Restless Chipotle

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
×
  • Overhead view of pickles in a white bowl
    Sweet Heat Refrigerator Pickles
  • A basket full of garlic breadsticks.
    How to Make Soft Garlic Breadsticks`
  • A peaches and cream icebox pie with a serving removed to show the layers.
    Peach Icebox Pie
  • A square of strawberry shortcut cake being served from a spatula.
    Strawberry Shortcut Cake
  • A cropped view of this recipe in a glass bowl for the feature image.
    Old Fashioned Banana Pudding
  • Closeup of fried chicken on a plate.
    Why Do Southerners Put Buttermilk in Everything?
  • Overhead view of finished crockpot chicken bog in the crockpot.
    Crockpot Chicken Bog
  • Overhead view of the finished grapefruit cake on a white cake plate.
    Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit Bundt Cake
  • Overhead view of skillet with finished cabbage in it. Feature image.
    Creamed Cabbage
  • Bright green cocktail in a clear glass.
    Hammered Hulk Cocktail – A Bold, Green Drink for St. Patrick’s Day
  • Closeup of pimento cheese balls for feature image.
    Crispy Fried Pimento Cheese Balls
  • A crunchy topped casserole with a serving spoon in it.
    Pineapple Casserole
Home » Recipes » Beef Casseroles

Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

Published: Sep 20, 2023 · Updated: Feb 29, 2024 by Marye

Million dollar spaghetti is a mash up between lasagna and spaghetti with layers of pasta, hearty ground beef, rich marinara sauce, and creamy cheese topped with gooey Mozzarella. It's so easy to make and it feeds a crowd - great for potlucks.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 50 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe
Close up of a plateful of million dollar pasta with cheese on top.
A scoop of pasta with a stylized text overlay for Pinterest.
A closeup of a serving of pasta being lifted from a casserole dish with a text overlay for Pinterest.

Layers of spaghetti, creamy cheese, and a hearty meat sauce make this easy recipe picky eater friendly and a family favorite!

A serving of casserole on a white plate.
Table of Contents
  • 🗝️ Key takeaways
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 📖 Variations
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

🗝️ Key takeaways

  • Cheesy, hearty pasta casserole takes just 30 minutes and you can assemble it ahead of time.
  • Great for busy weeknights. It's also perfect for casual get-togethers, and potlucks because it feeds a crowd.
  • Be sure to use a block of cheese and shred it yourself. It will melt creamier and smoother.

There's nothing more comforting than a good spaghetti casserole.

Million-dollar spaghetti is a hearty, budget-friendly casserole that is a mash-up between a lasagna and a baked spaghetti recipe.

It's full of layers of spaghetti, rich marinara, seasoned ground beef, and creamy cheese... with a gooey cheese topping.

If you're looking for something with a bit more spice to it try this spicy chicken mac and cheese!

🧾 Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for million dollar spaghetti.

Use your favorite sauce. I use homemade marinara sauce when I have time but store bought works just as well.

If you like Italian sausage you can make this with a combination of ground beef and sausage. You can also substitute it for all the ground beef.

📖 Variations

  • Use Italian sausage in place of half or all of the ground beef for extra flavor.
  • You can substitute ground chicken, turkey, or game meat for the ground beef.
  • Ricotta cheese can be substituted for cottage cheese.
  • Provolone can be used as the top layer instead of Mozzarella.
  • Add a little Parmesan cheese as well.
  • Some people like it with Cheddar cheese on top.
  • Add a sprinkle of crushed red peppers for a little more bite.
  • Use any type of pasta that you like.
  • Love cheese? Double the ingredients in the creamy filling.

Next time try this southern chicken spaghetti with Ro*tel!

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions for this million-dollar spaghetti recipe. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

Step by step images showing the first four steps of making million dollar spaghetti.
  1. Add the slices of butter to the casserole dish.
  2. Add half the cooked spaghetti.
  3. Top with cream cheese mixture.
  4. Add the mozzarella over the cheese layer.
The last four steps of assembling this spaghetti casserole.
  1. Top with spaghetti noodles then meat mixture.
  2. Add remaining sauce.
  3. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
  4. Put baking dish in the oven and bake.

🥫 Storage

This easy spaghetti bake should be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

You can even assemble it ahead of time and bake it when ready.

Freeze

You can freeze it before or after baking. Just cover tightly or place in an airtight container and freeze for up to four months.

Thaw and bake

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as instructed in the recipe.

If the dish has been in the refrigerator let it sit out on the counter for 30 minutes or so so the glass doesn't shatter with the quick temperature change when it goes in the oven.

Overhead view of the pan of spaghetti being served.
You can assemble this millionaire spaghetti recipe ahead of time and bake it when desired.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: I like to break the spaghetti up into thirds before cooking. The smaller-sized noodles make it easier to cut and serve.

  • This is a good dish for sneaking in vegetables if you have veggie-haters at your house. Chop them and add in with the hearty meat sauce mixture.
  • Let the million-dollar spaghetti casserole sit for about 5-10 minutes after you remove it from the oven. This gives it a chance to solidify a little and it won't fall apart (much) when you cut into it to serve.
  • Use lean ground beef. I like the 90/10 mix.
  • For best results don't use low-fat cream cheese in this recipe.
  • The recipe says to put part of the marinara sauce on the spaghetti. How much you add depends on your taste. If you like a real saucy spaghetti dish then add more. The sauce will not sink down and mix with the spaghetti so get it the way you like it before layering.
  • This is one of my favorite meals for potlucks! It doesn't have to be steaming hot to be good AND it's easy to take with you. Plus it makes a ton. I've never brought any leftovers home - the dish is always clean.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

Why is it called million-dollar spaghetti?

Well, because it tastes like a million dollars! It's a super rich casserole and I imagine that's where the name comes from.

Can I cook this casserole straight from frozen?

Yes, you can. Make sure you freeze it in an aluminum baking pan so there's no concern for breakage. Cover with aluminum foil and bake covered for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes longer, or until it is hot all the way through. I stick an Insta-read thermometer in the center. When it reads 165F it's done.

A serving of this dish being scooped from the baking pan.
This hearty pasta casserole is sure to be a hit at your house!

📚 Related recipes

  • Sausage Alfredo Skillet is a quick, 15-minute creamy pasta dinner made with smoked sausage - it's classic comfort food!
  • Chicken Alfredo Ravioli is so easy to make - it's another busy weeknight dinner and takes just 15 minutes.
  • You'll love this creamy lasagna soup!
  • Taco Spaghetti is made in one pot in less than 30 minutes!
  • We love this with soft garlic breadsticks!
  • An iron skillet filled with the finished Alfredo Chicken Ravioli.
    Chicken Alfredo Ravioli
  • Bacon Pimento Mac and Cheese on a plate.
    Bacon Pimento Mac & Cheese
  • Homemade pasta being rolled by machine.
    Best Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe...Ever
  • Overhead view of sausage Alfredo skillet dinner in a cast iron skillet.
    Creamy Sausage Alfredo Skillet
See more Pasta Recipes →

🍽️ Serve with...

Million-dollar spaghetti is such a hearty casserole you don't need much else. I like to serve it with a salad and garlic bread or breadsticks.

If you take a look at what to serve with chicken spaghetti you'll find a lot of side dishes that will work with this million-dollar spaghetti, too.

And for dessert? You just can't go wrong with these easy brownies.

  • A basket full of garlic breadsticks.
    Garlic breadsticks
  • a collage showing images from this post.
    What to serve with chicken spaghetti
  • Stack of brownies with pecans.
    Easy brownies

📞 The last word

My whole family loved this pasta dish.

I've learned a few things over the years that I've made it. For one thing, use block Mozzarella and shred it yourself.

I was in a hurry and grabbed a bag of shredded from Costco. It had so much cellulose stuff on it to keep it from sticking together that it didn't melt at all - it was still just strips of cheese. I had to have my son run to the store for a block of Mozzarella while I scraped it off and then added the real stuff.

It was frustrating so don't make this mistake!

Try this over the top Crack Chicken Spaghetti with Ranch seasoning, bacon and green onions, too!

Get recipes to your inbox! Join the FREE membership group and get kitchen organizer packet ($9.99 value) as our gift.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Close up of a plateful of million dollar pasta with cheese on top.

Million Dollar Spaghetti Bake

4.72 from 38 votes
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved! Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Million dollar spaghetti is a mash up between lasagna and spaghetti with layers of pasta, hearty ground beef, rich marinara sauce, and creamy cheese topped with gooey Mozzarella. It's so easy to make and it feeds a crowd - great for potlucks.
Course Casserole,Main Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings:10
Calories:650
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter, sliced
  • 2 pounds ground beef, lean
  • ½ cup cottage cheese, or ricotta
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 3 cups Mozzarella, grated
  • 1 cup onions, diced
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 pound spaghetti, broken into thirds
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 48 ounces marinara sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°
  • Cook spaghetti in salted, boiling water - don't overcook!
  • Drain. Add 12 ounces (½ a jar) of marinara sauce to the spaghetti and set aside.
  • Add onion and ground beef to pan.
  • Saute until beef is cooked and onion is almost translucent.
  • Add garlic, smoked paprika, and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning; cook for a minute or two more.
  • Drain excess fat from pan.
  • Add half the sauce to the meat mixture and stir well. Set aside.
  • Heat the cream cheese in the microwave until soft.
  • Mix ½ cup of the Mozzarella, sour cream, cottage cheese, and cream cheese with 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning.
  • Blend until smooth and well mixed.
  • Place 8 squares of butter in the bottom of the 13x9-inch pan.
  • Cover with half the spaghetti.
  • Spoon the cheese mixture over the spaghetti and gently smooth into a layer.
  • Sprinkle with 1-½ cups of Mozzarella.
  • Cover with the remaining spaghetti.
  • Add the meat sauce in a smooth layer.
  • Add the remaining sauce over the meat.
  • Cover with the remaining cheese.
  • Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
  • Check and if the cheese is getting too brown cover with aluminum foil and bake 10-15 more minutes - or until the center registers 165° on an insta-read thermometer.
  • Remove from the oven and let stand 5-10 minutes.

Notes

Storage:
This easy spaghetti bake should be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can even assemble it ahead of time and bake when ready.
You can freeze it before or after baking. Just cover tightly or place in an airtight container and freeze for up to four months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as instructed in the recipe.
Tips:
  • I like to break the spaghetti up into thirds before cooking. The smaller sized noodles make it easier to cut and serve.
  • This is a good dish for sneaking in vegetables if you have veggie-haters at your house. Chop them and add in with the meat and sauce mixture.
  • Let the million dollar spaghetti casserole sit for about 5-10 minutes after you remove it from the oven. This gives it a chance to solidify a little and it won't fall apart (much) when you cut into it to serve.
  • Use a lean ground beef. I like the 90/10 mix.
  • If the dish has been in the refrigerator let it sit out on the counter for 30 minutes or so so the glass doesn't shatter with the quick temperature change when it goes in the oven.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1183mg | Potassium: 957mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1502IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 261mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

First published April 21, 2021. Last updated September 20, 2023, for editorial corrections and improvements.

More Beef Casseroles

  • Overhead view of ground beef and green bean casserole with crispy onion rings on top.
    Green Bean and Ground Beef Casserole
  • Closeup of a serving of tamale pie.
    Tamale Pie Recipe with Cornmeal
  • Overhead view of the finished casserole garnished with olives and green onions.
    Beef Nacho Casserole
  • Overhead view of the casserole with pepperoni on top/
    Meat Lovers' Tater Tot Pizza Casserole

Love it? Share it!

733 shares
  • Facebook
  • Flipboard

About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.72 from 38 votes (35 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Camden Rusincovitch says

    September 28, 2023 at 11:46 pm

    I can't wait to try out this million dollar spaghetti for dinner this weekend, it has my boyfriend and I love so I imagine it will be a huge hit!

    Reply
  2. Alyssa says

    September 26, 2023 at 8:16 am

    Million dollar spaghetti seems like the perfect weeknight meal! Spaghetti is a go to meal in my house, so I love that this adds a little twist to it!

    Reply
  3. Kristen says

    September 22, 2023 at 10:14 am

    5 stars
    My family is OBSESSED with million dollar dip, so I am pretty sure that this million dollar spaghetti recipe will be a hit! Can't wait to make it!

    Reply
  4. Cynthia Rusincovitch says

    September 22, 2023 at 9:44 am

    This is one of my kids' favorite meals but I had no idea it was called million dollar spaghetti!

    Reply
  5. Brittany says

    September 21, 2023 at 3:37 pm

    I had never heard of million dollar spaghetti but who doesn't love lasagna AND spaghetti?! It looks like something my picky eater might even try.

    Reply
  6. Anna Grace Harmon says

    July 23, 2021 at 2:16 pm

    I can't wait to make this!!! How much smoked paprika do you use?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      July 24, 2021 at 9:21 pm

      Half a teaspoon - I've fixed it in the recipe. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Julie says

    April 24, 2021 at 7:52 am

    5 stars
    Turned out great! Changed my rating to 5 stars!!! Thanks for the clarification on the process! 🤩

    Reply
  8. Julie says

    April 23, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    3 stars
    I'm a little confused about your directions. #10 says to mix the Mozzarella, cottage cheese, and cream cheese with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning. #15 says to sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the Mozzarella over the cheese mixture. #19 says cover with remaining cheese. Can you clarify those directions. Also, I don't see mention of the sour cream or cayenne in the directions and also wonder about the smoked paprika that's in the picture but not in the recipe. I think I will use a larger pan next time because the 9 X 13 was a bit small. Looking forward to dinner tonight but would appreciate it if you could clarify the directions for me. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Marye says

      April 23, 2021 at 5:27 pm

      The instructions are fixed. 1/2 cup of Mozzarella goes in with the cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese in #10. 1-1/2 cups get sprinkled over the cheese mixture. and the remaining 1 cup goes on top.

      Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

Find out more

🍉 Memorial Day

  • Overhead view of potato salad in a glass bowl
    Mom's Homemade Potato Salad

  • Overhead view of the finished watermelon basket filled with an assortment of fruit.
    How to Make a Watermelon Basket

  • Closeup of a finished hamburger in a bun.
    Retro Lipton Onion Soup Burger (Vintage Recipe)

  • Closeup of a star shaped cake covered in white chocolate with red and blue sprinkles.
    Zebra Cake Recipe: Little Debbie Copycat

🧢 Father's Day

  • Close up of chicken breast that's been grilled.
    Awesome Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon

  • Closeup image of sausage cheese dip.
    Rotel Sausage Dip

  • Closeup overhead view of the macaroni salad in a bowl with a spoon in it for serving.
    BBQ Macaroni Salad Texas Style

  • Close up of a piece of cake.
    Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

👑 Reader Favorites

  • Square overhead of chicken for feature image.
    Slow Cooker Angel Chicken

  • Close up of the sauce showing the creamy texture.
    Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce Recipe

  • Wooden spatula removing fried potatoes out of iron skillet.
    Crispy Pan Fried Potatoes

  • Blue cocktail with a red and white straw.
    Sex in the Driveway Cocktail

  • A sliced loaf of english muffin bread.
    Easy English Muffin Bread Recipe – Perfect for Toasting (No Kneading!)

  • Two finished loaves of Amish white bread cooling on a table.
    No-Fail Amish White Bread

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • About Marye Audet-White
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Contact
MaryeAudet Whiteandherchildren Dec

Featured In:

Places Restless Chipotle has been featured

We improve our products and advertising by using Microsoft Clarity to see how you use our website. By using our site, you agree that we and Microsoft can collect and use this data. Our privacy statement has more details.

Copyright ©2006 - 2025 Restless Chipotle Media, LLC

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.