Easy, Delicious, and hearty, Best Spaghetti Pie Recipe is a family favorite casserole. This comforting meal is quick, easy to make, and very versatile.
This recipe is a classic Italian combination that takes less than 30 minutes to make, great for busy weeknights!
What is Spaghetti Pie?
You may be a little confused. What is Spaghetti Pie? It just looks like Baked Spaghetti! You’re right. It does. And, it is and it isn’t. Let me explain. You mix all the ingredients together and top with cheese and bake it for Baked Spaghetti. For this Spaghetti Pie, you have three distinct layers. The pasta is on the bottom, followed with the saucy meat layer, and finally the cheese.
In the end, Spaghetti Pie and Baked Spaghetti (and lasagna IMHO) taste pretty much the same. I think so, but to my picky children, there’s a huge difference!
This is a great recipe to prep when you’re cooking spaghetti noodles for Chicken Spaghetti or Spaghetti Carbonara. You can cook extra spaghetti noodles and refrigerate them, you can go ahead and prep the bottom layer, or you can make and assemble the entire recipe.
Another option, you can refrigerate this casserole for 3 to 4 days. As well, you can and freeze it. I really don’t like to freeze casseroles for more than a month, but you can freeze it for a couple of months and be safe.
Best Spaghetti Pie Recipe options
I said in the lead sentence that this recipe is versatile.
- For the pasta – If you don’t have spaghetti noodles, don’t fret. You can use any pasta shape you have on hand. However, spaghetti, angel hair, and fettucini will hold together better. You can even choose gluten-free options if that’s your jam.
- For the meat – I most often use ground beef or Italian sausage. Both are excellent. As well, you can use any ground meat. Turkey and chicken make healthier alternatives.
- For the sauce – The recipe, as written, makes a homemade sauce. By all means, if you have a favorite spaghetti sauce use it. We are all just trying to do the best we can’t no judgment here. I used jarred spaghetti sauce too!
- For the cheese – Mozzarella, of course, is the classic pairing. In a pinch, I have used Monterrey and gouda.
- For the dish – I used this deep-dish pie pan. You can also use an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking pan or an 8×8-inch disposable pan (I like these with the lids) for freezing.
To make ahead of time
Make and assemble as indicated through step 8 of the recipe. Don’t bake it. Instead. wrap it securely or freeze it in a disposable foil pan. I prefer a disposable foil pan. This way it can go straight from the freezer to the oven. To cook from frozen, add 30 to 35 minutes to the cooking time. As well, cover it with foil for 30 minutes.
How to heat Best Spaghetti Pie Recipe leftovers
Personally, I think this gets better after the first day. You can heat it in the microwave or in the oven. The re-heating time will vary depending on the portion size.
Family storytime…
I’m sharing a great recipe with you today, but first, I have a little story. Skip on down if you just want the recipe.
Lincoln has started liking chocolate pudding. As I was grocery shopping the other day, I decided to pick up some chocolate Greek yogurt and see if I could pass it off to Lincoln as ‘pudding’. I knew if Lincoln wouldn’t eat it Ryder would. Ryder’s favorite snack is Greek yogurt!
I was a little sad when Lincoln came home from school and said he didn’t like it. *sigh* I’ll keep trying to get him to eat new things I thought to myself. So the next day, I pack the chocolate yogurt in Ryder’s lunch. When he came home from school he proclaimed it was yucky, turned up his nose and asked please don’t get him that kind again! What?! I can’t believe he doesn’t like chocolate yogurt!
Days passed. I didn’t try to make the boys eat the yogurt. One morning I wanted a snack so I grabbed the chocolate yogurt. I took one big bite. Oh, this is odd….Yes, I had in fact purchased coffee yogurt with chocolate chunks!! All I saw was chocolate and a brown container! Now, I can understand why kids wouldn’t enjoy this yogurt!!
Luckily, I don’t make mistakes like that very often!
Luckily, both boys love spaghetti and lasagna and this Spaghetti Pie is very similar to both!
While you’re here, check out these recipes!
- Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
- Shrimp Spaghetti Carbonara
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Pasta Meatball Soup
- Thai Peanut Noodles
- Tipsy Italian Sausage Pasta
Best Spaghetti Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Pasta crust
- 6 ounces spaghetti cooked
- ⅔ cup ricotta
- 2 large eggs beaten
Meat sauce
- 1 pound ground beef Italian sausage, pork sausage, ground turkey or chicken may be substituted
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar optional
Top
- 1 and ½ cups mozzarella shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese fresh, grated
Instructions
- Spray a deep-dish pie pan, 9x9-inch baking pan, or 8x8-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Cook spaghetti and drain
- Add ricotta and eggs to spaghetti while spaghetti is still hot and stir until combined.
- Pour the spaghetti mixture into a pie pan and form it into a crust. Compact it down with the bottom of another pie pan or saucer.
- In a skillet cook ground beef, onions, and garlic. Drain fat.
- To the beef mixture, add tomatoes (do not drain), tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Turn to simmer and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Spoon the beef mixture evenly over spaghetti crust.
- Top with mozzarella and then Parmesan cheeses.
- Bake in 350° oven for 20 minutes or until hot, bubbly and the cheese is melted. Cool for 5 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
Also, you can also find great recipes here or at Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck.
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Jamie says
I have been making this for my family for years, but I add a layer of cottage cheese. Now, it tastes just like lasagna! And, yes, perfect recipe for kids! My 4 children love it!
Rachel says
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta?
Paula says
yes
Theresa says
I agree with Ryder, yogurt is nasty in any flavor and really not healthy as people think.
This recipe looks good. I will have to try it. Thanks.
maria says
This looks so delicious! I love pasta and I am always looking for new and interesting recipes! I will be trying yours out in the new couple of weeks!
Maria@
musicteachingandparenting.com
Paula says
Thank you, it’s a great change from regular spaghetti.
Linda says
The two grandsons will be born on Tuesday. This would be an easy dish to put together for dinner for the family.
Thanks for linking to What’d You Do This Weekend.
Linda
Paula says
OH, congrats! It’s really an easy dish.
Lizy @ http://justdipitinchocolate.blogspot.com/ says
Very interesting recipe! I don’t believe I’ve ever had spaghetti pie before, but there is always a first time right? and hun…I know we want the best for our kids, I tried the same thing with mine and it didn’t pass either, I even got the chocolate mousse type to make it similar in texture and nothing oh well they have the flavors tuned the right way! lol Thank you for sharing it at the Fluster Buster party, Lizy party co host.
carolinaheartstrings says
This looks fantastic. Cannot wait to make it. Thank you for sharing such a yummy recipe.
Paula says
You’re so welcome! Hope you enjoy it.
Michal says
I need to make this because I’m burned out on all my other ground beef recipes and I know the boys will like this. I found you via the Fluster Buster link party. Thanks for sharing this. It’s a keeper. Take care. 🙂
Paula says
Thank you so much, Michal! My boys loved it.
phyllis says
wow that spghetti pie sounds and looks so delicious, I can’t wait to try this out, yummy thanks for sharing this recipe and making it look so easy to make,..Phyllis
Paula says
I love simple recipes, Phyllis. I wish I had more time and patience when cooking 🙂
Andi says
Cute story, Paula! Did you get some real chocolate yogurt, and did the boys like it? Also, did you eat the rest of the coffee yogurt? I love this spaghetti pie recipe. It looks like a perfect weeknight dinner. Thanks for sharing it at Saturday Night Fever 🙂
Paula says
I can’t find just chocolate yogurt, still looking. I did finish the coffee, it was a really small container, but I kind of liked it after I wasn’t expecting a chocolate flavor.
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
My mom used to make something similar like this when I was a kid. I definitely need to make this for a walk down memory lane. 🙂
Blah, coffee yogurt! I like coffee and I like yogurt but I have to say I’m not sure I’d be a fan of that…don’t blame your kids on that one. 😉