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Million Dollar Casserole - Creamy, Cozy, Crowd-Pleasing Comfort

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces egg noodles (or ziti/penne)
  • 1 pound ground beef (or half beef/half Italian sausage)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 24 ounces marinara sauce (your favorite jar or homemade)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  • Fresh parsley or basil, chopped (for garnish)

Method
 

  1. Cook the noodles: Boil in salted water until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Brown the meat: In a large skillet, cook ground beef with onion over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
  3. Add flavor: Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute.
  4. Make the sauce: Pour in marinara and simmer 5–8 minutes to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Mix the creamy layer: In a bowl, combine cream cheese, cottage cheese (or ricotta), and sour cream until smooth.
  6. Preheat and prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  7. Layer 1: Spread half the noodles in the dish. Dot with half the butter pieces.
  8. Layer 2: Spread all of the cream cheese mixture over the noodles.
  9. Layer 3: Add half the meat sauce, then sprinkle with half the mozzarella and some Parmesan.
  10. Layer 4: Add remaining noodles and butter, then the rest of the meat sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
  11. Bake: Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more, until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden.
  12. Rest and serve: Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley or basil and serve.