Million Dollar Spaghetti Recipe (Perfect Freezer Meal!)
My vegan Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe is meaty, creamy, and cheesy—all without meat, cream, or cheese! Simple plant-based swaps make this baked pasta unbelievably delicious.
Million dollar spaghetti is one of those recipes that’s been floating around the internet for a while, but the traditional version is made with meat sauce and cheese. I’ve been wanting to develop a vegan version and now that it’s fall, it seemed like the perfect time. This is the time of year for creamy, hearty, comfort food, right?! Think of this million dollar spaghetti as a cross between a casserole and Vegan Lasagna or Stuffed Shells. The pasta is layered with a “meat” sauce made with lentils and walnuts, vegan ricotta, and mozzarella. (Is your mouth watering yet?!)
Why This Spaghetti Tastes Like a Million Bucks
I’m not really sure the origin of the name million dollar spaghetti, but here’s why I think it earns the title:
- Super satisfying. Just like Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, this is a casserole that leaves you feeling full and satisfied after you eat. (Lentils are magic like that!)
- Real food meat subs. If you try to avoid store-bought meat substitutes, you will love that the “meat” sauce in this million dollar spaghetti recipe is made with lentils and walnuts. They really add a beefy texture!
- Awesome for meal prep. This is one of those recipes where the leftovers are just as good as the first day, which means it’s great for prepping in advance. And it freezes well too!
Notes on Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this million dollar spaghetti recipe! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Olive oil
- Vegetables – Carrots, celery stalks, and yellow onion are classic ingredients in an Italian ragu and they infuse flavour into this sauce.
- Raw walnuts – When chopped and cooked in a sauce, raw walnuts have the texture of ground beef.
- Tomato paste
- Garlic
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, freshly cracked black pepper, and kosher salt.
- Dry red wine – Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon are all good options.
- Brown or green lentils – Do not use red lentils, which break down when cooked.
- Low-sodium vegetable broth – I love using my Homemade Vegetable Broth.
- Crushed tomatoes
- Sugar – Just a touch, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
For the Pasta and Layers:
- Spaghetti – You could really use any kind of pasta you like in this recipe, but technically it’s no longer million dollar spaghetti if you use rotini or shells!
- Olive oil
- Vegan ricotta cheese – I use my homemade Vegan Ricotta.
- Plant milk – Any kind you like or have on hand, as long as it’s unflavoured and unsweetened.
- Garlic powder
- Nutritional yeast – Vegan Parmesan can be used instead if you’d like.
- Vegan mozzarella cheese – Use shreds that melt well.
- Fresh basil – For garnish.
How to Make Million Dollar Spaghetti
You can easily make this recipe in stages if you’d like. Cook the sauce up to 2 days ahead of time, or assemble the whole casserole and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot set over medium heat, then stir in the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the walnuts. Stir them into the pot and cook for about 2 minutes, or until toasted.
- Add the tomato paste and seasonings. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt; cook for 1 minute, until the tomato paste darkens and the mixture is fragrant.
- Deglaze. Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 2 minutes, until the liquid is reduced.
- Finish the sauce. Stir in the lentils, broth, crushed tomatoes, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the spaghetti. While the sauce is cooking, boil the spaghetti in salted water until it’s al dente. Drain and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Make the ricotta layer. Stir together the vegan ricotta, plant milk, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast in a bowl.
- Assemble. Spread half of the spaghetti into a greased casserole dish, then add the ricotta mixture. Add half of the sauce over that, followed by the remaining spaghetti and sauce. Sprinkle the vegan mozzarella on top.
- Bake. Cover with foil and bake in a 375ºF oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted.
- Serve. Let the casserole rest 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Tips and Variations
I’ve got a few more notes on this million dollar spaghetti recipe before you get started!
- Make it nut-free. You can replace the walnuts with crumbled tempeh, diced mushrooms, or TVP to make this vegan million dollar spaghetti recipe nut-free too. Be sure your vegan ricotta is also nut-free!
- Cover the pot if the sauce thickens too quickly. Keep an eye on the sauce! If it starts looking too thick but the lentils aren’t soft yet, cover the pot. You can also add a splash of water or broth if needed.
- Veg it up. After adding the ricotta layer, you can add a layer of cooked veggies if you’d like. Sautéed spinach or kale would work well, or try roasted eggplant or zucchini.
What to Serve With Million Dollar Spaghetti
You truly don’t need anything else for this million dollar spaghetti recipe to be a filling a meal, but I can never resist serving pasta with Roasted Garlic Bread! It’s great for soaking up any extra sauce on the plate.
How to Store and Reheat
- Refrigerator: You can refrigerate this casserole before or after baking. Either way, it will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: This million dollar spaghetti recipe can also be frozen for up to 3 months before or after baking. Wrap it tightly in the baking dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover with foil and warm in a 350ºF oven. If you stored the casserole before cooking, you can follow the original baking instructions.
More Vegan Comfort Food Dinner Ideas
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Mashed Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Cauliflower Pizza Casserole
- Mushroom Stroganoff
Enjoy friends! If you make this million dollar spaghetti recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Million Dollar Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, 15mL
- 2 large carrots, diced – 200g
- 2 stalks celery, diced – 120g
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced – 150g
- 1 cup raw walnuts, finely chopped – 120g
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 32g
- 6 cloves garlic, minced – about 18g
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 3g
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1g
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, 4g
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 6g
- 1 cup dry red wine, 240mL
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed – 190g
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 950mL
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces, 794g
- 1 teaspoon sugar , 4g
For the Pasta and Layers:
- 1 pound spaghetti, 450g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, 15mL
- 2 cups vegan ricotta cheese, 500g
- ½ cup unsweetened plant milk, 120mL
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1.5g
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 10g
- 2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese, 200g
- fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
Make the Vegan Bolognese Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted.
- Add tomato paste, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes to slightly reduce.
- Add lentils, vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, and sugar. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 35–45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally. Cover the pot if it thickens too quickly.
Assemble and Bake:
- While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water (about 1 tablespoon salt per 4 liters of water) until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the vegan ricotta, plant milk, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast until smooth.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
- Spread half the cooked spaghetti into the bottom of the dish.
- Layer all of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles.
- Pour half of the bolognese sauce over the ricotta layer.
- Top with the remaining spaghetti, followed by the rest of the bolognese.
- Sprinkle the shredded vegan mozzarella evenly across the top.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Refrigerator: You can refrigerate this casserole before or after baking. Either way, it will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: This million dollar spaghetti recipe can also be frozen for up to 3 months before or after baking. Wrap it tightly in the baking dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover with foil and warm in a 350ºF oven. If you stored the casserole before cooking, you can follow the original baking instructions.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
