Weeknight Spaghetti Pie
Spaghetti Pie
This hearty Italian dish is a cozy spaghetti and meat sauce dinner using ground Italian sausage, baked into a pasta pie. We enjoy Weeknight Spaghetti Pie as a speedy family meal that’s budget friendly.
Weeknight Spaghetti Pie Recipe
Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Let’s Get You Cookin’ ….Shall We?? 🙂
Spaghetti Pie. Layer upon layer of Italian goodness! A spaghetti Parmesan crust gets loaded with a creamy filling and topped with rich sausage meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Talk about taking spaghetti to a whole new level…..
Like most American families, we are fans of casseroles, our schedules are jam packed and we seem to eat in shifts. I’ve relied on tons of comfort food casseroles over the years to keep my hungry family full.
A few of our favorites include Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole and Chicken Cornbread Casserole.
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We also eat a lot of skillet meals around here! Like casseroles, I like to cook anything that can be make in just ONE PAN. That would include this Fiesta Ground Beef and Noodle Skillet and Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups, too.
If your family needs a really wonderful breakfast casserole I’ve got a classic one I can highly recommend – it’s loaded with sausage, egg, and cheese, then we always add a little gravy over the top.
How to Make Spaghetti Pie
- Combine the cooked, warm spaghetti with butter and Parmesan – this creates the crust that you press over the bottom and up the sides of a deep-dish pie plate.
- Whip up your cottage cheese filling next. Pour this over the spaghetti crust.
- Meanwhile, make the meat sauce by browning the ground Italian sausage until it’s fully cooked, draining any fats that accumulate. Stir in the pizza sauce, then layer this over the cottage cheese filling.
- You’re ready to bake the Spaghetti Pie! Once it’s hot throughout, top with mozzarella cheese and baked a few minutes longer to let the cheese melt. Ta-Dah!
Helpful Recipe Tips for Making Spaghetti Pie
Can I substitute other types of ground meat for the Italian sausage in this recipe?
- Surely. I often substitute ground venison in this Fiesta because we’ve always got a freezer full. You could also substitute ground bison, ground turkey, or ground chicken, too.
What’s the best way to brown ground beef so it’s really flavorful?
- Such a great question! Before adding your ground beef (or any ground meat, for that matter) to the skillet, be sure the skillet is very nicely hot, over medium high heat. When the ground beef hits the hot skillet, it browns off, caramelizing the meat to give it a nice sear on the outside, adding great flavor.
Can I make Spaghetti Pie ahead of time and bake it when I need it for supper or even the next day?
- Yep. You make have to bake it a little longer if you bake it right from the fridge. Or, if you can, let the spaghetti pie rest on the counter for 30 minutes, uncovered, before you bake it to remove some of the chill.
Would Spaghetti Pie be good baked in a cast iron skillet?
- It would be outstanding baked in a cast iron skillet and I do so every time I’m going to take this casserole to a covered dish gathering or potluck meal. The cast iron keeps the spaghetti pie warm for a long time.
When I bake a casserole like this, how can I know for sure that it’s good and hot at the very center?
- Good question. I always use my instant-read thermometer to test the center of my casseroles since it’s rather to hard to tell sometimes when they are nicely hot throughout.
- Insert the instant-read thermometer into the center of the casserole. The ideal and safe internal temperature is 160 degrees F.
Does Spaghetti Pie reheat well the next day?
- We love it as leftovers and the flavors are even better the next day. It reheats great.
Why does the spaghetti crust call for an egg? This seems weird.
- The egg in both the crust and in the filling acts as a binder to hold each layer together.
Can I use ricotta cheese in place of the cottage cheese?
- Totally. My family isn’t super big on the flavor or texture of ricotta cheese so we just use cottage cheese since it’s more mild in flavor. I’m sure most Italians would totally disapprove! You can also use half cottage and half ricotta cheese to create the filling.
Does Spaghetti Pie freeze well?
- It sure does and you may as well make two pies while you’re at it – one for now and one to pop into the freezer for a meal later on. Wrap it really well in foil and it will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer with no problem.
What Tools Will I Need for Making Spaghetti Pie Casserole?
- A 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- An instant-read thermometer for checking the spaghetti pie when you bake it.
- A wire potato masher like this one is a super handy tool for crumbling and cooking the ground beef.
Other Favorites Your Family May Enjoy –
BEEF AND CHEESE MEXICAN SANCHILADAS – A yummy cross of an enchilada with a sancho!
SOUTHWEST SLOPPY JOES – Serve these as a slider, a dip, or in a bowl for a lower-carb option.
CREAMY PESTO PASTA WITH CHICKEN – A luscious pasta skillet your family will beg for again and again.
INSTANT POT BABY BACK RIBS – Super fast and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
BAKED SPAGHETTI PIE CASSEROLE – A good saucy pasta bake your family will love.
Printable Weeknight Spaghetti Pie Recipe
Spaghetti Pie
Ingredients
- 6 oz. spaghetti, broken into thirds
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup grated Paramesan cheese
- 1-2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese, may substitute 1/2 cup cottage cheese combined with 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, if desired
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 lb. bulk pork Italian sausage, may use more sausage if desired
- 1/2 tsp. granulated onion
- 8 oz. pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions; drain well.
- To make the spaghetti crust, in a medium mixing bowl combine 1 beaten egg with the Parmesan cheese and butter; add the warm cooked spaghetti, tossing well to combine.
- Press the prepared spaghetti mixture against the bottom and sides of a well-greased 9-inch deep dish pie plate to form an even crust.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the remaining beaten egg with the cottage cheese, and the red pepper flakes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread this mixture over the spaghetti crust; set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage until browned and cooked throughout; drain any fats that have accumulated in the skillet. Stir in the pizza sauce, cooking until heated throughout. Spoon mixture over cottage cheese mixture; cover the spaghetti pie loosely with foil. Bake, covered, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil; sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes longer or until mozzarella is melted and bubbly and the spaghetti pie is hot throughout. (160 degrees F. at the center of the pie.)
Notes
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Tips for Making Spaghetti Pie
Can I substitute other types of ground meat for the Italian sausage in this recipe?
- Surely. I often substitute ground venison in this Fiesta because we’ve always got a freezer full. You could also substitute ground bison, ground turkey, or ground chicken, too.
What’s the best way to brown ground beef so it’s really flavorful?
- Such a great question! Before adding your ground beef (or any ground meat, for that matter) to the skillet, be sure the skillet is very nicely hot, over medium high heat. When the ground beef hits the hot skillet, it browns off, caramelizing the meat to give it a nice sear on the outside, adding great flavor.
Would Spaghetti Pie be good baked in a cast iron skillet?
- It would be outstanding baked in a cast iron skillet and I do so every time I’m going to take this casserole to a covered dish gathering or potluck meal. The cast iron keeps the spaghetti pie warm for a long time.
Does Spaghetti Pie reheat well the next day?
- We love it as leftovers and the flavors are even better the next day. It reheats great.
Why does the spaghetti crust call for an egg? This seems weird.
- The egg in both the crust and in the filling acts as a binder to hold each layer together.
Can I use ricotta cheese in place of the cottage cheese?
- Totally. My family isn’t super big on the flavor or texture of ricotta cheese so we just use cottage cheese since it’s more mild in flavor. I’m sure most Italians would totally disapprove! You can also use half cottage and half ricotta cheese to create the filling.
Does Spaghetti Pie freeze well?
- It sure does and you may as well make two pies while you’re at it – one for now and one to pop into the freezer for a meal later on. Wrap it really well in foil and it will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer with no problem.
Nutrition
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LET’S GET YOU COOKIN’,
CHEF ALLI
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