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Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti! Spaghetti tossed with butter, then layered with a creamy ricotta sauce and a simple slow-simmered tomato sauce made with spicy Italian sausage and ground beef. It’s comforting and delicious, and it looks so pretty coming out of the oven. You can even assemble it ahead of time. This is the perfect bake for holiday dinners or any cold winter night when you want something everyone at the table will love. Just add a big, beautiful salad and you’re set.
Yesterday we shared a big list of our favorite holiday dinners. This time of year, I’m constantly entertaining and cooking big meals for family most nights throughout December.
And during these last couple of weeks—when everyone slowly starts arriving for Christmas break—I’m usually cooking for anywhere from eight to twenty people! That means keeping dinners simple, cozy, and always delicious.
This time of year is just busy. So “easy, quick, and yummy” is always the goal.
Most years I make a version of my mom’s spaghetti pie—sometimes we call it million-dollar pasta. It’s a baked pasta layered with a very creamy white sauce and a slow-simmered meat sauce. My mom used to make it all the time!
Her recipe called for lots of eggs, but I make a simpler variation now that’s honestly even yummier (my brothers have confirmed it). We LOVE this baked pasta. It’s perfect because I can assemble everything ahead of time, then bake it right before dinner. Super easy and very hands-off.
I usually serve this the week leading up to Christmas with my Christmas salad. And my new garlic bread is coming soon—but I LOVE the garlic bread wreath with this bake.
These are the details
Ingredients
- dry pasta
- spicy Italian sausage
- ground beef
- onions
- bell peppers
- Italian seasoning
- canned tomatoes
- sun-dried tomatoes
- whole milk ricotta cheese
- cream cheese
- fresh parmesan
- mozzarella cheese
- provolone cheese
- pepperoni
- fresh basil or parsley
Special Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need a Dutch oven or other large skillet. Plus, a mixing bowl, wooden spoon, and cutting board.
The Steps
Step 1: Boil the Pasta
Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain, then toss the hot pasta with softened butter. This keeps the noodles from sticking and adds the most delicious buttery flavor.
Step 2: Make the Red Sauce
Brown the spicy Italian sausage and ground beef with the onions, bell peppers, and Italian seasoning.
Nothing fancy—just a classic, cozy meat sauce my family loves!
Stir in the canned tomatoes or a large jar of marinara, plus a splash of water. Simmer until the sauce thickens and becomes rich. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and a handful of fresh basil.
Step 3: Mix the Ricotta Sauce
Use a food processor or simply a big bowl—both work great.
Combine the whole milk ricotta with cream cheese, and Parmesan until creamy and smooth.
Step 4: Layer Everything Together
In a large casserole dish, layer the red sauce, spaghetti, and the creamy white ricotta sauce. Finish with the remaining red sauce on top.
Add shredded mozzarella and provolone, then scatter slices of pepperoni over everything.
Step 5: Bake
Cover the dish and bake until the cheese is bubbling, melted, and beautifully browned on top.
Serving
Let the baked spaghetti rest for a few minutes so it can set up nicely before serving. Then top with fresh basil.
I love serving this with a big Christmas salad, garlic bread, and a bottle of wine for the family. The Tuscan red from our Seasonal Selection of Reds is my go-to.
Looking for more easy holiday dinners? Here are a few more to try!
Spicy Pesto Cheese Baked Rigatoni
Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Crockpot Short Rib Bourguignon
Lastly, if you make this Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti, be sure to leave a comment and/or rate this recipe! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 782 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 32 ounces marinara sauce, or canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
- fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and toss the pasta with butter.3. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the sausage, beef, onion, bell peppers, and Italian seasoning. Brown all over, 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Simmer 10 minutes, until just slightly thickened. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Remove from the heat.4. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. 5. In a large casserole dish, layer 1 cup of the meat sauce with the spaghetti, white sauce, and remaining meat sauce. Top with mozzarella, provolone cheese, and the pepperoni. Bake 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Let sit for 10 minutes. Top with fresh basil, and enjoy!
This post was originally published on December 11, 2025
I made this recipe before it was altered to have the Greek yogurt removed. It definitely gave it a weird tangy taste, and the 6 tablespoons of butter made the sauce hard to stick to the noodles. I’m not sure why this recipe was published if it wasn’t finished, but unfortunately I cannot give it anything more than a one star rating.
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for trying this dish and your feedback, I’m so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Killer recipe, easy and delicious. the Pepperoni on top was a fantastic finishing touch. The sauce was spicy and creamy which the family loved.
Thanks T
Thanks so much, Christopher! Love to hear this pasta dish turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it!
Greek yogurt had a really weird taste in this, it made it so tangy & felt out of place.
This was one of the worst recipes I’ve ever made.
I miss when all your recipes weren’t so dairy laden. I used to use more of your recipes but it’s definitely challenging now with copious amounts of dairy 🙁
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Eileen!
tried this and the ingredient combo just didn’t work. The cream cheese + ricotta + yogurt mixture made everything tangy, thick, and oddly sweet. The noodles turned mushy under all that dairy, and the sauce lost all its flavor. It ended up feeling super heavy and greasy, like a cheese brick instead of baked spaghetti. Definitely not something I’d make again without major changes
Hi Ann,
Thanks for trying this pasta dish and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Followed the recipe and it came out oily, weirdly tangy from the yogurt, and honestly underwhelming
I’m confused about pepperoni in a spaghetti dish, am I able to omit?
Hi Kara,
Yes, that is just fine for you to do.
I hope you love this recipe! Happy Holidays!
Yogurt, cream cheese & ricotta feels like a lot! Can I just use ricotta? Additionally, do I really need SIX tbsp of butter for the noodles?
Hi Alix,
Sure, the ricotta should be just fine for you to use. Please feel free to reduce the butter to your liking:)
I hope you love this recipe! Happy Holidays!
This turned out too oily and greasy 🙁
Hi Tess,
Very sorry to hear this. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback!
I tried making this and really didn’t enjoy it. The ingredient combo just felt off from the start. The mix of cream cheese, ricotta, and yogurt ended up giving the whole dish a strange tangy, almost sour flavor that didn’t blend well with the tomato sauce at all. Instead of tasting rich and comforting, the cheese layer felt heavy and kind of muddy, and the different dairy textures never really came together…it was almost grainy in some spots and overly creamy in others.
The sauce also got lost under all the dairy, so the whole thing tasted unbalanced and a little bland despite seeming like it should be packed with flavor. I love baked pasta normally, but this combination just didn’t work for me at all.
Hi Janie,
I appreciate you trying this dish and sharing your feedback, very sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Do you think this could be made the same way but with a pound of another type of noodle, not a straight noodle, something like a ziti, rotin or cavatappi?
Hey Jennifer,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it!
Sundried tomatoes in oil?
Hi Ann,
Yes, that is correct:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy Holidays!
Yogurt, cream cheese and ricotta seems excessive – can I just use ricotta?
Hey Emily,
I am sure that will be fine! Hope you enjoy the pasta! Happy holidays 🎄
YUM!! Can I make this ahead and freeze it?
Hey Carol,
Totally, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy Holidays!
Sounds amazing. Definitely making in advance then bake?
Hey Esther,
Yes! That will work nicely for you!