Million Dollar Spaghetti (Printer-Friendly)

Savory baked spaghetti layered with meat sauce, creamy Alfredo, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound spaghetti

→ Meat Sauce

02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 24 ounces marinara sauce
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Alfredo Layer

10 - 15 ounces ricotta cheese
11 - 1 cup Alfredo sauce
12 - 1/2 cup sour cream
13 - 1 large egg

→ Cheeses

14 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil spaghetti according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking apart until browned. Drain excess fat.
04 - Add diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir marinara sauce, dried Italian herbs, salt, and pepper into the meat mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
06 - Combine ricotta cheese, Alfredo sauce, sour cream, and egg in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
07 - Spread half of the cooked spaghetti in the baking dish. Top with half of the Alfredo mixture evenly, then half of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
08 - Repeat layers with remaining spaghetti, Alfredo mixture, meat sauce, and finish with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
09 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that looks like you spent all day cooking but honestly takes about an hour start to finish.
  • You get that restaurant-quality richness with three different sauces creating layers of flavor that keep surprising you with each bite.
  • It feeds eight people and tastes even better the next day, which means you're basically giving yourself a gift of easy leftovers.
02 -
  • Cook your pasta to al dente, not soft, or the final casserole will taste mushy no matter how careful you are with the rest.
  • Don't skimp on the browning step with the meat—that caramelization is where the deep, savory flavor comes from, and rushing it changes everything.
  • The ten-minute rest after baking is non-negotiable if you want clean slices that don't turn into a delicious mess on the plate.
03 -
  • Use a mixture of ground beef and Italian sausage rather than just beef—that sausage adds a subtle sweetness and depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking; those ten minutes let the layers set up so your slices stay intact instead of sliding into a pile of deliciousness.
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