Description
A comforting and hearty Spaghetti Pie combining creamy cheeses, savory meat sauce, and perfectly cooked spaghetti baked to cheesy perfection. This dish layers ricotta and cream cheese with a flavorful ground beef marinara mixture inside a spaghetti crust, then topped with melted mozzarella for a crowd-pleasing Italian-inspired casserole.
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
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
Cheese Topping
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare pan and cheese mixture: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan or a 2 to 2 ½ quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, salt, dried basil, parsley, oregano, and pepper. Set aside.
- Cook meat sauce: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and diced onions. Cook and crumble for 7 to 10 minutes until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in marinara sauce, reduce to low heat and simmer uncovered while preparing spaghetti.
- Cook spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, then drain and return to warm pot.
- Mix spaghetti crust: To the spaghetti in the pot, add butter and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat evenly. Add whisked eggs and toss well to combine, ensuring eggs lightly bind the pasta.
- Assemble the pie: Stir 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce into the spaghetti mixture. Transfer this to the prepared pan and press down firmly to form a packed layer. Spread the ricotta and cream cheese mixture evenly on top, then spread the remaining meat sauce over the cheese layer. The pan will be full but manageable.
- Add cheese topping and bake: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on top. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and hot. For a browned top, broil at 450°F for a few minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest before serving: Remove from oven and let the pie sit for 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage for added flavor.
- Choose high-quality marinara sauce like Rao’s or Carbone for best taste.
- Use low moisture, whole milk mozzarella for proper melting (e.g., Galbani or Dragone).
- Grate Parmesan from a block, such as Belgioioso, for fresher flavor.
- Philadelphia cream cheese from a tub melts better than block cream cheese.
- Hot sauce enhances flavor without making it spicy; Frank’s Hot Sauce is recommended.
- For make-ahead, assemble but do not bake; cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 30 minutes.
- When covering with foil, spray the foil’s side that touches the cheese with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Adjust pasta quantity to just under ½ lb. if freezing leftovers to keep the sauce balance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
