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Meet your new comfort food obsession: spaghetti pie! This cozy, crowd-pleasing dish takes everything you love about classic pasta—savory Italian sausage sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey melted cheese—and bakes it into a sliceable pie with a crispy spaghetti crust. It’s hearty, satisfying, and just plain fun. Whether you’re feeding the family, planning for a potluck, or prepping meals ahead of time, this baked beauty delivers big on flavor and charm. It’s like your favorite spaghetti got a deliciously cheesy upgrade!
Get ready to meet your new favorite comfort food. Hearty spaghetti pie is part pasta and part cheesy baked casserole with plenty of sausage, ricotta and melted cheese.
If you love cozy Italian dishes, you might also enjoy chorizo rigatoni, ravioli lasagna, baked cream cheese spaghetti, or this lasagna al forno.
Why You’ll Love It
So tasty: Meaty Italian sausage, lots of cheese, spaghetti noodles, and a herby tomato sauce make this spaghetti pie recipe absolutely delicious. And your kitchen will smell incredible while it’s in the oven!
Simple to prepare: You just need to cook the spaghetti, make the meat sauce and cheese sauce, and then layer everything together in a pie dish and bake to perfection.
A cozy dish: This scrumptious spaghetti pie recipe is perfect for busy weeknight dinners and the whole family will love it, even the kids.
Baked Spaghetti Pie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Spaghetti: I used dried spaghetti.
Italian sausage: Mild, sweet, spicy, extra hot—just take your pick!
Tomatoes: You need tomato paste as well as a can of crushed tomatoes.
Fresh basil: Adds an aromatic fresh flavor.
Italian seasoning: Adds more flavor.
Cheese: This is a cheese-heavy dish! As well as the ricotta cheese, I like to use shredded mozzarella cheese plus cheddar and parmesan cheese in my spaghetti pie.
Eggs: Binds the cheese mixture together and also helps bind it to the spaghetti mixture to form the “crust”.
Garlic and onion: Adds savory flavors to the dish.
How to Make Italian Spaghetti Pie
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Cook the spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti noodles and then drain them and keep them warm.
Prepare the spaghetti sauce: Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet and then add the Italian sausage and brown it. Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, herbs, kosher salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally.
Make the ricotta mixture: Whisk the ricotta with most of the mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan.
Combine everything: Stir the ricotta mixture with the spaghetti and then stir in the spaghetti sauce until combined.
Bake the spaghetti pie: Spread the spaghetti mixture in a greased pie pan or springform pan, then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Bake until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Let it sit for a while and then slice and serve, garnished with fresh basil if liked.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free spaghetti or even spaghetti squash.
Pasta: You can use plain spaghetti, linguine or angel hair pasta.
Add some veggies: You can add vegetables to the sauce, such as red or green peppers, mushrooms or spinach, to boost the flavor and nutrition. Just make sure to sauté them along with the onions and garlic so they release their moisture before adding the tomatoes.
Store-bought pasta sauce: Pressed for time? Grab a jar of pasta sauce instead of making your own.
Add extra flavor: Toss the cooked spaghetti in a bit of garlic powder or grated parmesan cheese before adding it to the pie dish. You can also mix in some herbs or a drizzle of olive oil for added depth.
Customize the sauce: While Italian sausage gives a great flavor, feel free to use ground beef if you prefer, or ground pork, turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter version. If you want a vegetarian version, skip the sausage entirely and use extra veggies such as zucchini or eggplant.
Different cheeses: Fontina, pecorino romano, provolone or ricotta (instead of mozzarella) could be used to change the flavor profile, or you could swap half the ricotta for cottage cheese or make a cottage cheese layer. You can even mix in some fresh herbs like basil or parsley to flavor the cheese mixture further.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your Italian meal with homemade classic focaccia or mushroom focaccia.
Side dishes: Enjoy spaghetti pie with an iceberg wedge salad or lemon parmesan chopped salad.
Desserts: Serve Nutella cookies or Italian almond cake to finish.
How to Store Spaghetti Pie
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze spaghetti pie in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: You can warm it back up in the microwave or in the oven.
Top Tips
Al dente spaghetti: Make sure you cook the spaghetti to al dente (firm to the bite) since it will soften further while baking in the pie. Overcooked spaghetti gets mushy when baked.
Drain the spaghetti well: After cooking the pasta, make sure you drain it thoroughly. Excess water can make the pie soggy. Keep it warm if it’s ready before the meat sauce.
Rest the pie: Allow the pie to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the pie set up and makes it easier to serve without falling apart.
Spaghetti Pie with Meat Sauce FAQs
Yes, spaghetti pie is a great make-ahead meal. You can assemble it the night before and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it. This also allows the flavors to meld even more.
There is. To get a slightly crispier texture, bake the pie at 425°F for the final 5 minutes or put it under the broiler for a minute or 2 at the end to get the cheese golden and crispy.
Feel free to use a rectangular or square baking dish if you don’t have a pie dish. The shape of the dish won’t affect the flavor, but make sure it’s deep enough to hold all the ingredients.
Easy Baked Spaghetti Pie Recipe
Spaghetti Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Pound spaghetti, dried
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, freshly minced
- 1 Pound Italian sausage
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Can crushed tomatoes, 28-Ounce
- 1 Tablespoon basil, freshly chopped
- 2 Teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 Cup ricotta cheese
- 3 eggs, large
- 2 Cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 Cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 Cups parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
Cook the Spaghetti:
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions.
- Drain the cooked spaghetti and keep it warm.
Make the Meat Sauce:
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté until softened, 3 or 4 minutes.
- Add the Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, cooking for a minute to deepen the flavor.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer the sauce on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the flavors meld. Toss with the drained spaghetti.
Make the Ricotta Mixture:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and ½ cups each of the mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan until smooth and well combined.
- Stir the ricotta mixture into spaghetti and meat sauce mixture.
Bake the Spaghetti Pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan or pie dish or a round baking dish with a little olive oil or non-stick spray.
- Spread the spaghetti mixture evenly in the pan, pressing firmly so it will hold together well.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pie.
- Bake the pie in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil if liked.
Notes
Drain the spaghetti well: After cooking the pasta, make sure you drain it thoroughly. Excess water can make the pie soggy. Keep it warm if it’s ready before the meat sauce.
Rest the pie: Allow the pie to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the pie set up and makes it easier to serve without falling apart.
Nutrition
Spaghetti pie is such a lovely recipe. It’s the kind of playful, fun dish that’s always popular when served up midweek, as everyone is going to love the meaty, cheesy goodness in this mouthwatering dish. The egg and cheesy spaghetti noodle mixture acts as a “crust” for the pie, and the meat sauce with tomatoes, garlic and Italian sausage is a wonderful pie filling. This is the type of meal that appeals to the whole family.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
It is officially my new favorite comfort food! That crispy pasta crust with all the cheesy, saucy goodness inside? Unreal.