Description
This comforting Spaghetti Pie is a layered pasta casserole featuring a savory spaghetti crust, a rich meat sauce, and a creamy cheese layer. Baked until bubbly and golden, it’s perfect for a family meal or make-ahead dinner that freezes beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Layer:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Spaghetti Crust:
- ½ lb. spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs, whisked
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Meat Sauce:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (doesn’t add spiciness)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
Cheese Topping:
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan or a 2 to 2 ½ quart baking dish. Combine the ricotta, cream cheese, and dried herbs and seasonings in a medium bowl and set aside. Measure out all other ingredients before starting.
- Cook the Meat Sauce: Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and diced onions, and cook for 7-10 minutes until browned and cooked through, breaking up the beef as it cooks. Drain the excess grease.
- Simmer Meat Sauce: Lower the heat to medium, then add minced garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the marinara sauce and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer uncovered while you cook the spaghetti.
- Cook Spaghetti: Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain thoroughly and return the pasta to the warm pot.
- Mix Pasta Crust: To the hot spaghetti, add the butter and Parmesan cheese, tossing to coat evenly. Add the whisked eggs and toss again to combine thoroughly.
- Combine Pasta and Meat Sauce: Stir 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce into the spaghetti mixture until well incorporated. Remove the pot from heat.
- Assemble Base Layer: Transfer the spaghetti and meat sauce mixture into the prepared pie pan or baking dish, pressing down firmly to create an even, packed crust layer.
- Add Cheese and Sauce Layers: Spread the ricotta and cream cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti crust, then top with the remaining meat sauce. The pan will be full, but it will hold well.
- Top with Mozzarella: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the assembled layers.
- Bake: Place uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the mozzarella is fully melted and cheese is hot. For a golden-brown top, optionally broil at 450°F for a few minutes—watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from oven and let the spaghetti pie sit for 10-15 minutes to firm up before slicing and serving for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Assemble the dish as directed but do not bake. Let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw fully before baking.
- Baking from Refrigerated: Let assembled pie sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. Cover loosely with foil sprayed on the non-stick side to prevent sticking. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then remove cover and bake for 30 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When freezing, using just under ½ lb. of pasta helps retain sauciness as pasta absorbs sauce over time.
- Nutrition Info: Nutrition values are estimates and based on 8 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
