Quick Look at this Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti with Ground Beef
- Ready In: less than 1 hour!
- Serves: 12
- Main Ingredients: spaghetti noodles, ground beef, ground pork (or sausage), marinara sauce, ricotta, cream cheese, dried and fresh herbs (like our easy Italian seasoning)!
- Dietary Info: Gluten-Free friendly
- Prep Ahead of Time: assemble and store covered in the fridge or freezer.
- Best For: feeding a crowd, Christmas Eve dinner, or Sunday supper – makes great leftovers!
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Why This Baked Spaghetti Is Worth Making
- All the best parts of lasagna and spaghetti mixed together!
- It feeds a crowd – truly a family-style dinner.
- Rich, creamy texture because the noodles are tossed in cream cheese and it’s so good!
- Versatile – adjust the proteins, use gluten-free noodles, add a veggie (like spinach), etc.
- Meal prep friendly to make ahead of time or enjoy the leftovers all week long!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Ground Beef + Ground Pork – love using a combination of meats for a greater depth of flavor. Feel free to use Italian sausage in place of the ground pork.
- Ricotta Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Cream Cheese & Mozzarella Cheese – swap them out for dairy-free alternatives to make this dish dairy-free.
- Spaghetti Noodles – make this spaghetti bake gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles.
- Italian Seasoning – option to make your own homemade Italian seasoning so you always have some on hand.
How To Make Million Dollar Spaghetti
Step 1 – Brown the ground meat, drain, add onion and garlic to cook down. Pour in the marinara sauce, basil, and salt – mix to combine.
Step 2 – Put the ricotta mixture in a large bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
Step 3 – Cook noodles to al dente. Drain and add cream cheese, some meat sauce, 1/2 cup pasta water, and a little salt.
Step 4 – Toss to combine allowing the cream cheese to melt.
Pro Tip – Reserve Pasta Water!
Any time we are making pasta we remove some of that starchy pasta water before draining the noodles. It is perfect for adding back in to achieve the BEST creamy texture.
Step 5 – In a baking dish, layer 1/2 the noodles, 1/2 the ricotta, remaining noodles, and the remaining ricotta mixture.
Step 6 – Top with the remaining marinara sauce.
Meal Prep & Freezing
This baked spaghetti recipe is a great option to make ahead of time. Feel free to assemble, place the foil on top, and instead of baking in the oven, store in the fridge to bake in the next 1-2 days. Or move to the freezer, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake according to the recipe card instructions. Perfect for stocking the freezer!
Step 7 – Add the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Step 8 – Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool and serve!
Best Ways To Serve Million Dollar Spaghetti
A pan of million dollar baked spaghetti is the perfect comfort food all by itself, but we always love to serve with some fresh parsley and sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top! On the side, you can learn how to make garlic bread, buy some store-bought crusty bread, or maybe make a small house salad. Enjoy at your next family gathering!
Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti FAQs
It is a baked spaghetti casserole made with layers of spaghetti, meat sauce, and a rich, creamy cheese mixture. It has many of the same comforting flavors as lasagna, but uses spaghetti noodles instead of lasagna sheets.
Yes, sweet or hot Italian sausage would make a great choice for the meat sauce.
Yes, after fully assembling the casserole, cover with aluminum foil, label it, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and allow to come to room temperature right before placing it in the oven.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a warm oven for larger portions.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork, sub Italian sausage
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh basil, divided and roughly chopped
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 15 ounces whole ricotta cheese, sub dairy-free alternative
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 egg
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 4-6 ounces cream cheese, cut into large chunks
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
Serving Suggestion:
- fresh parsley, chopped
- grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Make Meat Sauce: Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 pound ground beef and ½ pound ground pork (or sausage). Break apart in the pan and move around until it is fully cooked. Drain excess grease. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and diced onion to the hot pan; allow to cook down 1-2 minutes. Add 24 ounces marinara sauce, ¼ cup of the fresh basil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to combine and warm throughout. Remove from heat.
- Make Ricotta Mixture: In a large bowl, add 15 ounces whole ricotta cheese, 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons dried parsley leaves, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, remaining fresh basil, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to fully combine.
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 pound spaghetti noodles, and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add 4-6 ounces cream cheese, approx. 1 cup of the meat sauce, ½ cup pasta water and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the pot of noodles. Toss to coat and let the cream cheese melt. Continue adding pasta water, as needed, to ensure noodle stay creamy.
- Assemble: Using a 9×13 pan, add half of the noodles in the bottom and then spread half of the ricotta mixture on top. Then add the rest of the noodles and the remaining ricotta mixture. Spread the remaining meat sauce on top. Cover with the rest of the mozzarella cheese (or as much as you want).
- Bake: Cover with aluminum foil and move the entire baking dish to the preheated oven to bake for 20-25 minutes. Uncover and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Let cool for a bit and then enjoy!
Notes
- Dairy-Free: swap out the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan for the dairy free alternatives.
- Gluten Free: simply use your favorite gluten-free spaghetti noodles.
- Make Ahead: this recipe can easily be made the day before, covered with aluminum foil, stored in the fridge and cooked the next day. Be sure to let the baking dish come back to room temperature before placing in the hot oven. The entire dish will need to cook longer than if you made it the same day, so adjust accordingly and leave the foil on for about half of the adjusted cook time and then remove.
Miss says
It takes a little time but oh so worth it! Really great flavor and love the leftovers. Only change I made was adding about four cups of fresh chopped spinach in with the beef. Thanks for another excellent recipe.
Erin says
Thank you so much, Miss!! So glad you enjoyed this one!