I'm so happy you have found my sweet corner of the internet. Let's have some fun! As a busy Mom of 3, I'm here to help you find the simplicity in cooking. I've already developed easy dinners, side dishes, breakfasts and desserts for you so there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Use my recipes to feed your family!

latest recipes from the blog

Powered by Blogger.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
Friday, February 10, 2012

Million Dollar Casserole


This pasta dish has been pinned a zillion and one times and gets rave reviews from families near and far.  
Make sure you are following me on Facebook for more great recipes!

million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

I've showcased this dish before, but this version is a little different.  The original name of this dish is Million Dollar Spaghetti, but to me it just "feels" like a casserole.  It makes a TON, is such a great meal to feed a crowd or to make when you have a busy week as it will cover dinner for at least two nights in a row, maybe three!

I texted my good friend that gave me this recipe years ago last weekend saying I was making it.  You know it's a keeper when she texted back that she was just talking about it and she is also putting it into charity cookbook she is working on.  Keeper!

Here are the step-by-step directions.  I recently re-shot all the photos to give them a bit of an update, so if you see the old photos circulating around the interwebs....relax....it is still the same recipe. Now, it just looks much more appetizing.

This post does contain some affiliate links for your convenience.

million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Step 1: In a greased 9x13 baking dish pan layer in meat sauce.

million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Step 2: Layer in half of the cooked spaghetti.

million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Step 3: Spoon a mixture of 1/4 c. sour cream, 8 oz. cottage cheese, 4 oz. cream cheese, 1/3 c. chopped onion, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, 1 t. garlic powder, 1 t. pepper.


million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Step 4: Layer on the remaining half of the cooked spaghetti.

million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Step 5: Pour on the remaining meat sauce.


million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Step 6: Top with 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese {refrigerate overnight for even more flavor} and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

million dollar casserole (sweetandsavoryfood.com)






Million Dollar Casserole


Million Dollar Casserole
Yield: 12
Author:
prep time: 20 Mcook time: 45 Mtotal time: 65 M
The #1 recipe on my food blog since 2012. This dish is a family favorite! It feeds a crowd, is hearty and super delicious.

ingredients:

  • 1 lb. cooked spaghetti
  • 28 oz. spaghetti meat sauce
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 8 oz. cottage cheese
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 t garlic powder
  • 1 t dried parsley
  • 1 t pepper
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

instructions:

How to cook Million Dollar Casserole

  1. Grease a 9x13 baking dish, preheat the oven to 375 degrees if baking right away.
  2. Pour in a ladel of the spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.
  3. Layer in half of the cooked spaghetti.
  4. In a bowl combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, onion, Parmesan cheese and spices. Spread over the first layer of spaghetti.
  5. Layer on the remaining cooked spaghetti.
  6. Pour on the rest of the spaghetti sauce.
  7. Top with mozzarella cheese.
  8. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. If prepping ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Calories
271.71
Fat (grams)
12.81
Sat. Fat (grams)
6.53
Carbs (grams)
24.50
Fiber (grams)
1.78
Net carbs
22.72
Sugar (grams)
3.66
Protein (grams)
14.68
Sodium (milligrams)
387.67
Cholesterol (grams)
39.35

Did you make this recipe?
Tag @sweetsavoryeats on instagram and hashtag it #milliondollarcasserole
Created using The Recipes Generator

Would you like to comment?

  1. I love casseroles like that. So simple and one dish!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca)February 10, 2012 at 8:20 PM

    That cheese on top looks like perfection!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love pasta and leftovers. This is definitely for me!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This does look like a million bucks! And bring on the leftovers....I love 'em!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our church has placed a member who has cancer on the "Meal Train." I signed up to be one of many who will be bringing her a meal on a rotating basis.This recipe sounds like a perfect dish to make for her !!💕😌

      Delete
  5. Does it have to be in frig overnight ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would like to know this too

      Delete
    2. Are there ingredients in the dish that require being refrigerated? Yes. That means the whole dish must be refrigerated. Rocket science sure is hard.

      Delete
    3. That sure is rude. They meant can you assemble and then bake right away instead of putting it in the fridge overnight. Before firing a nasty comment, take a breath and realize how ugly that sounds.

      Delete
    4. What a dick. Anyway I'm wondering the same thing. I was going to make it tonight and forgot it says refrigerate over night. All well i'm making it anyway :)

      Delete
    5. I would say that the overnight refrigeration is to let the tomato sauce soak into the pasta. You could probably get away without doing it but it may taste better if you do!

      Delete
    6. I would say that the overnight refrigeration is to let the tomato sauce soak into the pasta. You could probably get away without doing it but it may taste better if you do!

      Delete
    7. Ok, am I the only one that gets sick of people being ugly to other people all over the Internet?! Geez!! Act like a grown up!!

      Delete
    8. No you aren't the only one. It gets OLD in a minute. Lighten up people.

      Delete
    9. After the pasta cools over night it will stick together. That's why u put it n the fridge.

      Delete
    10. I made it without having to refrigerate overnight. My family LOVED it!

      Delete
    11. Being rude is usually what ugly people or people who cant or don't cook do.and are No excuse for not being polite. Dairy products must be refrigerated before and after cooking or else -- food poisoning. So regardless
      Refrigerate overnight.

      Delete
    12. Actually, I am glad it's better to refrigerate it overnight~~that way I can make it the 1st day, stick it in the 'frig overnight, and deliver it to our church/friend the next day !! Prayer answered, because I want her to have the best it can be !!😊

      Delete
    13. I was going to add some comments but I forgot what we were doing 🤣🤣🤣

      Delete
  6. I found this recipe on pinterest and oh man does it look good. I am so happy to have found your blog and am now your newest follower. When you have a chance come by and check out my blog www.questfordelish.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Made it for dinner tonight and it was a hit. Even my picky four year old gobbled it up. I loved the addition of cream cheese and sour cream. It gave it extra creaminess and contrast. Yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I made this amazing dish today for our Sunday lunch and am so glad that I did. My very picky 11 year old son and friends gobbled it up and didn't even seem to notice it had onions in it. I was looking forward to having leftovers but it was such a huge hit there is nothing left. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Look forward to making this again in the future :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think I missed something in the recipe. How much cheese on top and what kind?

    ReplyDelete
  10. What about ricotta instead of cottage cheese. I'm not a fan of sour cream or cottage cheese. Will I taste them in it? Looks good though! Just wondering.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Usually with these type of casseroles the sour cream and cream cheese just make for a nice creamy note, not so much a distinct flavor. I make a casserole sort of like this and my anti-cottage cheese husband has never even known it was in there! Making this one today!

      Delete
    2. I love sneaking in sour cream and other miscellaneous things that everyone thinks they hate & they love the overall dish :)

      Delete
  11. Do you cover it when you bake it?

    ReplyDelete
  12. I didnt cover it while in the oven and it was great! Followed the recipe to the tee. Added a little shredded pork roast before the sauce. Used Prego Traditional pasta sauce and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Can this be made for a freezer meal and if so do you bake before you freeze?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, this can be a freezer meal. Treat it just like a lasagna: Assemble, wrap tightly, freeze immediately. Don't bother refrigerating first - as it freezes, the flavors will marry. When you're ready to bake, cover the top with a sheet of tented foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes. I'm getting ready to have a baby, and this casserole is definitely going on my freezer list!

      Delete
  14. Do you have to use cottage cheese? Can you use riccota?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't see why you couldn't use ricota cheese instead of cottage cheese , it looks like other people put in stuff they wanted and it still turned out great.

      Delete
    2. I don't see why you couldn't use ricota cheese instead of cottage cheese , it looks like other people put in stuff they wanted and it still turned out great.

      Delete
  15. Made this tonight .. added some onions , peppers, mushroom cooked a little in some olive oil .. layered after the cheese.. it was awesome !

    ReplyDelete
  16. On a scale from 1-10 I would give it a 6. My family did not care for it, especially my husband. Needs something else like meat added to it. Kind of runny, won't make again. :(

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am definitely intrigued by this casserole. Yum.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is so GOOD! Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  19. By the end of the recipe I was salivating! TFS this great recipe with us.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I make something similiar to this using egg noodles and i call it lazy lasagna :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. sounds like something I want to try, but the recipe is not in print format....?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always copy and past in Microsoft wood and then print it. It works great!

      Delete
  22. Hi, do you bake uncovered the whole time? Or bake covered until the last 15 min or so to brown the top? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ally's Sweet & Savory EatsDecember 1, 2012 at 9:09 AM

    Hi Jerilyn, I bake uncovered the whole time - since all of it is already cooked anyway....this way it gets the cheese nice and crispy!

    ReplyDelete
  24. How much and what type of shredded cheese did you use?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Ally's Sweet & Savory EatsDecember 9, 2012 at 6:38 PM

    I usually use a whole bag of shredded mozz/cheddar, or about 2 cups!

    ReplyDelete
  26. My family LOVED this!

    ReplyDelete
  27. For a healthy boost, I add grated carrots to spaghetti sauce any time I use it in any dish. The carrots are hardly noticeable in spaghetti sauces. It would work nicely here...

    ReplyDelete
  28. I made this last night and it was out of this world! I used homemade sauce. as recommended. the sauce I grabbed out of the freezer had homemade meatballs in it and it tasted delicious! I also used ziti noodles because that's what I had on hand. oh and I was out of parmesan cheese so I used mozzarella.

    ReplyDelete
  29. My husband really liked this and he is a picky eater! I loved the cheese mixture. I used Ricotta instead of cottage cheese and it was delicious! I browned some ground beef and mixed that with the sauce. I feel like the dish was heavy on the pasta and meat. I prefer the sauce and cheese. Next time I will use less pasta and more spaghetti sauce. This was an easy yet hearty dish! We'll probably get three meals out of this!

    ReplyDelete
  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Just highlight the recipe, copy and paste it to a blank page in word, or whatever program you use and then print it

    ReplyDelete
  32. I made this recipe this weekend (4/6/13). It's okay. Not one of my favorites. It's kind of like a macaroni lasagna, but the layers don't meld, so you end up with loose macaroni, clumps of cheese mixture, and clumps of spaghetti sauce on the plate. I prefer a goulash supreme, a pastitsio, or even a 4-cheese mac & cheese. There are even some quick lasagna recipes that are more palatable but no more work. For those who still want to try it, you need about 8 ozs. of shredded cheese (perhaps cheddar) for the top.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Ally's Sweet & Savory EatsApril 8, 2013 at 1:27 PM

    I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it Paul. Maybe try with the original spaghetti noodle instead? Or just chalk it up as not one of your favorites:)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Don't be sorry. We all have different tastes. I have been sifting through the recipes you have posted, and I have copied lots of new things to try. Thanks for posting them.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Ally's Sweet & Savory EatsApril 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM

    I knew someone had been sharing it, but could figure out the source. Any way I can get ahold of her?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Here's the link to the post. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4965940581421&set=a.4901140681464.1073741826.1086353597&type=1&theater Here's a link to her. https://www.facebook.com/donna.larson.37 I noticed it when a friend shared it. I'm not sure who she is actually.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Is there a copy right on this?

    ReplyDelete
  38. There is not an official copyright, it is just about linking back to the original source and being honest about where you received the recipe. I want people to share and make my recipes, I'd just like them to link back to my site when sharing. That is all! Hope you enjoy:)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thank you Ally and I do understand what you are saying and I hope people visit your worthwhile site! I am planning on making this after my juice fast is over. What I wonder is if the cottage cheese taste is a strong one. True blessings to you Ally and your blog, but I still think Dawnmarie could of handled this much better on Facebook.

    ReplyDelete
  40. the one pound of pasta is that 2 cups of dry or 4 cups ??

    ReplyDelete
  41. How am I supposed to have handled this exactly? The picture is copyrighted (automatically they legally belong to the photographer) and was taken and shared over 15K times without giving credit. Ally's may have given permission for that to be shared for all I know, so in my opinion, when someone's work (especially a picture they own) has been shared without credit, it's best to check with the source to see if permission was given. Secondly, I didn't know the person who originally shared this - as it has been shared over 15,000 times. Honestly, this is rampant on FB right now. People are using pictures they find on the internet as their own. It's misleading at best and outright dishonest at worst. If everyone would treat others and their work they way they'd like to be treated, this wouldn't happen. It's common courtesy to at least credit where you found something on the web, regardless of whether or not it's a recipe, a story, etc. The couple of times on FB that I have asked a poster about whether or not they had permission to share the photo, or suggested that sharing the source was the polite thing to do, I've received very rude resonses, so I don't even try anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Wow...anonymous...really? Why dont you go on Justin Biebers website and insult him instead...takes a lot of courage to be an anonymous smart ass who talkes to every body likey they are stupid...must be hard...loser

    ReplyDelete
  43. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I try to find the original before i share on Pinterest. It just takes a little of research instead of just clicking share because the author deserves the recognition.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I like to layer it with mozzerella and add sliced black olives and pepperoni

    ReplyDelete
  46. I just say thanks for sharing. It looks wonderful and I'm going to make it using all Weight Watchers ingredients and can't wait to serve it to my family. You are talented and generous. I can't imagine someone writing with any criticism. Don't let those turkeys get you down!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Wow! Love the cheese and dairy mixture! Go crazy with spinach, peppers, mushrooms, onions, carrots, zuchinni, celery! So important to make a day or 2 before you cook it! Very delish!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Unfortunately, unless there is a copyright on the original site and/or original picture, anything on the Internet is fair game. It's just good manners to share where it originally comes from.
    It's nice you want to be a facebook policewoman, Dawnmarie, but really... last I checked there was no law against what they've done. Just poor manners.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Can this be frozen? If so would it be before you cook it or after?

    ReplyDelete
  50. I don't have ricotta or cottage cheese and I want to make it tonight for tomorrow. Can I just use more sour cream and cream cheese?

    ReplyDelete
  51. href="https://istanbulolala.biz/">https://istanbulolala.biz/
    80D

    ReplyDelete
  52. This is a wonderful recipe. I’ve made it for years and it’s always a hit at potlucks, and kids usually love it. I put my own spin on it in a couple of ways, after all this time, just for my and my family’s liking, but you can’t go wrong following the recipe to the letter. This would be a great recipe for a novice cook, because it would be an enormous ego boost to turn out something that everyone finds delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  53. The Million Dollar Casserole is a culinary masterpiece that combines layers of decadent ingredients to create a symphony of flavors that are sure to impress even the most discerning of palates. From tender pasta to creamy cheeses, savory meats, and rich sauces, every bite of this luxurious casserole is a journey of indulgence and delight.
    traffic lawyer brunswick va

    ReplyDelete
  54. If one carefully reads the instructions., it says to bake OR refrigerate overnight if not baking immediately.

    ReplyDelete