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Half a spaghetti pie in a round casserole dish.

Spaghetti Pie

This hearty Italian dish makes a simple spaghetti dinner using ground Italian sausage. We enjoy it as a speedy weeknight dinner that's budget friendly and a family favorite.
Servings: 6 servings
Chef Alli
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

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Ingredients
 

  • 6 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 large 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 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 pound bulk pork Italian sausage, may use more sausage if desired
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion
  • 8 ounces pizza sauce may substitute marinara, if desired
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions; drain well.
    6 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds
  • 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.
    1 large egg, beaten, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 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.
    1 large 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 teaspoon red pepper flakes, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 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 onion powder and 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.
    1/2 pound bulk pork Italian sausage, may use more sausage if desired, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion, 8 ounces pizza sauce
  • 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.)
    1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Notes

 

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

Calories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 19gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 750mgPotassium: 353mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 522IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 154mgIron: 2mg
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