Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole (Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Recipe)

Ingredients

• 16 oz. dried spaghetti
• 2 x 24 oz. jars pasta sauce divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion peeled and diced
• 4 garlic cloves peeled and finely diced or minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 8 oz. ricotta cheese
• 8 oz. cream cheese softened
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese divided
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°c. Cook the dried spaghetti according to packet directions. Drain, mix with one jar of the pasta sauce and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
3. Add the ground beef to the onion mixture. Cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink. Add the Italian seasoning and the remaining jar of pasta sauce, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
4. Make the cheese mixture by combining the ricotta cheese, softened cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
5. Spread 1/2 cup of the meat sauce over the base of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the spaghetti mixture. Spoon over the cheese mixture and gently spread.
6. Top with cheese mixture with 1/2 of the remaining meat sauce, the remaining spaghetti and finally the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle over the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.