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Spaghetti Pie with Meat Sauce and Cheese Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 130 reviews
  • Author: Paula
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American

Description

This Spaghetti Pie is a comforting and hearty baked pasta dish layered with a creamy ricotta cheese blend, flavorful meat sauce, and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Featuring a spaghetti crust enhanced with butter, Parmesan, and eggs, this recipe transforms traditional spaghetti into a satisfying pie perfect for family dinners or meal prep. The combination of seasoned ground beef, rich marinara, and Italian herbs brings classic flavors together in an easy-to-make casserole baked to bubbly perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Layer

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons cream cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon parsley
  • ½ teaspoon 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 (mild, does not make it spicy)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 24 oz. marinara sauce

Cheese Topping

  • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Prepare baking dish: Use a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan or a 2 to 2 ½ quart baking dish, lightly greased to prevent sticking.
  2. Make cheese layer: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, salt, dried basil, parsley, oregano, and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Preheat oven and boil spaghetti: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti.
  4. Cook ground beef and onions: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add beef and diced onions. Cook for 7-10 minutes, breaking up meat, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
  5. Add seasonings to meat: Reduce heat to medium, add minced garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in marinara sauce, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered while spaghetti cooks.
  6. Cook spaghetti: Boil spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and return to warm pot.
  7. Make spaghetti crust: To the hot spaghetti, add butter and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat evenly. Then add whisked eggs and toss quickly to combine, allowing eggs to begin setting as a binder.
  8. Combine spaghetti and meat sauce: Stir 1 ½ cups of the simmered meat sauce into the spaghetti mixture. Remove from heat.
  9. Assemble pie base: Transfer the spaghetti and meat sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish. Press down firmly to form an even, packed crust layer.
  10. Add cheese and sauce layers: Spread the ricotta and cream cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti crust. Top with the remaining meat sauce until fully covered.
  11. Add mozzarella topping: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the meat sauce layer.
  12. Bake: Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and hot. For a golden brown top, optionally broil at 450°F for a few minutes—watch carefully to avoid burning.
  13. Rest before serving: Remove from oven and let the pie sit for 10-15 minutes to set and make slicing easier. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Make-Ahead: Assemble the pie but do not bake. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before baking.
  • Let the refrigerated pie sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking for even cooking.
  • If covering the pie while baking, cover with foil sprayed on the side facing the cheese with nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes until cheese melts.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat well before serving.
  • If freezing, consider using slightly less pasta (just under ½ lb.) to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much sauce during storage.
  • Nutritional info is approximate and based on 8 servings.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of recipe)
  • Calories: 480
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Sodium: 690mg
  • Fat: 22g
  • Saturated Fat: 10g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10g
  • Trans Fat: 0.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 43g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 28g
  • Cholesterol: 115mg

Find it online: https://piesbypaula.com/spaghetti-pie-with-meat-sauce-and-cheese-recipe/