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Baked million dollar spaghetti casserole with a cheese pull from the corner slice

Million Dollar Spaghetti

A baked spaghetti casserole with a cold cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese filling layered between noodles, topped with a seasoned beef sauce and melted mozzarella.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz 340 g spaghetti
  • 1 lb 450 g ground beef, 85/15
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 24 oz 680 g marinara or spaghetti sauce
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 8 oz 225 g cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup 240 g sour cream
  • 1 cup 225 g small curd cottage cheese, drained
  • 4 tbsp 55 g unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan for the filling
  • 2 cups 225 g shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup 50 g grated parmesan (for the topping)

Method
 

  1. Boil the spaghetti 8 minutes until firm at the center, drain, and toss with a spoonful of sauce.
  2. Brown the ground beef 6 to 7 minutes until no pink remains, then drain most of the fat.
  3. Cook the onion 3 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in marinara, seasoning, salt, and pepper and simmer 5 minutes.
  4. Mash the cream cheese smooth, fold in sour cream, cottage cheese, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons parmesan.
  5. Layer half the spaghetti in a greased 9x13 dish, dollop the cream cheese mixture over it, cover with the rest of the spaghetti, then pour the meat sauce on top.
  6. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
  7. Uncover, top with mozzarella and remaining parmesan, and bake 12 to 15 minutes more until golden and bubbling.
  8. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use full fat sour cream, since light versions separate under oven heat and leave liquid in the pan.
Drop the cream cheese mixture in spoonfuls rather than spreading it, or it blends into the noodles before baking.
This can be assembled a full day ahead and baked straight from the fridge with 8 to 10 extra covered minutes.
Storage Notes:
Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freeze the fully cooled, wrapped dish up to 2 months and thaw overnight before reheating.
Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 minutes from cold.