Easy Baked Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe (2024)

This bakedMillion DollarSpaghettiRecipeis a hearty, budget-friendly dinner that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. Layers of cookedspaghettinoodles combine with meat, marinara sauce, and plenty of cheese. Serve it on its own or with your favorite sides for an easy comfort food dish guaranteed to please!

Why We Love Million DollarSpaghetti

Is there anything better than a plate of warmspaghettiafter a long day? Seriously, it’s the ultimate comfort food we grew up loving as kids and still enjoy now that we’re grown! Plus, it’s super easy to make and always budget-friendly.

However, just when we thought traditionalspaghetticouldn’t get any better, we discovered this million dollarspaghettirecipe. We fell in love with this dish from the first bite! Here are just a few reasons why we’re obsessed:

• Budget-friendly:The ingredient list is minimal. Plus, it’s full of low-cost pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
• Perfect for a crowd:This recipe makes A LOT of food.
• Great formeal prep:It’s easy to store and save for tasty meals throughout the week.
• Delicious:Named appropriately, thisspaghettivariation truly does taste like it’s worth a million bucks!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredient list for this million dollarspaghettirecipe is short, sweet, and super cheap! Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Spaghetti Noodles –Feel free to swap out thespaghettinoodles with any other pasta shape you have on hand. Just be sure to cook them to al dente as they will bake again.
• Flavor Enhancers – Fresh garlic cloves and Italian seasoning enhance the flavors of this dish for that classicspaghettitaste.Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Oil – We prefer to use an extra light virgin olive oil to coat the noodles. However, you can use regular olive oil or even avocado oil if you prefer.
• Eggs –A good source of protein and fat, these help bind the ingredients to create a casserole consistency. This allows for easy slicing.
• Meat – We use ground beef, but ground turkey or even chicken will work, too. You can also use a combination of meats like ground beef and Italian sausage. Or, for a vegetarian recipe, you could omit it completely.
• Cheese –We use a combination of full-fat cream cheese (softened) and Mozzarella cheese. The savory flavor and gooey consistency make this million dollarspaghettirecipe to die for.For even more flavor, finish your spaghetti with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, too!
• Sour Cream –This adds a nice tang and creates a creamier filling.
• Marinara or Spaghetti Sauce – To save time, we use a store-bought sauce. However, you could easily make your own.

Can I Substitute the Cream Cheese?

Yes, feel free to swap the cream cheese with cottage cheese, sour cream, or ricotta cheese. The taste and texture will change slightly, but it will still be tasty!

How to Make Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti

This baked million dollar spaghetti recipe is a delicious cross betweenspaghettiandlasagna. And it comes together in just a few minutes when you follow the instructions below!

1. Toss the noodles. Add the noodles to a large bowl followed by the oil, garlic, egg, and dried herbs. Then, toss until everything is well combined.
2. Create the meat sauce. Add the beef to a second bowl. Then, pour in the marinara sauce, and mix to combine.
3. Layer. Spread half the noodle mixture in the bottom of a baking dish. Then, spread the sour cream on top followed by half the meat mixture. Scatter the cream cheese on top along with part of the mozzarella.
4. Repeat. Continue to layer all the ingredients. Finish your million dollar spaghetti casserole with a layer of mozzarella cheese mixture.
5. Bake. Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered until the top cheese layer is golden brown on top and bubbly.

Make Ahead and Freezing Options

You’ve got several options to prepare this million dollar spaghetti in advance!

• Make Ahead:Combine all the ingredients in a baking dish. Then, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to1 day.Then, when you’re ready to eat, just pop it in the oven, and dinner is ready to serve in minutes!
• Refrigerate:Bake yourspaghettias usual, and allow it to cool completely. Then, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up tofive days.
• Freeze:Prepare yourspaghetti, and cover it tightly with cling wrap followed by foil, or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the freezer for up to two months.When you’re ready to eat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat:To warm your million dollarspaghetti, heat it in the microwave or oven.

Serving Suggestions

Thanks to the yummy layers, this baked million dollarspaghettiis super filling on its own. However, for a well-rounded meal, we like to pair it with sides like:

• Cobb Salad
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
• Garlic Bread
• Creamy Whipped Feta Dip

More Family-Friendly Spaghetti Recipes

Love spaghetti? You won’t want to miss out on these comforting recipes!

• Oven BakedSpaghetti
• Spaghetti Pizza Bake.
• Spaghetti Arrabiata Bake
• One PotSpaghettiCarbonara