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a deep baking dish of baked thin round spaghetti strands with a thick white creamy cheese layer sandwiched between two distinct layers of tangled spaghetti, red ground-beef tomato sauce and browned mozzarella on top, with one square portion removed to show the spaghetti-cheese-spaghetti layers
Rachel Kim

Million Dollar Spaghetti

The creamy middle is the point of million dollar spaghetti, but it should be a defined layer rather than enough dairy to swamp the beef sauce. Mix softened cream cheese with cottage cheese until it spreads easily. The noodles go above and below that filling. Let the baked pan rest for a full ten minutes before cutting so the layers settle into generous portions, and use a wide spatula that reaches all the way under the bottom strands.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb dry spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 oz
  • 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt for sauce
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 6 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella grated

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Brown beef and onion in a large skillet for 8 to 10 minutes until the meat reaches 160°F, then drain excess fat. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, sauce salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, boil spaghetti in water with the tablespoon salt until 3 minutes short of the package time. Drain and toss with butter and 1 cup of the meat sauce.
  3. Mix softened cream cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream until spreadable. Put half the spaghetti in a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread the cheese mixture evenly over it.
  4. Add remaining spaghetti, spread remaining meat sauce over the top and scatter with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  5. Uncover for 10 to 12 minutes until bubbling and the center reaches 165°F. Rest for at least 10 minutes and cut into 10 portions.