Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe | The Best Creamy Baked Spaghetti

Million Dollar Spaghetti is a spaghetti casserole made with ground beef, tons of mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and layers of tender pasta and savory sauce. It’s a weeknight dinner that is simple enough for a family dinner but impressive enough to serve for a special occasion or holiday. Unlike other baked spaghetti recipes, this pasta dish is layered with a variety of cheeses to make it the ultimate indulgent comfort food.

Post updated April 11, 2025 to improve pictures only. No changes to the recipe were made.

Why This Will Be Your Favorite Baked Pasta Dish

• It’s quick. While this recipe might not be one of my typical 30-minute or less dishes, it can certainly be made in under an hour. Most of that time is spent baking the creamy spaghetti casserole, so the amount of time you have to spend hovering over a stove is very minimal. It’s like making lasagna, but easier!
• You can feed a crowd. If you’re hosting company, feeding a larger family, or just want the convenience of heating up leftovers later in the week, this twist on traditional spaghetti is sure to feed the masses.
• Customize it to fit your tastes. If you have picky eaters that you like to cater to, or simply like to be adventurous in the kitchen, this pasta casserole recipe is easily modified to please.
• Brings flavor on a budget. With the ever-rising cost of groceries, recipes that can be made affordably are always a hit in our house. You’ll love that you can feed the whole family for under $20.

Ashley’s Advice

This Million Dollar Spaghetti is absolutely decadent and makes even spaghetti haters (who knew that was even a thing?) ask for seconds. If you’re planning on having enough for leftovers, add about a cup of additional sauce before baking. The pasta noodles like to soak it all up in the refrigerator overnight.

What Does Million Dollar Spaghetti Taste Like?

This Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe is the ultimate, creamy, cheesy, decadent spaghetti recipe you’ve ever made!

Piled high with flavorful ground beef, melty mozzarella, creamy ricotta, loads of perfectly cooked noodles, rich butter baked into every bite, a lovely blend of spices that really bring out the flavors of the sauce and cheese blend, and the perfect amount of robust spaghetti sauce, your family will be begging you to make this entree again and again.

What Is The Best Cheese For Baked Spaghetti Casserole?

Let’s be honest. Cheese is good. So, when you’re making this Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe, why choose just one or two boring cheeses? This recipe uses a combination of Mozzarella, Parmesan, Ricotta, and Cream Cheese to create a flavor bomb you’ll have a hard time saying no to.

Ingredients For Million Dollar Spaghetti

• Spaghetti Noodles- Traditional spaghetti noodles are what I prefer to use in this dish because they hold up to the moisture of the cheese well and give plenty of surface area to soak up the sauce.
• Butter- Provides additional decadence to the spaghetti casserole.
• Olive Oil– To saute the garlic.
• Spaghetti Sauce- Choose your favorite canned, jarred, or homemade recipe.
• Ground Beef- I prefer using ground beef because it is what we have in our refrigerator most of the time, but feel free to use Italian sausage or a combination of both for an extra flavor boost.
• Garlic- A small amount of minced garlic goes a long way to make a delicious dish.
• Ricotta Cheese- It’s creamy, delicious, and makes for a velvety cheese layer.
• Cream Cheese- Adds tanginess to the dish when combined with the other varieties of cheese.
• Mozzarella Cheese- This cheese melts well and provides each portion of this Million Dollar Spaghetti with a crave-worthy cheese pull.
• Parmesan Cheese- A savory, nutty cheese variety that pairs well with the three other cheeses.
• Spices- Use a combination of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to season the ground beef and amplify the flavors of the minced garlic.

How To Make Million Dollar Spaghetti Step By Step

Prepare the Pasta. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook the dried pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.

Brown the Ground Beef. In a separate skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and toast until golden brown. Add the ground beef and break it up with the end of a spatula. Cook it until no pink remains. Drain the renderings.

Combine the Cheesy Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, Italian seasoning, and half of the mozzarella cheese to create the creamy layer for Million Dollar Spaghetti with Cream Cheese.

Mix in the Sauce. Pour 3 cups of spaghetti sauce into the cooked and drained ground beef. Mix the remaining 1 cup of spaghetti sauce into the cooked and drained spaghetti noodles.

Layer the Spaghetti Casserole. Put the butter in the microwave and warm it until melted. Place the melted butter in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Layer the Million Dollar Spaghetti with Cream Cheese accordingly:

1. Half of the spaghetti and pasta mixture
2. Cheese filling
3. Remaining pasta and sauce mixture
4. Ground beef and sauce mixture
5. Top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Bake to Perfection. Bake the layered baked spaghetti casserole at 375F for 15-20 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy! Slice the Million Dollar Spaghetti into 12 servings, plate, and enjoy!

Variations

• Use Italian Sausage. If you’re looking for a more robust flavor, consider using ground Italian sausage in place of the ground beef in this recipe.
• Swap out Sauces. Not a fan of red sauces? Consider swapping out the marinara with an alfredo or pesto sauce for a tasty bite!
• Add in some veggies. If you want to add some veggies to make this a more nutritious meal, try sauteeing some onions with the ground beef while cooking. Layer in some spinach and sun-dried tomatoes with the cheese layer before baking.
• Get creative with the pasta. Do you have every kind of pasta in your pantry EXCEPT for spaghetti noodles? Just cook the pasta of your choice according to the package instructions and use it to layer according to the instructions above.
• Wondering how to keep Million Dollar Spaghetti from drying out? Don’t use a light hand with the sauce. The moisture from the cheese naturally keeps this cheesy pasta dish moist, but adding as much sauce as the recipe calls for is critical. It may seem like too much when you’re prepping the spaghetti casserole, but the pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it bakes.

What To Serve With This Easy Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe

Not sure what to serve with your next Baked Spaghetti Casserole? Here are some ideas to make this dish a complete meal:

• Garlic Bread
• Green Salad
• Breadsticks
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Steamed Broccoli

How Long Does Baked Spaghetti Casserole Last?

If you want to use this as a make ahead Million Dollar Spaghetti, you can rest easy knowing it reheats like a dream. If anything, the longer it sits, the better it tastes. When stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, you can expect this Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe to last up to 4-5 days.

This baked pasta recipe makes A LOT of pasta, so it’s great for meal prep. When it’s time to reheat, pop individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. For it to taste fresh out of the oven, consider adding a splash of additional pasta sauce to your plate before you heat and eat.

If you love how quick and easy this Million Dollar Spaghetti is, don’t forget to share and save for later!

Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe | The Best Creamy Baked Spaghetti

5 from 3 votes

If you're tired of the same boring spaghetti night, make this Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe! Packed with tons of creamy cheese, perfectly cooked noodles, seasoned ground beef, and soaked in robust tomato sauce, this creamy baked pasta dish will be a new family favorite.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 531

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 16 ounces Spaghetti Noodles
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 36 ounces Spaghetti Sauce
• 2 tbsp Garlic minced
• 15 ounces Ricotta Cheese
• 8 ounces Cream Cheese
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

Method

 

1. Boil the water for the pasta in a large pot. Cook the spaghetti noodles for 5-7 minutes or until al dente.
2. In a skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and toast until golden brown. Add the ground beef and break it up with a spatula. Continue to break it up into small pieces and cook it over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Drain any fat from the pan.
3. Combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, Italian seasoning, and half of the mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.
4. Pour 3 cups of spaghetti sauce into the cooked ground beef. Mix the remaining 1 cup of spaghetti sauce into the cooked and drained spaghetti noodles.
5. Put the butter in the microwave and warm it until it is melted. Place the melted butter in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Layer the Million Dollar Spaghetti accordingly:
6. Half of the spaghetti and pasta mixture.

   Cheese filling.

   Remaining pasta and sauce mixture.

   Ground beef and sauce mixture.

   Top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
7. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes.
8. Slice the Million Dollar Spaghetti into 12 servings, plate, and serve.

If you’re looking for more of my best pasta recipes to jazz up your pasta game for your next dinner plan, check out my Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff, Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs, Pork Lo Mein, or Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rolls.