moisture during baking.
- You can assemble the entire casserole up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. Add 10-15 minutes to covered baking time if baking from cold.
- To freeze unbaked, wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.