Million Dollar Spaghetti (Printable)

Layered baked spaghetti with hearty meat sauce, creamy Alfredo, and melted cheeses, ideal for feeding a crowd.

# What You 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking apart with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
04 - Add diced onion and minced garlic to the meat mixture and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in marinara sauce, 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 thoroughly until smooth.
07 - Spread half the cooked spaghetti in the baking dish. Top evenly with half the Alfredo mixture, then half the meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
08 - Repeat layering with the remaining spaghetti, Alfredo mixture, meat sauce, and finish with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.
10 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a restaurant splurge but costs a fraction of the price and feeds eight people.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and pop it in the oven when guests arrive.
  • The combination of creamy Alfredo with savory meat sauce creates a depth that plain marinara never achieves.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end—a hot casserole falls apart when you cut it, but ten minutes makes all the difference between a mess and a perfect slice.
  • If your Alfredo mixture seems chunky with ricotta, blend it smoothly or use a whisk with real determination; unblended ricotta will create pockets of graininess.
  • The key to this tasting restaurant-quality is layering thoughtfully—don't rush spreading the Alfredo or it will mix with the pasta and sauce instead of creating distinct, creamy layers.
03 -
  • Buy good cheese and shred it yourself—it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded versions, which contain anti-caking agents that interfere with that glossy, bubbly finish.
  • If the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, loosely tent it with foil partway through baking rather than removing it completely.
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