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Ultimate Baked Spaghetti Casserole is as scrumptious as the name implies! With layers of spaghetti, a flavorful meat sauce, and creamy alfredo sauce, all baked to hot, bubbly perfection.
Also known as Million Dollar Spaghetti, this casserole is hearty and filling and is guaranteed to feed your hungry family or even a crowd! This dish puts the ultimate in comfort food!
This Ultimate Baked Spaghetti is certainly a hit in my house. Its meat sauce meets Alfredo sauce and gooey cheese on top of tender pasta. Perfection is how I see it.
It is packed full of rich Italian flavors that will fill the bellies of your family or perfect for those nights when you have company, too!
This makes a wonderful meal to send or take to a friend or family that needs some love or the comfort of a home-cooked meal. And it’s a great dish to take to a church supper or a potluck dinner.
It’s a great make-ahead meal and freezes well, too!
This dish is a perfect comfort meal, all baked up in a casserole dish.
Why We Love This Spaghetti Pasta Bake Recipe!
- Family Friendly: The best recipes are ones that both kids and adults can enjoy, and this pasta casserole is one the whole family loves!
- Easy Recipe: This home-cooked recipe has a few simple steps to bake up to deliciousness. A semi-homemade meat sauce & a quick already sauce that will knock your socks off all bake up deliciously.
- The Proof is in the Taste: Million Dollar Spaghetti and Ultimate Spaghetti Pasta are pretty big promises, and this one is big on taste – I promise!
Ingredient Notes
Variations and Substitutions
How To Make Ultimate Baked Spaghetti Casserole
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Make Spaghetti Sauce
For the meat sauce, grab a large skillet and season your ground beef with some garlic salt (salt), as much as you like. Cook it up until it’s nice and done, should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
Now, toss in the marinara and pizza sauce, and let it all simmer while we whip up the Alfredo sauce.
Step 2 | Alfredo Sauce
Time to tackle that creamy Alfredo goodness! In another skillet over medium heat, melt some butter.
Once it’s all melted and gooey, add in the grated parmesan cheese and give it a good whisk until it’s smooth.
Now, slowly pour in the heavy cream and keep whisking until everything’s combined.
Sprinkle in some Italian seasoning and garlic, and whisk it all together.
Don’t forget to beat that egg in a bowl or measuring cup, then add a little bit of the sauce to it to temper it.
Slowly pour the egg-sauce mixture back into the skillet while whisking like a champ. This will thicken up the Alfredo sauce.
Turn down the heat to low and let it simmer while we get the casserole ready.
Step 3 | Cook & Drain Pasta
Time to cook the pasta (you could also do this while you are preparing the already sauce)!
Add salt (to taste) to a large pot of boiling water and toss in the spaghetti.
Cook spaghetti according to the package directions until it’s “al dente,” which should take about 8 to 9 minutes. Once it’s cooked to perfection, then drain the spaghetti.
Step 4 | Assemble Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti
Now, let’s start layering the baked spaghetti magic. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Take a 9×13 casserole dish and start with about a third of the meat sauce at the bottom.
Next, add half of the cooked pasta.
Pour that luscious alfredo sauce on top of the pasta.
Follow it up with the rest of the pasta.
Now, pour the remaining meat sauce over it all. Ready to bake!
Step 4 | Bake the Spaghetti Casserole
Pop that casserole dish into the oven and let it cook for 20 minutes.
After that, take it out and sprinkle a generous amount of freshly shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so until the cheese is all melty and has a beautiful golden hue.
If you like, you can even broil it for a minute or two for that extra crispy touch.
Let the pasta set for about 10 minutes (this is the hardest part -waiting).
Then enjoy this easy-baked spaghetti!
Tips
- Egg Tempering: Adding a little sauce to the egg first and then slowly incorporating it back into the sauce helps avoid curdling. When adding the beaten egg to the Alfredo sauce, make sure to whisk continuously to prevent the egg from curdling. Also, be sure your heat isn’t up too high when incorporating in the egg.
- Sauce Consistency: If your Alfredo sauce becomes too thick, you can adjust the consistency by adding a little more cream until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Seasoning: Taste and adjust the seasoning in the meat sauce and alfredo sauce according to your preference. Add more garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, or any other herbs and spices you enjoy.
- Resting Time: Let the baked spaghetti rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together, and it will be easier to cut into neat portions.
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While the recipe calls for spaghetti, you can certainly use other pasta shapes if you prefer. Penne, rigatoni, angel hair, linguini, or fettuccine would work well. Just adjust the pasta cooking time based on the package instructions to ensure the noodles are cooked “al dente.”
Yes, you can use store-bought Alfredo sauce if you prefer a quicker option. However, homemade Alfredo sauce often has a richer flavor, so making it from scratch is worth the effort. The homemade version is really quick- it only takes about 5 minutes to come together.
Yes, you can use gluten-free spaghetti or other gluten-free pasta options to make the dish gluten-free. Just check any ingredients to be sure they are all gluten-free as well.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Making Ahead. Make this easy-baked spaghetti recipe a day or two ahead without baking it. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator while the oven preheats and allow for the casserole to come mostly to room temperature. Then bake in preheated oven.
Freeze: Assemble the casserole, but do not bake it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and press down, then cover with foil. Store in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, let the casserole thaw in the fridge overnight, then cook in a preheated oven.
Leftover Storage: Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat: To reheat individual servings, place desired amount on a microwave-safe dish and reheat. Start with 1 minute and stir. Then add 30-second intervals until heated to your liking.
You can also cover it with foil and reheat it in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
What to Serve
This dish has all the classic spaghetti flavors, so it will go nicely with any classic Italian dish sides. Like a Ceasar Salad, 1905 Salad, a Caprese Burrata Salad, or classic garlic green beans
It’s hearty and filling enough to eat all on its own. I love to dunk a nice garlic bread or dinner roll in this rich spaghetti sauce.
More Italian-Inspired Dishes
- Creamy Italian Sausage Tortellini
- Italian Artichoke Pasta Medley
- Creamy Spicy Spaghetti (it’s really not too hot and ready in 30 minutes)
- Baked Stuffed Shells
- Easy Baked Ziti
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Ultimate Baked Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound Spaghetti Pasta
- sea salt for pasta water
- 12 ounces Mozarella Cheese, freshly grated or shredded
- Fresh Parsley or Oregano to garnish
Meat Sauce
- 1 pounds lean ground beef
- garlic salt or salt to taste
- 2 jars Marinara Sauce, 24 ounce jars, I use one spicy and one wine based
- 1 jar Pizza Sauce
Alfredo Sauce
- 1 stick butter, (½ cup)
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan xheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced, or ½ teaspoon granulated garlic (or to taste)
- 1 egg
Instructions
Meat Sauce
- In a skillet, season lean ground beef with garlic salt, to taste and cook until done (about 5 to 7 minutes). Add marinara and pizza sauce. Let simmer while making alfredo sauce.
Alfredo Sauce
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add in parmesan cheese and whisk together until mcombined and melted. Slowly add in cream until combined. Next, add Italian seasoning and garlic and whisk until combined.
- In a bowl or measuring cup, beat the egg. Add a little of the Alfredo sauce to the egg to temper. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the skillet and whisk until combined. This will thicken the alfredo sauce. Turn the burner down to low to simmer while cooking the pasta.
Pasta
- Add salt (to taste) to a large pot of boiling water and cook pasta according to package instructions to "al dente". It takes about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain pasta.
Baked Spaghetti Layers
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In 9 X 13 or Casserole Dish. Layer the bottom of the dish with about ⅓ of the meat sauce on the bottom. Add ½ of the pasta on top of the meat sauce. Then pour all of the Alfredo sauce on top of the pasta. Next, layer on the remaining pasta. Finally, pour on the remaining meat sauce. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.
- Remove from the oven and top with shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake for 15 more minutes or until melted and golden. I like to broil mine for a minute or 2 to get the top a nice golden brown color.
- Let the spaghetti casserole set for 10 minutes and then garnish with fresh basil or oregano and serve.
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Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; instantly a new favorite recipe!
Thank you, Sarah! I am so glad to hear you this is a new favorite!
What a creative baked pasta dish! Really delicious. Thanks for sharing.
You are so welcome. I am glad you enjoyed it.
This is comfort food at it’s finest. Absolutely delicious! I’m saving this recipe to make again – thanks!
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this and will be making it again.
This ultimate baked spaghetti casserole is delicious! I love the combination of spaghetti, meat sauce, and alfredo sauce. It’s the perfect comfort food for a cold day.
Thank you, Alison. I agree it is the perfect comfort food.
My mom loves spaghetti so I made this for her yesterday and she loves it. Totally saving this recipe. Thanks
Thank you, Gianne. I am honored you shared it with your mom and will be making it again.
This looks really yummy. It looks like it would freeze well. Have you ever tried that? Also, I make my own pizza sauce. How much would you suggest I use?
Thank you so much! Yes it does freeze well! When I freeze I usually heat up some meat sauce I have in my freezer as well because my family likes a lot of sauce. They like it swimming lol! When I buy a jar of pizza sauce they range from 14 to 16 ounces. Please let me know how it goes!! I am so glad you came by!
Looks delicious but isn’t there an egg for the white sauce? It isn’t listed in the ingredients.
Thank you for catching that I have corrected it.
This Baked Spaghetti looks so good! I have been looking for a recipe to make Baked Spaghetti. This one is a must try! Pinned also!
Thank you Maribeth! I hope you love it as much as my family does! So glad you have stopped by and hope to hear back from you soon!
We have switched from using ground beef to using ground turkey. I fry it up just like beef, drain it well, and use it in any recipe……we really like the texture and it is much less greasy. Give it a try, you might like it! Costco has great ground turkey at a good price too! Thank you!
Oh yum! Looks so delicious!
Can I ask what is the “cream” used?
I used heavy cream, but you could use half and half as well! I appolgize that this answer is so late. It was diverted to my spam folder and I missed it. Thank you so much for coming by I added the note for half and half. I just always splurge and use the full cream! 🙂
I love baked spaghetti and your version looks divine! I’ve always preferred baked spaghetti rather than the traditional noodles topped with sauce. Have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you so much Julia! That gooey cheese on top is just the best! I am so glad you stopped by and I hope your weekend is filled with fun and family! <3
This looks so delicious. My kids love spaghetti and I often make it for our breakfasts.
I am looking for some new recipes for this dishes and luckily, I come across your site and see the recipe.
I will give it a try. I guess my family will love it.
Thank you Vivian. I am sure glad you have stopped by! I hope your family loves it as much as mine does! I would love to hear back from you!