Looking for a hearty and delicious weeknight meal? Try my take on the Million Dollar Spaghetti. It’s creamy, cheesy, rustic and so so delicious.
What is Million Dollar Spaghetti?
Million dollar spaghetti is a popular food trend across social media. It’s the merging of Alfredo & spaghetti baked together until golden and bubbly.
Now I won’t lie, I was a little skeptical about this concoction. But this was surprisingly good. It’s literally the best of both worlds… pasta edition. I did make the sauces from scratch but feel free to use your favorite jar sauces to make this delicious pasta.
How to make it
This pasta is the merging of spaghetti and Alfredo. The recipe starts with making the meat sauce. I sauteed onions, garlic and bell pepper. Then add in ground beef, and cook until browned. Add in crushed tomatoes and season to taste. Next, I made the Alfredo sauce. Sautè garlic and shallots in butter then stir in heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Combine the Alfredo with cooked spaghetti and add to a baking pan. Top it with the meat sauce and top with shredded mozzarella. Baked until golden and melted. Garnished with fresh parsley.
This pasta is even better the next day! Reheats great as leftovers. Enjoy it throughout the week.
What you’ll need
Pasta- I used Barilla Spaghetti. But feel free to use your favorite pasta. Highly recommend a long noodle.
Heavy Cream– used to make the creamy Alfredo sauce
Tomato Sauce- I made mine from scratch but if you’re short on time, feel free to use your favorite jar sauce.
Ground beef- I used 80/20 ground chuck.
Herbs & spices- I used a variety of herbs and spices to elevate the flavors in this dish.
Shallot – minced
Garlic– fresh is best. You can also use frozen garlic cubes or garlic paste..
Cheese- I used parmesan for the Alfredo. And shredded mozzarella for the top of the pasta bake.
Olive oil– you can use grapeseed or avocado oil if preferred.
It is a labor of love but so so worth it. Try this recipe and let me know what you think.
Looking for more weeknight meals? Try some of my favorites
White Chicken & Garlic Pizza
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Jerk Meatballs
Million Dollar Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 box Barilla spaghetti
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
- ½ yellow onion diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 4-6 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes use more or less depending on preference
- ½ tsp creole seasoning optional
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds
- pepper to taste
Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 can of your favorite jar sauce OR
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1- 1 ½ cups of water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic paste optional
- salt + pepper to taste
- ¼ cup basil
Alfredo Sauce
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ shallot minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp garlic paste optional
- 1 ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup mozzarella
- Salt + pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package until “al dente”, about 10 minutes. Drain & reserve ¼ cup of pasta water.
For the spaghetti sauce
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sautè onions and bell pepper for a few minutes, before adding in the minced garlic. Sautè until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook until brown, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the excess grease and season with 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp creole seasoning, ¼ tsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Add in crushed tomatoes and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and season with garlic powder, 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tbsp of sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and allow to simmer for at least 25 minutes. Taste add in garlic paste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Finish with more Italian seasoning and fresh basil if desired.
For the Alfredo
- In a saucepan, melt ½ stick of butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallots and sautè until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in heavy whipping cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Mix until melted and smooth. Add in ¼ cup of pasta water, mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the pasta in the alfredo sauce.
To Assemble
- Add the alfredo pasta to the prepared baking dish. Add the meat sauce on top and smooth into an even layer. Top with shredded mozzarella. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Wait at least 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy.
Did you make it?
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