Spaghetti Pie Recipe

My spaghetti pie recipe is a comforting baked pasta dinner made with tender spaghetti, rich meat sauce, and lots of melty cheese. I bake the pasta until the edges turn golden and crisp, creating a hearty, sliceable comfort food that’s perfect for family dinners.

I live for a cozy and comforting bowl of spaghetti, and this spaghetti pie recipe is such a unique twist on a classic. The first time I made it was in 1994, when I was helping my then-pregnant-boss prep freezer meals before she gave birth. I became obsessed with the idea of pressing spaghetti and my mom’s spaghetti meat sauce recipe into a pie pan and baking it into a sliceable dish. Well, I’ve been perfecting this recipe ever since. Over the years, I even added an element of surprise. When you cut into a slice of this baked spaghetti pie, you’ll find a silky layer of cream cheese that makes every bite of this so much richer and more decadent.

Keri – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolutely AMAZING!!! I wish I’d known about this years ago! Spaghetti will never be the same. I am so happy I made it!! Thanks for the recipe! Definitely a new dinner staple.

Sommer’s Recipe Highlights

Easy to Make – From the simple ingredients to the easy-to-follow steps, this spaghetti pie is very easy to make. Don’t be fooled by the crispy edges and cheesy center. Even though this version is more “upscale” than my baked spaghetti casserole recipe, you don’t need any fancy techniques to make this savory pie.

Make-Ahead Greatness – My old boss was really onto something when she froze these pies. This recipe is the perfect dish to assemble ahead of time and keep in the freezer for when you’re ready to bring everyone to the table. Although the springform pan gives it a lovely tall appearance, you can buy foil pans to make extras for freezing, so your baking dishes aren’t all stuck in the freezer!

Family-Friendly Comfort Food – I love to serve this dish to big crowds, whether it’s for a busy weeknight or a bigger family get-together. Every bite is comforting and oozing with delicious Italian flavors that will make you want seconds.

Key Ingredients and Tips

• Dried spaghetti – Dried spaghetti is the base of this recipe. I like to use regular spaghetti and make sure to cook it according to the package instructions. Since it is technically cooked twice, shoot for al dente.
• Ground beef – To give the sauce that classic Italian flavor that reminds you of traditional bolognese, I use an 80-20 ground beef.
• Ground Italian sausage – You can use either mild or hot Italian sausage, but whichever you chose, you can count on it adding some serious flavor to the sauce.
• Crushed tomatoes – For that signature tangy taste and texture, I always use crushed tomatoes to build the sauce. San Marzano are the best in my opinion.
• Tomato paste – This super-concentrated tomato flavor thickens the sauce up beautifully so that it holds together when you slice the pie.
• Italian seasoning – This is a must! Add a generous pinch of Italian seasoning to get those traditional herb flavors that make you feel like you’re in nonna’s kitchen.
• Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature, as they bind all the ingredients together so that you can slice and serve more easily.
• Italian cheese blend – This cheesy addition tops the whole pie and creates a sensational golden and bubbly crust.
• Cream cheese – Here’s that secret ingredient I was talking about. To make a silky creamy layer, use a regular cream cheese that’s been softened at room temperature.

How to Make

Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.

Prep the oven – To start off, I always make sure to get the oven hot and ready by setting it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I grease my springform pan with some good old olive oil.

Brown the meat – To start off that delicious meat sauce, I sauté the onion, garlic, ground beef, and sausage over medium heat until it’s nice and golden brown. Then I stir in the tomatoes, seasoning, and a pinch of salt, and then I let all those flavors simmer together over low heat. In another big pot, I bring the water to a boil for my pasta.

Cook the pasta – Once the water is boiling, I pop in the dried pasta and cook it according to package instructions. I love my spaghetti al dente, so I always cook it a minute less than required. Once it’s ready, I drain the pasta and set it aside.

Combine flavors – I grab a measuring cup and remove two cups worth of meat sauce from the pot, and I set those aside…I’ll need those in a bit. Then I mix the cooked pasta with the sauce in the pot, making sure to coat it evenly. Now I’m ready to beat the eggs and throw them back into the pasta-meat sauce combo.

Layer up – Now comes the fun part, layering the pie! I start off by pouring the spaghetti into the greased pan, and pressing it down to get rid of any gaps. Then I top that off with generous slices of cream cheese and I spread out the cream cheese to make sure that entire layer is nice and coated.

Bake – Finally, I top off those layers with the rest of the meat sauce and shredded cheese. A lot, a lot of shredded cheese! Then I bake for about 25 minutes until it’s nice and golden and bubbly!

Recipe Variations

• Cheese – Instead of the blend I’m using, you can opt for parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
• Spicy – I love some heat, and a great way to add it to this dish is to swap the Italian sausage with hot Italian sausage and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes.
• Veggies – Give this dish a boost of nutrients by adding in some sauteed spinach, onions, bell peppers, or sliced mushrooms. I would mix them right into the sauce.
• Bacon – For a smoky twist, stir crumbled cooked bacon into the soft cream cheese.

Serving Suggestions

This decadent dinner pie is a meal on its own. I love cutting into it for that creamy dreamy surprise, and since this is quite the filling dish, I like to keep my sides simple. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this pie:

• Caesar salad
• Wilted lettuce salad
• Easy garlic bread
• Homemade breadsticks

Frequently Asked Questions 

Storing

You can store this recipe in the fridge inside an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes.

Looking for More Pasta Recipes to Try?

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Buffalo Wild Wings)

Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Easy Spinach Lasagna

Stuffed Shells with Meat

Help Me Spread the Word about this Fabulous Free Recipe! Sharing this recipe link on Pinterest and Facebook is super impactful, and I greatly appreciate it! Find the share buttons below the recipe form.

Print Recipe

4.96 stars (21 reviews)

Leave a Review »

Cook Mode

Spaghetti Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

I love a comforting bowl of spaghetti and this Spaghetti Pie Recipe is a delicious and fun twist on an Italian classic. Every slice is packed with layers of tender pasta that crisp up on the outside, decadent meat sauce and melty cheese, that make each bite perfectly hearty and satisfying.

Servings: 10 slices

Video

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 16 ounces dried spaghetti
• 16 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces ground Italian sausage
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 can)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a  9-10 inch springform pan, or a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. If using a springform pan, wrap the outside in foil to avoid leakage.
• Place a large pot of salted water over high heat to boil. In a separate saucepot, add the ground beef, sausage, onions, and garlic. Brown the meat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Once the meat is cooked and the onions have softened, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and simmer on low.
• Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, usually 6-9 minutes. Drain the cooked pasta.
• Separate out 2 cups of meat sauce and set aside. Add the cooked pasta to the remaining pot of meat sauce. Stir well to coat the pasta. Beat the eggs, then stir them into the spaghetti.
• Pour the spaghetti into the prepared pan. Press down to pack the pasta in the pan. Cut the cream cheese into thin slices and lay them over top of the pasta. Use a spatula to spread out the cream cheese.
• Pour the remaining meat sauce over the top of the pie. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top. Bake for 25 minutes until the edges are crispy. Cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Freezer Instructions: If you plan to make and freeze your Baked Spaghetti Pie, make the pie as instructed above, but do not bake. Wrap the pan thoroughly with foil and place in the freezer. When ready to use, heat the oven to 350 degrees F, and baked the frozen pie covered for 50-60 minutes. If making multiple pies, you can make and freeze them in 10 inch round or square foil baking pans. Traditional foil pie pans are not quite big enough.

You can store this recipe in the fridge inside an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this! Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 449kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 116mg, Sodium: 598mg, Potassium: 613mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 485IU, Vitamin C: 9.2mg, Calcium: 88mg, Iron: 3.5mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Sommer Collier

Cook It? Love It? Rate It!YOU can help this recipe RANK on Google – TAP 5 STARS so other hungry people can find it. Thank you!

Share This Recipe With Friends!