Million Dollar Spaghetti Bake (Printable Version)

Comforting baked spaghetti with layers of meat sauce, creamy Alfredo, and gooey cheese for crowd-pleasing meals.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound spaghetti

→ Meat Sauce

02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 0.5 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 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
09 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Alfredo Layer

10 - 15 ounces ricotta cheese
11 - 1 cup Alfredo sauce
12 - 0.5 cup sour cream
13 - 1 large egg

→ Cheeses

14 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

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, cook ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking up meat, until browned. Drain excess fat.
04 - Add diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in marinara sauce, dried Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Let simmer for 5 minutes off heat.
06 - In a bowl, blend ricotta cheese, Alfredo sauce, sour cream, and egg until smooth.
07 - Spread half of the cooked spaghetti in the prepared baking dish. Evenly pour half of the Alfredo mixture over it, followed by half of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 0.5 cup Parmesan.
08 - Repeat the layering with remaining spaghetti, Alfredo mixture, meat sauce, and cheeses.
09 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.
11 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It looks like you spent all day cooking when you really just assembled three simple components.
  • The combination of creamy Alfredo and tangy meat sauce creates this unexpected depth that keeps people asking for the recipe.
  • You can make it ahead, refrigerate it, and bake it later, which means stress-free entertaining.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time before serving—I learned this the hard way when I cut into it immediately and ended up with a beautiful but soupy mess on the plate.
  • Undercooking the spaghetti slightly is crucial because those pasta strands will absorb liquid in the oven and continue cooking; overcooked noodles turn mushy in the layers.
  • The egg in the Alfredo mixture isn't optional—it helps everything set without becoming dry, and it actually creates a silkier texture than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Buy quality Alfredo sauce—the jarred kind saves you time without the guilt, and it genuinely makes a difference in the final flavor.
  • Don't drain all the fat from the meat too aggressively; a little helps everything taste more luxurious and prevents the dish from drying out in the oven.
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