Cheesy Spaghetti Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Cheese Layer

• 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 ground black pepper

Spaghetti Crust

• 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
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 24 oz marinara sauce

Cheese Topping

• 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, salt, dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, and ground black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan or a 2 to 2 ½ quart baking dish.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, then return to the warm pot.
4. Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add ground beef and diced onion. Cook and crumble for 7-10 minutes until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
5. Reduce heat to medium, add minced garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in marinara sauce, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered while spaghetti finishes cooking.
6. To the spaghetti in the pot, add butter and parmesan cheese; toss to coat. Add whisked eggs and toss again to combine.
7. Add 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce to the spaghetti and stir well. Remove from heat.
8. Transfer spaghetti mixture to the prepared pie pan and press down to form a packed layer. Spread the ricotta and cream cheese mixture evenly over spaghetti. Spoon remaining meat sauce on top.
9. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
10. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until cheese is hot and fully melted. For a browned top, optionally broil at 450°F for a few minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
11. Remove from oven and let the pie sit for 10-15 minutes to set before serving.

Notes

• Meat: Using a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage adds more flavor.
• Marinara Sauce: For best flavor, use high-quality marinara such as Rao’s or Carbone.
• Mozzarella: Use low moisture, whole milk mozzarella for proper melting; Galbani or Dragone brands are recommended.
• Parmesan: Freshly grate Parmesan from a block, such as Belgioioso, for best flavor.
• Cream Cheese: Tub style cream cheese melts better than block varieties, Philadelphia brand recommended.
• Hot Sauce: Adds flavor without heat; Frank’s Hot Sauce is suggested.
• Make Ahead: Assemble but do not bake; refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw before baking and bake covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Pasta Amount: When freezing leftovers, using just under ½ lb pasta prevents over-absorption of sauce.