Try this Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
- 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (i used prego)
- 1/2 stick butter cut into small chunks
- 1 cup whole milk cottage cheese
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese softened (not fat free or light)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley
- 1 8 oz package of mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 8 oz package shredded cheddar cheese
- Carbohydrate 3.7945200029136 g
- Cholesterol 328.472540528436 mg
- Fat 62.4742470116201 g
- Fiber 0.0626999989936894 g
- Protein 93.3106540020533 g
- Saturated Fat 25.7842013804422 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (548g)
- Sodium 335.932464228249 mg
- Sugar 3.73182000391991 g
- Trans Fat 6.36758100702172 g
- Calories 975 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil & cook spaghetti until 'al dente'
- Place the chunks of butter in the drained spaghetti and mix until coated, set aside.
- In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, add the diced onions and the olive oil together until onions are slightly cooked, then add your ground beef & cook until browned thoughout with the onions Drain the beef.
- Add in your jar of pasta sauce & parsley, then mix well until fully incorporated, put on very low to simmer.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese until well blended.
- Add in your spaghetti to the large bowl with the creamy mixture, toss until well coated.
- In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, pour creamy spaghetti mixture in and top with 3/4 of the pasta sauce, TOSS WELL.
- Add HALF cheddar & half mozzarella to the creamy spaghetti mixture, TOSS WELL again
- Add the remaining pasta sauce evenly over the top the the pasta
- Top with remaining cheeses, evenly
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until cheese is completely well melted. .ENJOY!
The Mechanics of Creamy Pasta Bakes
Achieving the correct textural contrast in a heavy pasta bake relies entirely on how the dairy is incorporated into the hot noodles. Tossing the drained spaghetti with softened cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese while the pasta is still warm ensures the fats emulsify rather than break into oily pools. Using full-fat cheeses is chemically non-negotiable here, because reduced-fat dairy contains higher water content that will thin the sauce and cause curdling during the 350-degree oven phase. Dice the onions finely and sweat them in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent before adding the lean ground beef, ensuring the moisture evaporates completely so the meat browns rather than steams. Toss half of the cheddar and mozzarella directly into the pasta mixture while reserving the remaining cheeses for the top crust, which prevents the interior from becoming overly dense. Bake the casserole uncovered for 25 minutes until the surface cheese bubbles and turns golden brown.Make-Ahead and Storage Protocol
Assembling this casserole ahead of time requires strict adherence to temperature safety rules regarding dairy-heavy mixtures. Refrigerate the unbaked dish for up to 24 hours wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, but add an extra 10 to 15 minutes of baking time to compensate for the chilled center. Freezing the assembled bake is also viable for up to two months, though thawing it completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to baking prevents the pasta from turning mushy.
