Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole (Printable)

A comforting baked spaghetti layered with savory meat sauce, creamy Alfredo, and gooey cheeses for a satisfying meal.

# What You'll 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil spaghetti according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and Italian sausage until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
04 - Add diced onion and minced garlic to meat; sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in marinara sauce, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. 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 - Place half the spaghetti in the baking dish. Spread half the Alfredo mixture over spaghetti evenly. Top with half the meat sauce, then sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
08 - Add remaining spaghetti, remaining Alfredo mixture, remaining meat sauce, and finish with remaining cheeses on top.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that looks fancy enough for company but tastes like the best hug in food form.
  • Everything comes together in under two hours, and most of that time the oven does the work while you pour a drink.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the meat—I learned this the hard way when grease pooled on top and made everything slide around like an ice rink.
  • That egg in the Alfredo mixture is crucial; without it, the layers separate during baking instead of staying bound together.
03 -
  • Buy pre-shredded cheese if it saves you time—I used to feel guilty about it until I realized the point is getting dinner on the table, not suffering in the kitchen.
  • Taste the meat sauce before you layer; if it needs more salt or herbs, now's the time to fix it instead of regretting it at the table.
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