Easy Spaghetti Pie

Name: Easy Spaghetti Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces spaghetti; 16 ounces ground beef (lean); 1 cup onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (medium); 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 21/2 cups marinara sauce; 1/2 cup ricotta cheese; 1/4 cup parsley (chopped fresh); 3 large eggs; 1 cup Parmesan (grated, divided); 11/2 cups Mozzarella (shredded, divided)

This Easy Spaghetti Pie is a rich, sliceable baked pasta pie with tender spaghetti, savory browned beef, creamy ricotta, and a molten top of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan — comforting, cheesy, and easy to serve.

It comes together in about 60 minutes total and serves 8, so it’s ideal for family dinners or a make-ahead meal that reheats well for lunches or packed slices on the go.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A simple, family-friendly oven-baked pasta pie that holds its shape for neat slices — the ricotta-and-egg mixture sets the pasta while marinara and two cheeses keep the texture rich and saucy.

Comfort-food flavor with layered marinara, ricotta, ground beef, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
Slices cleanly for easy serving — great for potlucks, school lunches, or reheating.
Hands-off bake time means minimal fuss while the oven does the finishing work.

Make it for a busy weeknight or prepare earlier in the day to relax at dinnertime.

Ingredients You’ll Need

16 ounces spaghetti: Spaghetti provides the structure and classic texture for the pie — cook it almost al dente so it finishes cooking in the oven without turning mushy.
16 ounces ground beef, lean: Lean ground beef supplies savory, meaty flavor and protein; browning and draining it keeps the pie from becoming greasy.
1 cup onion, diced: Diced onion is sautéed until softened to add sweet, aromatic depth to the sauce mixture.
3 cloves garlic, medium: Garlic cloves are briefly cooked with the onion to give an aromatic backbone without overpowering the dish.
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning: Italian seasoning brings a balanced blend of herbs that rounds out the marinara and ricotta flavors.
1/2 teaspoon onion powder: Onion powder intensifies savory, rounded onion flavor without extra texture.
21/2 cups marinara sauce: Marinara sauce moistens and flavors the pasta mixture — it’s the primary sauce component that keeps slices saucy but not runny.
1/2 cup ricotta cheese: Ricotta cheese adds creaminess and, with the eggs, helps bind the spaghetti into a sliceable pie.
1/4 cup parsley, chopped fresh: Chopped fresh parsley brightens the filling with fresh herb flavor and a pop of color.
3 large eggs: Eggs act as the binder so the pie sets as it bakes, producing firmer, cleaner slices.
1 cup Parmesan, grated, divided: Grated Parmesan gives salty, nutty umami; it’s stirred into the filling and sprinkled on top for flavor and browning.
11/2 cups Mozzarella, shredded, divided: Shredded Mozzarella provides the melty, stretchy top and interior pockets of cheese — part is mixed in and the rest is layered on top to bubble and brown.

How to Make Easy Spaghetti Pie

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8-inch springform pan or a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti for 6 to 7 minutes, until almost al dente; the pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the lean ground beef for about 4 to 5 minutes until no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl and discard excess fat, leaving a couple of teaspoons in the pan for sautéing the onion.
Return the pan to medium heat and cook the diced onion until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the Italian seasoning and onion powder, then remove the pan from the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, chopped parsley, and eggs. Stir in the cooked onion and garlic mixture so the flavors are combined.
Toss the cooked spaghetti and browned beef with the sauce-and-ricotta mixture until evenly coated. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella, then transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it gently to compact it. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top.
Bake the pie at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and bubbling, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the pie to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting so it can set for cleaner slices.

Achieve Clean Slices

Follow a few simple techniques to get neat, sliceable pieces every time: cook the spaghetti 6–7 minutes so it finishes in the oven, press the combined mixture evenly into the pan, and allow the pie to rest after baking.

If you need very tidy slices for serving or packing, let the pie cool for 15–30 minutes or briefly refrigerate it (10–20 minutes) before cutting — the filling firms up and slices hold their shape better.

Cook spaghetti 6–7 minutes (almost al dente).
Press the mixture into the pan to compact it before baking.
Rest at least 5 minutes; longer resting or a short chill yields firmer slices.

Make-Ahead & Reheat

This pie is designed to be made ahead: assemble and refrigerate it up to 3 days before baking, or bake and then store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For freezing, wrap a fully cooled baked pie tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for best texture, or bake from frozen following the guidance below.

Refrigerated, unbaked: assemble and store in the pan up to 24 hours; bake as directed.
Refrigerated, baked: keep covered up to 3 days and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15–25 minutes until heated through.
Frozen, baked: thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F for 25–35 minutes, or bake from frozen at 375°F for 45–60 minutes (cover loosely with foil for the first 30 minutes), until the center is hot and cheese bubbles.

Pan Choices

An 8-inch springform pan and a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate both work — choose based on how tall you want the pie to be and how you plan to serve it.

Depth affects baking and serving: a taller pie (8-inch springform) may need a few extra minutes and produces thicker slices, while a 9-inch deep-dish plate spreads the filling slightly thinner and yields more shallow slices.

8-inch springform: easier removal for neat presentation, slightly taller slices, may add a few minutes to bake time.
9-inch deep-dish pie plate: wider, shallower pie with slightly faster bake and more even top browning.
Always check for bubbling cheese in the center and edges as the doneness cue.

Tips for Success

Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook spaghetti to almost al dente (6–7 minutes) so it keeps some bite after baking and the pie isn’t mushy.

Press the mixture firmly: Gently press the mixture into the pan before baking to eliminate large air pockets — compacting helps the pie hold together when sliced.

Let it rest: Wait at least 5 minutes after baking; for even cleaner slices, let the pie sit 15–30 minutes or chill briefly to firm up.

Watch for bubbling cheese: Use bubbling cheese around the edges and a hot center as your doneness cue rather than relying on exact minutes — oven variances change timing.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes. Swap the ground beef for cooked Italian sausage, ground turkey, cooked lentils, or a mix of sautéed mushrooms and walnuts for a vegetarian-friendly texture — cook and drain any replacements as needed before mixing with the pasta.

You can assemble the pie in the prepared pan and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking; bring it straight from the fridge to the oven and add a few extra minutes to the bake time if needed until the cheese is bubbling.

Cool slices completely, wrap individually in foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Reheat a wrapped slice in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes or microwave on medium power until warmed through, then crisp the top in a hot oven for a few minutes if desired.

Final notes

This Easy Spaghetti Pie is a forgiving, family-friendly recipe that shines when made ahead — follow the setting and reheating tips for the best slices every time.

Use the pan choice and resting suggestions above to tailor slice size and presentation for dinners, potlucks, or packed meals.

This Easy Spaghetti Pie is a sliceable baked pasta pie layered with marinara, ricotta, ground beef, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan for a rich, cheesy texture. It comes together in about 60 minutes total and serves 8, making it ideal for family dinners or a make-ahead meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:45

Total Time:1

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian-American

Keyword: baked, make-ahead, Pasta, Spaghetti Pie

Equipment

8-inch springform pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie plate
large pot
large skillet
mixing bowl
slotted spoon
colander

Ingredients

16 ounces spaghetti
16 ounces ground beef lean
1 cup onion diced
3 cloves garlic medium
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
21/2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parsley chopped fresh
3 large eggs
1 cup Parmesan grated, divided
11/2 cups Mozzarella shredded, divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8-inch springform pan or a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water for 6 to 7 minutes or until almost al dente, knowing the pasta will finish cooking in the oven; drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the lean ground beef for approximately 4 to 5 minutes until no longer pink; transfer the beef to a bowl using a slotted spoon and discard the fat from the pan, leaving a couple teaspoons for sautéing the onion.
Return the pan to the heat and cook the diced onion until softened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes; add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the Italian seasoning and onion powder and remove the pan from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, chopped fresh parsley, and eggs, then stir in the onion and garlic mixture.
Toss the cooked spaghetti and browned beef with the sauce mixture to combine, then stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella; transfer the spaghetti mixture to the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, approximately 25 to 30 minutes; remove from the oven and allow the pie to rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Cook the pasta until almost al dente because it will continue to cook in the oven. Let the baked pie rest for 5 minutes before slicing to help it set for cleaner slices.