Baked Spaghetti with Cottage Cheese

Irresistibly cheesy, meaty, and flavorful, this million dollar baked spaghetti with cottage cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food. It's a hearty casserole that's loaded with deliciousness in every bite. Plus, it's so, so easy to make - just a handful of steps are all you have to follow to whip it up.

Why I Love This Baked Spaghetti Recipe

This million dollar baked spaghetti casserole truly lives up to its name. It's loaded with generous helpings of meaty and creamy noodles, 4 types of cheese, and it even comes with a picture-worthy cheese pull from the melted mozzarella top when you go to take a serving of it out of the dish.

But, in addition to being super decadent, it also packs an added protein kick thanks to the cottage cheese in it. A lot of baked spaghetti recipes use ricotta cheese, but cottage cheese provides everything ricotta cheese does and more.

It has the same pillowy, cheesy curds and creamy texture, but it's lower in calories and loaded with more protein. In fact, each square of this baked spaghetti has 25 grams of protein. Not too shabby, eh.

As if you needed another reason to make this mouthwatering pasta bake, it's also easy enough to make on a weeknight. Hands-on time is about 20 minutes in total, and the rest is just waiting for it to bake!

Joe Tip (kind of like "pro tip" but better)

To prevent mushy spaghetti, I like to cook the pasta al dente - or even slightly firmer than normal - as the spaghetti will have additional cooking time while in the oven. This will produce a perfectly firm al dente spaghetti for your casserole. 

Ingredients

While the ingredients list for this recipe might seem pretty extensive at first glance, you'll notice that all of them are basic staples you likely have in your fridge or pantry already! Anything you don't have on hand is just a quick trip to the store away.

Now, here's everything you'll need for this baked spaghetti recipe:

• 16 oz. spaghetti noodles
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 3 ½ cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup cream cheese
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsps. parsley 

Not too bad, eh?

Oh, and if you want to double up on protein for this dish, check out my high protein pasta list for some of the best nutritious pasta options around.

How to Make Baked Spaghetti with Cottage Cheese

Making this million dollar baked spaghetti recipe is actually a lot like making lasagna. You'll start by preparing the pasta, cook your beef, combine your cheeses, then layer and bake!

Best of all, it's prepped in 20 minutes and is finished in the oven in less than an hour!

Step One: Cook the Spaghetti

First cook the spaghetti noodles in salted boiling water until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Then, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).

Step Two: Make the Pasta Sauce

Heat your olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add in your ground beef and let it cook untouched for a few minutes to let the bottom brown and crisp up.

Next, break up the beef with a spatula and add in the diced red onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the beef is cooked through and the onions are translucent. Follow that with the minced garlic, salt, and pepper, then stir and cook for 1 minute.

Lastly, pour in the marinara sauce and mix until the beef and aromatics are thoroughly incorporated. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

Step Three: Assemble

In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. Stir until well-combined.

Now, take your baking dish or casserole dish and spread a third of the meat sauce on the bottom. Over that, add all the cooked spaghetti noodles.

Next, spread the cheese mixture in an even layer over the spaghetti noodles, making sure to get it into the corners.

Pour the rest of the meat sauce on top, then finish with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step Four: Bake

Slide the spaghetti casserole into the oven and bake for 40 minutes. When it's done baking, turn on the broiler function and broil for another 5 minutes until the mozzarella cheese top is golden and bubbly.

Take the baked spaghetti out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Step Five: Serve

Finally, slice the cooled spaghetti casserole into 12 equal squares. Garnish the top with chopped fresh parsley then serve and enjoy!

How to Store The Baked Spaghetti

This million dollar baked spaghetti recipe makes enough for 6 servings of 2 squares each, so it's great for a big family dinner or leftovers. It's also an excellent make-ahead recipe since it can be assembled and kept in the fridge before baking.

Whether fully baked or pre-assembled, leftovers will stay fresh in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Just transfer any leftovers into an airtight container or cover the casserole dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap.

You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. For fully baked spaghetti, I recommend stacking the sliced squares in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag with pieces of parchment paper between each one to keep them from sticking to each other.

You can also freeze the casserole unbaked, as long as your baking dish is freezer safe. Simply double wrap the whole thing in foil or cling wrap. Then, let it thaw, and bake it whenever you're ready for it.

How to Reheat The Spaghetti Bake

The best way to reheat this recipe is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake covered in foil until warmed through, around 15-20 minutes. If you're starting from frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight or double the reheating time.

Alternatively, you can reheat smaller servings of your baked spaghetti in the microwave. Warm them on a microwave-safe plate in 30-second intervals until heated through.

If you're starting with a frozen unbaked casserole, thaw it in the fridge up to 2 days before you bake it, then follow the baking instructions as detailed in the recipe. Or, double the baking time and keep the casserole dish covered with foil until the last 15 minutes.

FAQs About This Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe

What other kinds of meat can I use in this baked spaghetti recipe?

This recipe already includes ground beef, but you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken in it. I actually have used extra lean ground turkey several times and had great results.

Can I add vegetables to this high protein pasta bake?

Yes, totally. Adding vegetables is a great way to add essential nutrients like fiber, vitamin A, and iron. Some of the best vegetables to incorporate are spinach, bell peppers, mushrooms, or onions. Depending on which vegetables you use, you'll want to sautee them slightly before adding them to your casserole. 

Final Thoughts

Well, that's how to make baked spaghetti with cottage cheese!

This high protein pasta bake truly elevates your basic weeknight spaghetti dinner into a mouthwatering casserole of chewy pasta smothered in meaty spaghetti sauce, molten cheese, and golden mozzarella.

With all that said, I can't wait for you to try this recipe! When you make it, don't forget to leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

More Cottage Cheese Recipes

If you loved this high protein baked spaghetti with cottage cheese, I have a good feeling you'll enjoy these other easy, healthy, and tasty cottage cheese recipes too:

• Cottage cheese brownies
• Cottage cheese pancakes
• Cottage cheese quiche
• Cottage cheese stuffed shells
• Cottage cheese mashed potatoes
• Cottage cheese ranch dip
• Cottage cheese scrambled eggs

You can also check out my Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube channel for even more recipes to love! I post new ones on there all the time.