You will love this lighter and healthier version of Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole. Recipe. It has a hearty meat sauce and all the creaminess and flavor of a million dollar casserole, minus the calories. And it's a great way to enjoy spaghetti in a different form. You can also use up leftover spaghetti noodles because if you're anything like me, you always cook too much spaghetti!
This Healthy Baked Spaghetti Casserole was inspired by my Secret Ingredient Spaghetti & Meat Sauce (also WW friendly) and pairs well with this Everything Bagel Cloud Bread Recipe and Quick Cucumber Kimchi for a light meal. Or you can serve this Healthy Spaghetti Casserole with a simple garlic bread and garden salad. It's popular in the winter but great any time of year and makes a great weeknight dinner!
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And if you're looking for more ideas, be sure to check out these recipes for leftover spaghetti noodles!
🥘Ingredient Notes
You will need the following ingredients for this Healthy Spaghetti Casserole:
- Spaghetti noodles. This is ideal for using up leftover spaghetti noodles. I use smart pasta because it tastes better and cooks faster than whole wheat (see Top Tip).
- Parmesan cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. You can use the low-fat or fat-free versions of all of these.
- Pasta Sauce - you can use any type you like, but Classico is less WW points. You could also simply use my Weight Watchers friendly Spaghetti Sauce or a marinara sauce of your choosing.
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Cheese - you could use mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar
- Mushrooms - use fresh if you prefer
- Cilantro - you can use dried (use 1 tsp), but I highly recommend you use fresh
- Green onions- I add them raw as a garnish, but you can bake them in (just mix them in when you are mixing the sauce with the noodles), or you could use chives
- WW Friendlier - use spaghetti squash instead of pasta to make it even more WW friendly, and/or use ground turkey instead of ground beef to make it even lighter. * If you can find fat-free cheddar cheese, you can use that as well
- Meat - you could use Turkey Italian sausage, ground chicken or ground turkey instead of ground beef
🔪How to make Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C and spray a 11X13 lasagna pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cook spaghetti noodles in a pot until done (if not using leftover noodles). Drain and set aside. Cook ground beef, onions, and chopped green bell peppers on the stovetop, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until ground beef is browned. Drain excess grease and return to the pot.
- Add pasta sauce, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, and Italian seasoning to the pot with cooked ground beef. Cook over medium-low on the stovetop, whisking until everything is incorporated.
- Add mushrooms and cilantro. Remove from heat.
- Mix spaghetti with sauce in lasagna pan (or in pot, then transfer to lasagna pan)
- Spread evenly.
- Sprinkle grated cheese on top, evenly distributed. *I like to finely grate the cheese for this recipe. Bake for 20 minutes (uncovered), then turn up to broil (500 degrees F/260 degrees C for the last 2 minutes or until it begins to bubble and brown a little (be sure to watch it very carefully as low-fat cheese burns quickly). Garnish with green onions and serve.
HINT: When you are broiling the cheese at the end, watch it closely because low-fat cheese has a tendency to burn more quickly than regular cheese.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Cook the pasta just until al dente. This prevents it from becoming mushy during baking, especially since it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Drain the meat mixture thoroughly before layering. Excess moisture can make the casserole watery and/or greasy, so make sure to drain any grease or liquid from the skillet.
- Use part-skim or light cheeses to reduce fat without sacrificing flavor. These options still melt well and maintain a creamy texture, but keep the dish healthier.
- Layer ingredients evenly for consistent texture in every bite. Spread each layer to the edges of the dish so each serving gets the full flavor combo.
- Let the casserole rest before cutting into it. Allowing it to sit for 10–15 minutes after baking helps it firm up and hold its shape better when served.
- Add a little pasta water to your sauce if it's too thick. This trick loosens the sauce without diluting flavor and helps it cling better to the noodles.
- Use a high-protein pasta to increase the nutritional value. Lentil, chickpea, or other legume-based pastas are great for boosting protein and fiber.
- Make it ahead for easy weeknight meals. Assemble it the day before, refrigerate, and bake when ready. You may need to add a few extra minutes of baking time if it's cold from the fridge.
- Sprinkle fresh basil or parsley on top before serving for added flavor and color. Fresh herbs brighten up the dish and give it a more finished, restaurant-style feel.
👪 Serving Size
This Healthy Spaghetti Casserole recipe makes 12 servings (about a cup each). However, you can also cut this recipe in half and put it in a smaller pan (8X8). Or you can double it and freeze one pan for another dinner (that's what I do) by adjusting the serving size on the recipe card. Just click on the serving size and select the number of servings you’d like, and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.
🔢WW POINTS
A typical Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole has 20-25 WW points and is loaded with fat and calories! This easy Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti combines lean ground beef, pasta sauce, fat-free cream cheese and parmesan cheese, green onions, and spaghetti noodles in a light, WW friendly ( 5 WW points), delicious, and healthy comfort food.
If you're looking for more healthy and weight watchers friendly casseroles, check out my ww Shepherd's Pie!
Top Tip
If you're wondering which spaghetti noodles to use, although whole wheat is healthy, it takes a long time to cook. Personally, I find it a bit too dense.
I prefer to use "smart pasta" because it cooks faster than whole wheat but you still get 4X as much fiber than if you ate white pasta. Although it's not quite as healthy as whole wheat, you are still getting that fiber. If you're not a fan of whole wheat, it's a good alternative. You can learn more about smart pasta HERE!
🥖What to serve with Healthy Spaghetti Casserole
Salad or bread pairs well with this leftover spaghetti casserole, especially Ceasar salad (minus the grilled chicken)- shown or this Strawberry Spinach Pecan Salad.
My Italian Bread Machine Breadsticks, Garlic Bread (from Baguette)or this Onion and Olive Bread Machine Recipe also pair exceptionally well with this casserole!
But if you want to keep it ww friendly, try my 0-point Everything Bagel Cloud Bread Recipe!
🌡️Storage
This Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
It can also be frozen in a sealed container for up to 3 months. If I'm going to freeze the entire recipe, I freeze it in this lasagna pan (affiliate link) then seal it with Glad Press n' Seal (affiliate link) before I put the cover on the pan to freeze.
TO REHEAT:
I love using this casserole reheating technique for any pasta casserole- it prevents the casserole from drying out.
- Simply bring million-dollar spaghetti casserole out of the freezer the night before and let it defrost (preferably in the fridge). Ideally, you want to keep it at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour before you put it in the oven.
- Then heat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C, remove the lid and plastic wrap, then tightly seal your casserole dish with aluminum foil (shiny side in) and put it in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, until it's warmed through. *You can remove the foil and broil it for the final 2 minutes if you desire.
- You can use an instant-read thermometer (affiliate link) to make sure it's done (165 degrees F/75 degrees C).
❔ Recipe FAQ's
Yes! You can prepare the casserole and store it in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready, bake it as directed, but allow a few extra minutes for the dish to heat through.
Definitely, substitute the spaghetti with gluten-free pasta. Ensure the pasta sauce and other ingredients are also gluten-free.
Yes, to add some heat, incorporate red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños into the meat sauce according to your spice preference.
If you're looking for a healthier version of Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole or a leftover spaghetti casserole, but don't want to sacrifice taste, you'll love this recipe!
And if you love healthy pasta bakes, be sure to check out my popular Turkey Tetrazzini with Mushroom Soup– it's a great way to use up leftover turkey and leftover spaghetti noodles!
🍲More Healthy Comfort Foods
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📋 Healthy Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups pasta sauce * you can use any type- *Classico is less WW points
- 450 g spaghetti noodles *I used half of a 900 package
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese (fat-free)
- ½ cup cream cheese (fat-free)
- 10 oz - can of mushrooms
- 3 cups low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C and spray a 11X13 lasagna pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions, until al dente (if not using leftover noodles). Drain and set aside.450 g spaghetti noodles
- Cook ground beef, onions and green pepper (and mushrooms IF using fresh) on stovetop, in frying pan until ground beef is browned. Drain and return to pot.1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 onion, finely chopped, 1 green pepper, chopped
- Add pasta sauce, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic and Italian seasoning to pot with cooked ground beef. Cook over medium-low on stovetop, whisking until everything is incorporated.3 cups pasta sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ cup parmesan cheese (fat-free), 3-4 cloves garlic, minced, ½ cup cream cheese (fat-free)
- Add mushrooms and cilantro. Remove from heat.10 oz - can of mushrooms, 1 ½ tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- Mix spaghetti with sauce in lasagna pan (or in pot, then transfer to lasagna pan)
- Sprinkle grated cheese on top, evenly distributed. *I like to finely grate the cheese for this recipe.3 cups low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- Bake for 20 minutes (uncovered), then turn up to broil (500 degrees F/260 degrees C for last 2 minutes or until it begins to bubble and brown a little (be sure to watch it very carefully as low-fat cheese burns quickly)
Garnish
- Garnish with green onions and serve.3 green onions, chopped
Notes
- Simply bring million-dollar spaghetti casserole out of the freezer the night before and let it defrost (preferably in the fridge). Ideally, you want to keep it at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour before you put it in the oven.
- Then heat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C, remove the lid and plastic wrap, then tightly seal your casserole dish with aluminum foil (shiny side in) and put it in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, until it's warmed through. *you can remove the foil and broil it for the final 2 minutes if you desire.
- You can use an instant read thermometer (affiliate link) to make sure it's done (165 degrees F/75 degrees C)
- Cook the pasta just until al dente. This prevents it from becoming mushy during baking, especially since it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Drain the meat mixture thoroughly before layering. Excess moisture can make the casserole watery and/or greasy, so make sure to drain any grease or liquid from the skillet.
- Use part-skim or light cheeses to reduce fat without sacrificing flavor. These options still melt well and maintain a creamy texture but keep the dish healthier.
- Layer ingredients evenly for consistent texture in every bite. Spread each layer to the edges of the dish so each serving gets the full flavor combo.
- Let the casserole rest before cutting into it. Allowing it to sit for 10–15 minutes after baking helps it firm up and hold its shape better when served.
- Add a little pasta water to your sauce if it's too thick. This trick loosens the sauce without diluting flavor and helps it cling better to the noodles.
- Use a high-protein pasta to increase the nutritional value. Lentil, chickpea, or other legume-based pastas are great for boosting protein and fiber.
- Make it ahead for easy weeknight meals. Assemble it the day before, refrigerate, and bake when ready. You may need to add a few extra minutes of baking time if it's cold from the fridge.
- Sprinkle fresh basil or parsley on top before serving for added flavor and color. Fresh herbs brighten up the dish and give it a more finished, restaurant-style feel.
nancy
the kid loved this spaghetti casserole! thanks for sharing this idea!
Terri Gilson
So glad to hear that, Nancy! My kids love it too!
Shelby
This meal is the best of both worlds: comfort food in casserole form 😀
Colleen
I'm making this tonight with a spaghetti squash I need to use. I know it's going to be a hit. Thanks for sharing, Terri!
Vanessa
The whole family loved it! The only thing I changed was swapping the canned mushrooms with some sautéed fresh mushrooms that needed to go.
Bernice
Such a great idea! I always have a little extra bolognese because I always make a huge pot. This would be a great way to use it up and I'm sure the boys would love it.