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Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Casserole. The classic family pasta turned into an even tastier broccoli cheddar casserole. Think broccoli cheddar soup meets a cheesy spaghetti bake. Made with spaghetti, broccoli, chicken, cottage cheese (yes, it’s traditional!), herbs, and plenty of cheddar. You cook the pasta, toss everything together in one big skillet, then finish it off in the oven. Simple, delicious, and so comforting.
How many of you grew up eating Million Dollar Spaghetti? I think it may be more common in the Midwest, but my mom always made the most basic version. I actually shared it years ago, just after Christmas, when I cooked it for my family.
It’s an old-fashioned style recipe, but we still love it. And the secret ingredient? Cottage cheese. It’s funny because cottage cheese is having such a big moment right now, thanks to its high protein content, but I’ve honestly always loved it—straight from the container.
This casserole is my spin on my mom’s recipe, only with a cozy broccoli cheddar twist. I skipped the marinara, swapped sausage for chicken, and added lots of cheddar. The result? Creamy, cheesy, and so delicious. My mom absolutely loved it the first time I made it—she was so excited about this version!
These are the details
Ingredients
- dry spaghetti
- fresh or frozen broccoli
- cream cheese
- cottage cheese
- milk
- eggs
- parsley
- parmesan cheese
- salted butter
- chicken
- a yellow onion
- thyme, garlic powder, cayenne pepper
- cheddar and monterey jack cheese
Special Tools
Nothing crazy here, a pot for boiling pasta, and a large oven-safe skillet. If you don’t have a large oven-safe skillet, you can bake this in a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Steps
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Start with the pasta. Boil the spaghetti according to the package directions, but here’s the key—drop the broccoli into the pot during the last 2 minutes of cooking. This quickly steams the broccoli and gets the cooking process started.
Drain off the water, then toss the spaghetti and broccoli back into the hot pot.
Step 2: Make the sauce
Mix the cream cheese into the hot pasta first. Melting it down now ensures you get a creamy sauce instead of a chunky one.
Next, stir in the cottage cheese and milk, then mix in the eggs, parsley, and parmesan. It will feel like a lot of milk, but don’t worry—it creates the creamiest sauce as the casserole bakes.
Pro Tip: Once you add the container of cottage cheese to the pasta, crack the eggs right into the empty container and whisk them up. One less bowl to wash—I’m always looking for little hacks like that!
Step 3: Cook the chicken
Grab an oven-safe skillet and cook the chicken with onions, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, plus a good pinch of salt and pepper.
When the chicken is cooked through, add the pasta to the deep dish skillet and give everything a gentle stir. It doesn’t need to be fully mixed—just enough. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
Step 4: Bake
If needed, transfer everything to a baking dish, but ideally, you can just slide the skillet right into the oven.
Bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling and hot.
To serve
I like to finish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme, but parsley works too. Then serve warm.
This one was such a hit with my family—easy, cozy, and the perfect comforting pasta bake for fall and winter nights.
Looking for other easy family dinner recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Chicken
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
One Skillet Street Corn Chicken Enchilada Bake
Lastly, if you make this Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Casserole.
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Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 656 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. If you don’t have a deep dish oven-safe skillet, butter a large casserole dish. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli. Drain, add the pasta and broccoli back into the pot. 3. Add the cream cheese, mixing it into the pasta and allowing it to melt. Now add cottage cheese, milk, eggs, parsley, and parmesan. Mix it all together until creamy.4. Meanwhile, in a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter with the chicken, onion, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden and the butter is toasted, 5-8 minutes.5. Mix the pasta, broccoli, and cream sauce into the chicken. Only a gentle mix is needed! Top with both cheeses. Bake 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve warm with additional thyme and fresh basil.
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