Million Dollar Spaghetti

By Melissa Knific

Published Oct. 24, 2024

Million Dollar Spaghetti
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(1,088)
Comments
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Unapologetically indulgent, this hearty potluck- and family-friendly baked pasta, popular throughout the South and Midwest, likely earned its name from the rich, dairy-packed ingredient list. In this version, four cheeses — ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan — are combined and layered in between a quick meat sauce and a pound of pasta. The casserole is more streamlined than its cousin lasagna, thanks to spaghetti, which simply gets divided in half, instead of laboriously layering individual noodles. For extra ease, use jarred marinara (although homemade sauce is welcome, too). The dish can be prepped a day in advance; just be sure to bring it to room temperature an hour before baking to take off the chill.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1(24-ounce) jar marinara, or 2½ cups homemade marinara
  • 1tablespoon olive oil
  • 1pound ground beef (90-percent lean)
  • ½pound Italian sausage, sweet or hot, casings removed if necessary
  • 1small yellow onion, chopped
  • 4large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ¼cup water
  • 1pound spaghetti
  • 3tablespoons butter
  • 1(15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta (about 1¾ cups)
  • 8ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 8ounces low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
  • 3ounces shredded Parmesan (¾ cup)
  • Fresh basil or parsley, for serving (optional)
  • Crushed red pepper, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set aside 1 cup of the marinara.

  2. Step 2

    Heat oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add beef and sausage, breaking up the meat into small pieces, then cook, undisturbed, until browned on the one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onion has started to soften, 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in Italian seasoning, the remaining marinara and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil, adjust heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Turn off heat.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, add spaghetti to the pot when the water comes to a boil. Cook a few minutes shy of al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain pasta and return to the empty pot. Stir in the reserved 1 cup of the marinara and the butter, until melted.

  4. Step 4

    In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, cream cheese, ½ cup of the mozzarella and ½ cup of the Parmesan until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. Step 5

    Spread half of the spaghetti in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer with the ricotta mixture, followed by the remaining spaghetti, all of the meat sauce and finally the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

  6. Step 6

    Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until bubbling and golden brown, 15 minutes more. (To make ahead, refrigerate the covered casserole up to overnight; bring to room temperature then bake for 1 hour.)

  7. Step 7

    Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and crushed red pepper, if using. Cut into portions with a sharp or serrated knife and serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,088 user ratings
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Comments

Marissa

Made this for dinner, it was great. I’m now having the leftovers on a Friday night (Saturday morning?), lit up like a Christmas tree, and I have zero regrets. 46/10, would recommend. Pairs nicely with wine or other substances of choice. Live your truth. Be free. Eat weird spaghetti casseroles.

Miz

@MaryanneR. I keep seeing comments like this suggesting it’s unhealthy. My suggestion to those who turn their nose up to this kind of casserole is don’t make it and don’t comment. If you eat what equals 2 oz pasta plus the meat—a hockey puck size—it’s not going to hurt you. Life is short. Enjoy yourself sometimes.

Mx. Trixie

Delicious in all its comfort-food glory and just what I needed during a difficult week. Thanks for adding a mainstream culture recipe to your vault - one that is sure to wrankle the nerves of many food and diet police lol.

Sylvia

This was delicious, and tastes even better the next day. Way easier than lasagna. Tip: read the whole recipe through, as several ingredients were divided, but it all turned out very well anyone. A keeper.

Babsie

While we loved the flavors of this dish, and do plan to add it to our regular rotation, we found the cheese layer overwhelming. Next time I’ll reduce those ingredients by half.

katherine

Quick question about making this ahead of time: the recipe mentions refrigerating it in the step with the cooking instructions. Does this mean I fully cook it and then refrigerate it and then reheat it for an hour? Or just assemble it up to the cooking step, refrigerate, and then cook for the hour. I feel so silly, but I always get confused about when to refrigerate in the cooking process with stuff like this. Thank you!

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