Million Dollar Spaghetti (Printer View)

Savory baked spaghetti layered with meat sauce, creamy Alfredo, and melted cheese for a hearty family meal.

# Components:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook spaghetti according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking up meat with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
04 - Add diced onion and minced garlic to meat mixture. Sauté until onion softens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Stir in marinara sauce, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat.
06 - In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Alfredo sauce, sour cream, and egg. Mix until smooth and uniform.
07 - Spread half of the cooked spaghetti evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pour half of the Alfredo mixture over the spaghetti and spread evenly. Top with half of the meat sauce, followed by 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
08 - Repeat layers with remaining spaghetti, Alfredo mixture, meat sauce, and finish by sprinkling with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
09 - Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a one-dish meal that feeds a crowd without requiring you to juggle multiple pots and pans.
  • The combination of rich, creamy, and savory flavors makes it feel fancy enough for company but easy enough for a Tuesday night.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day as the flavors marry together.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the excess fat from the meat—it's the difference between a silky casserole and one that feels greasy.
  • Slightly undercooking the pasta and letting it finish in the oven is the secret to texture; fully cooked pasta turns to mush under all those layers.
  • That 10-minute rest after baking isn't just tradition—it lets the creamy layers set so you can actually slice and serve it without it falling apart.
03 -
  • Make it ahead: assemble everything in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate up to a day early—just add 10 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
  • Use room-temperature ingredients when making the Alfredo layer; cold ricotta can create lumps that won't smooth out completely.
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