Million Dollar Casserole Recipe (Spaghetti Casserole)

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5 from 2 votes
Published: December 11, 2020Updated: February 4, 2021Author: Contributor
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Rich and creamy cheesy pasta, what more could you ask for? Million Dollar Casserole is sure to be a hit in your house with all the wonderful creamy flavors.
Million Dollar Casserole Recipe (Spaghetti Casserole)

One of our most popular recipes on our website is this Million Dollar Casserole (also known as Spaghetti Casserole).

It is one of my family’s favorite weeknight dinner recipes.

Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole is great the first night and is just as good for leftovers.

You can even double the recipe and freeze the second one for later.  

Make some of our 30 Minute Homemade Rolls Recipe to go with it and you have the perfect meal.

ingredients in million dollar casserole

Ingredients Needed For Our Million Dollar Casserole:

  • Spaghetti noodles
  • Cream cheese
  • Sour Cream 
  • Cottage cheese 
  • Ground beef (or you can use turkey if you prefer)
  • Jar of spaghetti sauce
  • Butter
  • Cheddar cheese
million dollar casserole in a white pan

How To Make Million Dollar Casserole:

Begin by preheating the oven 350 degrees. 

Then cook the spaghetti noodles according to the package. 

While the noodles are cooking, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese in a medium mixing bowl. 

Note: there might be a few chunks from the cottage cheese, but just make sure it is all mixed together well. 

meat sauce with spaghetti sauce

Now, place the ground beef in a large skillet and cook it until browned and cooked through, then drain the grease from the pan. 

After the meat has been drained, pour the spaghetti sauce over the meat and mix it together well. 

Use a 9×13 inch pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. 

Put half of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the pan.

spaghetti noodles in bottom of pan

Then, pour the creamy cheese mixture on top of the noodles and spread it out evenly. 

cottage cheese layer of casserole spread on top of noodles

Next, spread the rest of the noodles on top and then slice up the butter and distribute it evenly throughout the pan. 

Once all the noodles and butter have been added pour all of the meat sauce on top of the noodles, making sure it all gets covered. 

meat sauce layer on noodles of casserole

Now, put the dish in the oven, uncovered for 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes, take the dish out and spread the shredded cheddar cheese over top and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes. 

spaghetti casserole on a plate with rolls

Then, take it out and serve it with your favorite sides.

Looking for another casserole? Try our Cowboy Casserole!

Be sure to have these items for this Six Sisters’ casserole:

  1. 9×13 baking dish (like THIS one)
  2. Large pot
  3. Large skillet
  4. Colander/strainer
  5. Nonstick cooking spray 
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Make Your Own Pasta Sauce:

If you have already done your canning for the year, you can always use your canned pasta sauce in this recipe.

If not, try this homemade pasta sauce recipe from Mom On Timeout and use it in place of the jar of pasta sauce.

We have a few more favorites that you should try out! Like our Baked Spaghetti, our easy Chicken Spaghetti , our Healthy Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce and our fresh Spaghetti Salad recipe! These are are all so simple to make.

close up of million dollar spaghetti casserole in a 9x13 pan

Easy Family Dinner Casserole Recipes: 

Serves: 10

Million Dollar Casserole (Spaghetti Casserole)

5 from 2 votes
Layers of cheesy pasta and creamy sauce make this casserole a family favorite.    
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces spaghetti noodles (uncooked)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 8 ounces cottage cheese
  • 1 pound ground beef (you could also use ground turkey)
  • 26 ounces spaghetti sauce (1 jar)
  • ¼ cup butter (softened)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cook noodles as directed on the package.
  • While your noodles are boiling, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese in a medium-sized bowl until smooth (there might be a couple of bumps from the cottage cheese, but make sure it's all mixed together well).
  • Place ground beef in a large skillet and brown until completely cooked through. Drain grease well.
  • Pour spaghetti sauce over the meat and mix well.
  • Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.
  • Layer half of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the dish. Pour the creamy cheese mixture on top of the noodles and spread it around evenly. Next, add the rest of the noodles on top of the cheese mix layer and spread the noodles out to cover the pan. Then, slice up the butter and place it on top of the noodles throughout the pan. 
  • Once the noodle and cheese layers have been put together, pour the red meat sauce on top and cover the noodles completely. 
  • Cook it uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Once the 30 minutes is up, take the casserole out of the oven and cover the whole thing with cheddar cheese. Then return it back to the oven to cook for another 15 minutes. 

Notes

  • When cooking it from frozen: Expect to add 50% to the cooking time and you might also want to reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Be ready to cover your casserole in aluminum foil so the top doesn’t get too brown. Or you can thaw and bake it as usual.

Nutrition

Calories: 414 kcal · Carbohydrates: 23 g · Protein: 19 g · Fat: 28 g · Saturated Fat: 14 g · Cholesterol: 88 mg · Sodium: 689 mg · Potassium: 491 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 946 IU · Vitamin C: 5 mg · Calcium: 153 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch Baking Pan

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Contributor

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Million Dollar Casserole being served out of a 9x13 pan

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  1. Frickin' Fabulous at 40 says:
    December 10, 2012
    Do you mean softened cream cheese? (This looks awesome by they way!)
    Reply
  2. Pacific Myst says:
    December 10, 2012
    At the bottom of the recipe (looks deliciously perfect for my family) could you please add a Pinterest direct button, along with the facebook, twitter etc?
    Reply
    • Barbara Doughtie says:
      August 15, 2020
      I am not a big pasta eater but this dish surprised me. Not only is it easy to make but it is delicious . Will certainly make this again and again. Yummy. .
      Reply
  3. Mrsblocko says:
    December 10, 2012
    can of spaghetti sauce? Approx how many oz is this?
    thanks!
    Reply
    • Judy Baum says:
      January 20, 2018
      26 oz jar
      Reply
  4. Lisa says:
    December 10, 2012
    I was wondering the same thing about the can of spaghetti sauce. How big of a can?
    Reply
  5. Kari Lindsay says:
    December 10, 2012
    Yummo... I'm digging the tang and creaminess that the cheeses bring to the party!
    Reply
  6. Annette says:
    December 10, 2012
    This comment has been removed by the author.
    Reply
    • Annette says:
      December 10, 2012
      Forgot Pacific Mist look under the pic of the casserole there is a pinterest button there. Annette xo
      Reply
  7. marissa | Rae Gun Ramblings says:
    December 10, 2012
    this sounds SO good! totally what I'm in the mood for after getting back from my swimming class, pinned it hopefully for next week
    Reply
  8. nana says:
    December 10, 2012
    this with a little of Trader Joes white corn(frozen) added has been somethng from when Grandma made it when she got stuck with the babysitting while all of her daughters went Christmas shopping. Of course, she used leftover meats
    Reply
  9. Maureen Witmer says:
    December 11, 2012
    This looks so yummy! Don't forget to use www.Takethemameal.com when scheduling meals for new moms (or any other friend or relative in need)!
    Reply
  10. Mrs. Yazzie's Classroom News says:
    December 11, 2012
    Yum! I'm sold by the picture. But I'm having trouble with the recipe. A few of the finer points escape me. Maybe I'm just tired from a long day, I mean a loooonnnnngggg day at work! I'm still going to make it tonight though. It looks and sounds amazing.
    Reply
  11. Mrs. Yazzie's Classroom News says:
    December 11, 2012
    Just got it in the oven and sat down to review the recipe. I should have clicked on the link below the recipe that takes you to the website from where the recipe originated. It has pictures that clarified my questions. :o)
    Reply
  12. Kim B. says:
    December 12, 2012
    This looks soooo good!! I'm always looking for some new simple pasta recipes :) Can't wait too make it!
    Reply
  13. Amber Anderson says:
    February 9, 2013
    Does this freeze well?
    Reply
    • Eleni says:
      October 27, 2016
      I froze it once, and it would have taken all day to defrost before putting in the oven. I don't recommend that. I'm wondering how long this keeps in the fridge before hearing it up for 30 min at 350 part.
      Reply
  14. Emily H says:
    April 12, 2013
    I made this for the fam this week. Very tasty!
    Reply
  15. Melissa Caldwell says:
    May 29, 2013
    I made this last week and my family loved it. My husband said I should definitely add it to list of rotation meals. My daughter cant wait to cook it for her boyfriend and maybe try it out on her roommates! Awesome!!!
    Reply
  16. Kristen says:
    July 11, 2013
    I'd also like to know how much spaghetti sauce is in the "can" you're talking about. This sounds like a great and easy recipe that I could make for my boyfriend and I. I currently have two 26-oz jars of spaghetti sauce I'd like to use soon, and surely they can be used in this casserole. If you could just tell me how many ounces of spaghetti sauce there should be rather than just a generic "can", that would be great!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      July 11, 2013
      Use one of the 26 ounce jars for this recipe.
      Reply
  17. Jacie says:
    September 8, 2013
    Quick question- just getting started with making some freezer meals and I'd love to make this but I just want to make sure I do it correctly...do I cover and freeze after making it? Thanks for your help!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 9, 2013
      Yes, cover and freeze it after making it. Then just thaw and cook when ready. Some people cook it before freezing, then they just thaw and heat through. Either way works, just watch it closely.
      Reply
      • Ellie says:
        July 24, 2018
        Which is the preferred way of preparing for freezer? Cook before freezer or assemble for freezer then cook when planning to eat? Same for enchiladas and other pasta dishes that could be froze?
        Reply
        • Cyd says:
          July 24, 2018
          We have done it both ways, but sometimes the pasta gets mushy if you cook the whole dinner, then thaw and reheat. Every recipe can be a little tricky. Freezing casseroles before baking is totally fine. Actually, you're less likely to overcook them if you freeze it before baking. When cooking it from frozen: Expect to add 50% to the cooking time and you might also want to reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Be ready to cover your casserole in aluminum foil so the top doesn't get too brown. Or thaw and bake as usual.
          Reply
  18. Heidi says:
    September 12, 2013
    Can you imagine this with Spaghetti Squash instead of Pasta? OMG! And I love Nana's idea of corn! With squash this becomes a complete meal. gluten free and Paleo friendly! How awesome!
    Reply
  19. Lee Ann says:
    September 23, 2013
    This looks awesome and will be fabulous for stocking our church's Compassionate Cooks ministry freezer. About how many servings will this make?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 27, 2013
      Just click on the MAGIC button under the picture and then click on NUTRITION. It will give you all of the nutritional info and servings. This is our new sister site - MyRecipeMagic.com. It has so many great features. Hope you'll stop by and check it out. http://myrecipemagic.com/home/recipes Have a great day! -The Six Sisters
      Reply
      • Christina says:
        July 26, 2015
        The nutrition page says this serves 15 which doesn't seem correct. How many does this recipe serve?
        Reply
        • Cyd says:
          August 3, 2015
          It really depends on the serving size. If you are feeding adults or teenagers it will proabably feed about 8 to 10. But a family of mixed ages will feed 10 to 14.
          Reply
        • Dee Strawser says:
          January 6, 2019
          I questioned the amount of spaghetti upon reading and I was correct, 8 oz. only feeds four people, but the sauce and cheeses are enough for 16 oz. of spaghetti and a 13 x 9 pan should feed eight people.
          Reply
  20. Cassandra says:
    November 10, 2013
    This was linked under freezer meals, how do you adapt it for the freezer?
    Reply
  21. Jamee says:
    January 7, 2014
    I made this for dinner tonight. With temps in the single digits, I thought this would be a perfect comfort food with homemade rolls. It was delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
    Reply
  22. Audrey says:
    February 9, 2014
    I made this for Sunday dinner today...My picky family really liked it. The flavor is perfectly rich with the cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheese...I also substituted spaghetti for the penne..I will definitely make it again.
    Reply
  23. Amber says:
    June 12, 2014
    I've got this dish in the oven right now! I love it. It's a good alternative to plain old spaghetti. Plus I love cream cheese in pasta dishes. Mmm!
    Reply
  24. Shellbeee says:
    November 2, 2016
    If I wanted to make 2 at the same time how would I go about doing that? I have a plain regular oven nothing special. Is it possible to do this? I have a big family and they loved this for dinner but there wasn't enough so I was hoping to bake 2 at a time. I've never done that before. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      November 3, 2016
      You can easily double this recipe and make 2. Just be sure that both pans will fit in your oven if you want to cook them at the same time. Otherwise, you may have to cook one first and then stick the other one in the oven while you eat the first one! :) Have a great weekend!!
      Reply
  25. Beth says:
    January 22, 2018
    I am not a fan of cottage cheese - do you think a substitution of ricotta would work? And if so, the same amount? Looks delicious - can’t wait to try it!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      January 22, 2018
      You can definitely use ricotta cheese as a substitute for cottage cheese in the recipe. You would use the same amount
      Reply
  26. STEVEN C ROTH SR says:
    September 2, 2018
    What about nutritional facts as the recipe is written?
    Reply
  27. Tammy says:
    July 7, 2019
    Instead of cottage cheese can use ricotta I was just wondering because I’m not a big cottage cheese fan
    Reply
  28. Keith says:
    September 19, 2019
    This was a hit in my house!!
    Reply
  29. Vic says:
    February 10, 2020
    Someone mentioned the pasta should be 16 ozs. vs. 8 ozs. I saw no response to this suggestion. Any thoughts?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      February 17, 2020
      Our recipe calls for 8 ounces. But this could easily be doubled.
      Reply
    • Marcie says:
      October 10, 2021
      I used 16 ounces of Penne Pasta and it worked great in a 9x13 casserole dish.

      5 stars

      Reply
  30. Erin says:
    March 2, 2020
    Just made this. It was very good but I adjusted some things. I doubled the pasta and the sauce. Added mushrooms and onion to the sauce and substituted mozzarella for the cheddar. Very good, will definitely make again!
    Reply
  31. Abby says:
    March 21, 2020
    Could you make this without the cottage cheese but more of the others (sour cream and cream cheese)? We don’t have cottage or ricotta and don’t plan on going to the store but have everything else...
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      March 26, 2020
      We always make it as the recipe directs. But this recipe is very forgiving and I'm sure you could make small tweaks with the ingredients you have on hand without any problems.
      Reply
  32. Tara Craig says:
    March 29, 2020
    I made this for dinner last night and it was SO good. I used Bona chick pea spaghetti, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, light cream cheese, and ground turkey. It was a huge hit with my husband and my kids and they had no idea anything was substituted! The name fits this one!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      March 30, 2020
      WIN! So glad your family like it!! Have a great week and stay safe.
      Reply
  33. nancy alton says:
    May 14, 2020
    I have heard that the Six Sisters Million Dollar Casserole is very good , How do I get to that recipe, Thank you, Nancy
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      May 22, 2020
      You were on the right blog post, but you need to keep scrolling. When you get to the bottom you will see the full recipe - including ingredients and instructions.
      Reply
      • Joyce Carter says:
        August 13, 2020
        I would like join and receive your recipes. They look great and i wou Ld like to try. Thanksj
        Reply
  34. Lisa says:
    July 6, 2020
    Made this tonight. So good!
    Reply
  35. Lisa says:
    September 9, 2020
    Can I assemble right to point of baking say in morning then cover and leave in fridge till it’s dinner time , like 6 hours later then cook it
    Reply
    • Cyd Adamson says:
      September 18, 2020
      Yes, this is a great make ahead dish and stick in the oven closer to dinner time.
      Reply
  36. Dorothy Elliott says:
    January 23, 2021
    I am going to try it.
    Reply
  37. Tami Smith says:
    February 4, 2021
    This casserole was SO delicious and much easier than lasagna. I used our vegetarian burger crumbles for a meatless version. It is an often requested dinner item in our household. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    5 stars

    Reply
  38. Anita says:
    June 10, 2021
    Can you prepare this earlier in the day and make it for supper that evening?
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      June 14, 2021
      Yes, this is perfect for making ahead of time and then stick it in the fridge until ready to bake.
      Reply
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