Description
Spaghetti Pie is a comforting, baked pasta casserole combining tender spaghetti, a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta and cream cheese mixture, and melty mozzarella. This hearty dish layers spaghetti tossed with eggs and parmesan alongside a flavorful ground beef marinara and a cheesy ricotta layer, all baked to melty perfection. Perfect for a family dinner, it sets up like a pie and is both filling and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Mixture
- 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
Pasta Layer
- 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 flavor)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
Topping
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Cookware and Heat Oven: Use a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan or a 2 to 2 ½ quart baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, salt, dried basil, parsley, oregano, and pepper. Set aside.
- Boil Spaghetti: Start boiling a large pot of salted water to cook the spaghetti to al dente.
- Cook Ground Beef and Onions: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and diced onions for 7-10 minutes until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Add Flavorings and Marinara: Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning to the beef. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in marinara sauce, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered while spaghetti cooks.
- Drain and Toss Spaghetti: Drain spaghetti and return it to the warm cooking pot. Add butter and Parmesan cheese, tossing to coat the pasta evenly. Then add whisked eggs and toss again to combine.
- Mix Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: Stir 1 ½ cups of the simmered meat sauce into the spaghetti mixture thoroughly. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Pie Base: Transfer the spaghetti-meat sauce mixture into the prepared pie pan or baking dish. Press down firmly to pack the layer evenly.
- Add Cheese and Meat Sauce Layers: Spread the ricotta and cream cheese mixture over the packed spaghetti layer. Then top with the remaining meat sauce evenly over the cheese.
- Add Mozzarella and Bake: Sprinkle 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and hot. Optionally broil at 450°F for a few minutes to brown the cheese—watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use a deep pie pan or sufficiently deep baking dish to accommodate the full layers as this recipe fills the pan quite full.
- The hot sauce adds a subtle depth of flavor without making the dish spicy.
- You can substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or Italian sausage if preferred.
- Leftover pie can be refrigerated and reheated, though best consumed fresh.
- Watch the broiling step closely to avoid burning the cheese topping.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Spaghetti Pie, Baked Pasta, Ground Beef Casserole, Ricotta Cheese, Italian Comfort Food, Pasta Pie
