Name: Million Dollar Spaghetti
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) package spaghetti; 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce; 0.5 cup butter, sliced - divided; 1 (8 ounce) container cottage cheese; 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 0.25 cup sour cream; 1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Indulge in a creamy, savory delight with this Million Dollar Spaghetti. A luscious combination of beef, cheese, and tomato sauce makes every bite irresistible.

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti (about 8 servings)
1 pound lean ground beef
16 ounces jar of spaghetti sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup butter, sliced, divided
8 ounces cottage cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and gather all ingredients.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until tender but still firm, about 8-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and crumbly, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess grease.
Transfer the cooked beef to a bowl and stir in the spaghetti sauce until evenly combined.
Prepare a 9x13-inch casserole dish by placing half of the butter slices at the bottom. Spread half of the cooked spaghetti over the butter.
In a separate bowl, mix together cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. Spread this creamy mixture over the spaghetti layer.
Add the remaining spaghetti on top and dot with the remaining butter slices.
Pour the beef and sauce mixture evenly over the top of the spaghetti.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese over the top, and return to bake until the cheese is melted and lightly golden, about 15 more minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your decadent Million Dollar Spaghetti!

Serving Suggestions

Pair this rich spaghetti with fresh, crisp sides to balance the flavors:

Classic Caesar Salad
Garlic Bread with a golden crust
Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave to maintain creamy texture.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 618
Total Fat: 42g (54% DV)
Saturated Fat: 24g (122% DV)
Cholesterol: 136mg (45% DV)
Sodium: 721mg (31% DV)
Total Carbohydrate: 31g (11% DV)
Dietary Fiber: 2g (9% DV)
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 28g (57% DV)
Calcium: 275mg (21% DV)
Iron: 3mg (16% DV)
Potassium: 471mg (10% DV)

Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe

Comments

Julie Mitchell

09/18/2024 05:43:39 AM

I absolutely adore this recipe, although I did make a couple of modifications. Firstly, I opted to use only half the amount of butter. Secondly, I enhanced the cheese mixture with Italian seasoning and garlic to give it a boost of flavor. Lastly, instead of simply placing the meat mixture on top, I layered it with noodles, cheese mixture, meat, cheddar, mozzarella cheese, and repeated the layers once more. The end result was incredibly delicious, and my family couldn't get enough of it. I will definitely be making this again!

Sharon Anderson

01/18/2024 07:27:28 PM

I absolutely love this recipe and we make it frequently. I have a couple of suggestions: you really don't need as much butter as the recipe calls for. I usually cut the amount of butter in half, or even more, and it turns out just as delicious. Using cheddar cheese is essential for this recipe, as recommended. I was hesitant at first because it's a spaghetti dish, but the cheddar cheese truly elevates the flavor and is crucial to the dish. Lastly, if you feel that the creamy sauce is a bit bland, try adding some garlic and/or Italian seasonings for an extra kick. Overall, it's a delightful dish!

Lisa Wilson

06/06/2023 11:20:58 AM

I also made some changes to the recipe for easier preparation. I mixed the center filling in a Ziploc bag to minimize mess and help soften the cream cheese with the sour cream. This method allowed me to easily remove any lumps from the mixture. Additionally, I added Italian Seasoning Mix in two different stages - 1 tablespoon into the meat and 2 tablespoons into the center filling mix. For the cheese, I used a blend of Provolone, Asiago, and Parmesan Reggiano, and sprinkled a light dusting of nutmeg on top.

Stephanie Young

06/09/2024 04:22:24 AM

Awful. Greasy. Not fit to eat.

Amanda Lopez

12/11/2024 06:53:51 AM

A keeper! The flavors are fantastic and the recipes are easy to follow.

Patrick Brown

01/23/2023 11:43:08 AM

I was eager to experiment with a baked spaghetti recipe, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the flavors turned out to be. I'm usually not a fan of cottage cheese, but it worked well in this dish, adding a rich texture that was a bit too heavy for my liking. If I were to make it again, I would reduce the amount of cream cheese by half and increase the pasta to 12oz. The only adjustment I made was cooking the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package directions recommended, and it turned out perfectly.