Looking to impress your dinner guests or upgrade your weeknight comfort food game? Million Dollar Lasagna lives up to its name with indulgent layers of meat, cheese, and pasta baked to golden perfection. This isn’t your average lasagna — it’s richer, creamier, and guaranteed to become a family favorite.
What makes it “million dollar”? It’s all about the combination of velvety cheeses, a hearty meat sauce, and perfectly layered pasta that bakes into a bubbling, cheesy masterpiece. Think of it as the ultimate comfort food, elevated.
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara or spaghetti sauce
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the Cheese Mixture:
- 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp dried parsley or Italian herb blend
- 1/2 tsp salt
For Assembly:
- 9–12 lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil)
- 2–3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or sliced)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat and Prep
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the Meat Sauce
- In a large skillet or pot, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium heat until browned.
- Add chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until softened.
- Drain excess fat from the pan.
- Stir in marinara sauce, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer on low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps thicken the sauce and concentrate the flavors.
3. Make the Creamy Cheese Filling
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese (or ricotta), cream cheese, sour cream, egg, herbs, and salt.
- Mix until smooth and well blended. Set aside.
4. Cook the Noodles (If Not Using No-Boil)
- Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions.
- Drain and lay flat on parchment or a clean towel to prevent sticking.
5. Assemble the Lasagna
- Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Layer 3–4 noodles over the sauce.
- Spread half of the cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.
- Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella over the cheese layer.
- Add half of the remaining meat sauce.
- Repeat the layers: noodles, remaining cheese mixture, one-third more mozzarella, and remaining meat sauce.
- Top with final layer of noodles, remaining mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake
- Cover the lasagna with foil (spray the underside with cooking spray so cheese doesn’t stick).
- Bake covered for 25–30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden, bubbly, and slightly crisp around the edges.
7. Rest and Serve
- Let the lasagna rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This allows the layers to set and makes serving easier.
- Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Why You’ll Love It
- Creamy Layers – The blend of cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese gives it an ultra-creamy texture.
- Flavor-Packed Meat Sauce – A savory combination of ground beef and sausage makes every bite hearty and satisfying.
- Perfect for Make-Ahead – You can assemble this dish a day in advance or freeze it before baking for future meals.
- Crowd-Pleasing – Feeds a large group and leaves everyone asking for seconds!
Tips and Variations
- Make it vegetarian by replacing the meat with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, or lentils.
- Add a spicy kick by using hot Italian sausage or adding crushed red pepper flakes.
- Use ricotta instead of cottage cheese if you prefer a more traditional lasagna texture.
- Try oven-ready noodles to save time, just make sure your sauce is slightly thinner to cook them through.
Final Thoughts
Million Dollar Lasagna is everything a great casserole should be: rich, comforting, satisfying, and just indulgent enough to feel like a treat. Whether you’re feeding a big family, making something special for Sunday dinner, or preparing for a potluck, this recipe will deliver — in taste, texture, and total crowd-pleasing appeal.
Serve it with a crisp green salad and warm garlic bread, and you’ve got a meal that truly tastes like a million bucks.