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Close up of million dollar spaghetti on a plate.

Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked spaghetti, spaghetti casserole
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 435kcal
Author: Malinda Linnebur
My Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe is a baked spaghetti casserole that has layers of meaty sauce, noodles, and a cheesy middle. Hearty, comforting, and incredibly easy to make, this million dollar spaghetti bake can also be made in advance — plus, it's freezer-friendly!
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound (455g) dry pasta
  • 1 pound (500g) ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • ½ large bell pepper, diced
  • 8 ounces (230g) sliced mushrooms
  • 1 (2.25oz) (63g) can sliced olives, drained
  • 2 (24oz) (680g) jars pasta sauce
  • cups (140g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 (15oz) (425g) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 (8oz) (226g) package cream cheese, soft
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups (340g) shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 or larger baking dish; set aside.
  • Start by cooking your pasta.
  • While the pasta is cooking in a large skillet cook the ground beef or sausage, onion, bell pepper, and sliced mushrooms until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are softened. Stir in the olives and pasta sauce. Stir in the drained pasta.
  • In a large bowl combine 1 cup Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and eggs. Place ½ of the pasta mixture in prepared pan. Top with cheese mixture. Top with remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. MAKE AHEAD: You can assemble this casserole the day before. Pull it from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. May need to bake longer. 
  2. FREEZER FRIENDLY: You can freeze the assembled casserole or baked and cooled casserole for up to 3 months. Cover well with plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Thaw completely before baking or reheating.
  3. SUBSTITUTIONS: Use any kind of pasta you like. Replace the ricotta cheese with cottage cheese if you prefer. Use any vegetable you have on hand. Use ground chicken or turkey if you prefer. 
  4. SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 16.8g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 775mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 10mg