Description
A hearty and comforting Spaghetti Pie with a savory meat sauce, rich cheese layers, and a delicious spaghetti crust, baked to perfection for a family-friendly dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Layer
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
- 0.5 teaspoon dried parsley
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.25 teaspoon pepper
Spaghetti Crust
- 0.5 pound spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 0.5 cup parmesan cheese
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound 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 ounces marinara sauce
Cheese Topping
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Cheese Layer: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, salt, dried basil, parsley, oregano, and pepper until well mixed. Set aside for layering later.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan or a 2 to 2.5 quart baking dish.
- Cook Meat Sauce: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion, breaking up the beef, until browned and cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain excess grease. Reduce heat to medium and stir in garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning; cook for 2 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, stir to combine, then simmer uncovered on low heat while you prepare spaghetti.
- Cook Spaghetti: Boil salted water and cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, then return spaghetti to the warm pot. Add butter and parmesan cheese; toss to coat evenly. Add the whisked eggs and toss quickly to combine thoroughly.
- Combine Spaghetti and Meat Sauce: Add 1.5 cups of the meat sauce to the spaghetti and mix well. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Pie: Transfer the spaghetti mixture to the prepared pie pan. Press down to compact the spaghetti to create the crust layer. Spread the prepared ricotta and cream cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti. Spoon 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 over the top. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until the cheese is hot and melted. For a browned top, broil at 450°F for a few minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, mix ground beef with Italian sausage.
- Use high-quality marinara sauce like Rao’s or Carbone for best taste.
- Low moisture, whole milk mozzarella melts best; brands like Galbani or Dragone are recommended.
- Grate fresh Parmesan from a block for optimal flavor.
- Philadelphia cream cheese from a tub melts better than from a block.
- Hot sauce enhances flavor without adding spice; Frank's Hot Sauce is a good choice.
- This dish can be assembled ahead, refrigerated for 24 hours, or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw fully and bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- When reheating covered with foil, spray foil side facing the cheese with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Adjust pasta quantity when freezing to avoid excess absorption.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
