Million dollar spaghetti is a mash up between lasagna and spaghetti with layers of pasta, hearty ground beef, rich marinara sauce, and creamy cheese topped with gooey Mozzarella. It's so easy to make and it feeds a crowd - great for potlucks.
0 Preheat the oven to 350°
1 Cook spaghetti in salted, boiling water - don't overcook!
2 Drain. Add 12 ounces (1/2 a jar) of marinara sauce to the spaghetti and set aside.
3 Add onion and ground beef to pan.
4 Saute until beef is cooked and onion is almost translucent.
5 Add garlic, smoked paprika, and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning; cook for a minute or two more.
6 Drain excess fat from pan.
7 Add half the sauce to the meat mixture and stir well. Set aside.
8 Heat the cream cheese in the microwave until soft.
9 Mix 1/2 cup of the Mozzarella, sour cream, cottage cheese, and cream cheese with 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning.
10 Blend until smooth and well mixed.
11 Place 8 squares of butter in the bottom of the 13x9-inch pan.
12 Cover with half the spaghetti.
13 Spoon the cheese mixture over the spaghetti and gently smooth into a layer.
14 Sprinkle with 1-1/2 cups of Mozzarella.
15 Cover with the remaining spaghetti.
16 Add the meat sauce in a smooth layer.
17 Add the remaining sauce over the meat.
18 Cover with the remaining cheese.
19 Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
20 Check and if the cheese is getting too brown cover with aluminum foil and bake 10-15 more minutes - or until the center registers 165° on an insta-read thermometer.
21 Remove from the oven and let stand 5-10 minutes.
