Friendship Spaghetti Pie
Friendship Spaghetti Pie is a creamy baked spaghetti that is not only yummy but it makes two meals. Make one and share one (or freeze for later!)
KEEP ONE AND SHARE ONE
I love meals where I can make one and save one. If you are going to go through the trouble to make dinner, then why not make a little extra? You will save time and dirty dishes and you’ll thank yourself later when you need something in a pinch. This recipe makes two (9-inch) spaghetti pies. Each pie is perfect for a family of 4. Depending on how much you eat (and how big the eaters are – little ones aren’t going to eat as much as a grown ups of course), you can even stretch each one to serve 6 people. And it freezes beautifully! So save the extra one for your family or give to a friend!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes! It is perfect for freezing. Make sure the pie is wrapped well (if possible, wrap with plastic wrap then aluminum foil) then place in the freezer and it will keep for up to 3 months.
Certainly, if you like your spaghetti to be extra saucy, feel free to add more to the pie or to each serving once you’ve baked and served the pasta.
When I am giving a spaghetti pie to a friend, I always send it along with some frozen garlic bread and a bagged salad that includes the dressing. They are the perfect side dishes!
Yup! This is easiest with spaghetti, but it can certainly be made with rotini, penne, fettuccini, linguini, rigatoni, etc.
Yes, you can make the pasta, cheese mixture, and meat sauce ahead of time and assemble it but not bake it until later. You can cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and refrigerate for up to a day before baking and either serving or freezing.
Yes, you could make this in a 9×13-inch baking dish instead of separating it into two different pie pans.
If cooking from frozen, remove all plastic wrap and aluminum foil and any lids, etc. Place pie tin on cookie sheet and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Make sure it is kept covered and it will keep in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in the oven or cut a slice, place on a plate or bowl, cover with a slightly damp paper towel and place in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes until thoroughly heated through.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- spaghetti noodles
- ground beef – you could make a ground pork and beef mixture, or swap out for all sausage
- chopped onion
- spaghetti sauce – use your favorite jarred version, or make your own
- butter– or margarine
- parmesan cheese
- eggs– this acts as a binder to hold it all together.
- ricotta cheese– Small curd cottage cheese can be substituted for the ricotta
- garlic– I prefer fresh garlic but you could use the jarred, ready to go garlic
- Italian seasoning
- shredded mozzarella– pre-shredded may work, but I find that fresh shredded off the block of cheese melts best
HOW TO MAKE SPAGHETTI PIE
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. I make sure to season the boiling water with about a tablespoon of sea salt or kosher salt and olive oil before adding the spaghetti.
While spaghetti noodles are cooking, start cooking ground beef and onions.
Once meat is browned and crumbled, turn off heat and drain excess grease. Put meat back into pan and then stir in spaghetti sauce. Leave it in the pan until ready to use.
Once spaghetti has been cooked and drained. Turn off heat. Pour spaghetti noodles back into pot. Stir in butter until it melts and coats the spaghetti well. Then stir in beaten eggs and parmesan cheese. Stir quickly.
Set out two 9-inch (ungreased) pie pans and evenly divide spaghetti noodle mixture into each pan. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese with garlic and Italian seasoning. Stir well. Evenly distribute cheese mixture over each pan of spaghetti noodles. Drop it all over by small spoonfuls. Then take the back of the spoon (or a butter knife) and spread it out evenly over the noodles.
Top each pie with meat sauce. Evenly dividing it between both pans. Finally, top each pie with shredded mozzarella. Again, dividing it evenly between each pan.
To make it look pretty, you can sprinkle with dried parsley. Not necessary but I like to see a little green on top. If freezing the pies, I would cover well with plastic wrap. Then I would wrap it with a layer of aluminum foil. Then freeze. I like to get the disposable pie tins that come with lids so I would then put the lid on it. That will make sure it’s well-protected from freezer burn. If giving one of the pans to a friend, make sure to write instructions on the pan.
When you are ready to bake your pie for dinner. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Place the pie tin on a cookie sheet (this will make it easier to put in and take out of the oven.) Bake pie for about 25 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. If cooking from frozen, remove all plastic wrap and aluminum foil and any lids, etc. Place pie tin on cookie sheet and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: October 2015
Updated photos and republished: April 2024
Friendship Spaghetti Pie
Ingredients
- 16 ounce box spaghetti
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 32 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
- 4 Tablespoons butter or margarine
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- dried parsley for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Cook 16 ounce box spaghetti (cook the pasta not the box obviously) according to package directions.
- Make sure to season the boiling water with about a Tablespoon of sea salt or kosher salt before adding the spaghetti.
- While spaghetti is cooking, start cooking 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 cup chopped onion.
- After meat is browned and crumbled, turn off heat and drain excess grease.
- Put meat back into pan and then stir in 32 ounce jar spaghetti sauce.
- Leave it in the pan until ready to use.
- Once spaghetti has been cooked and drained. Turn off heat.
- Pour spaghetti back into pot.
- Stir in 4 Tablespoons butter or margarine until it melts and coats the spaghetti well.
- Then stir in 4 large eggs, beaten and 1 cup grated parmesan cheese. Stir quickly.
- Set out two 9-inch pie pans and evenly divide spaghetti noodle mixture into each pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Stir well.
- Evenly distribute 2 cups shredded mozzarella over each pan of spaghetti noodles. Drop it all over by small spoonfuls.
- Then take the back of the spoon (or a butter knife) and spread ricotta out evenly over the noodles.
- Top each pie with meat sauce. Evenly dividing it between both pans.
- Finally, top each pie with shredded mozzarella. Again, dividing it evenly between each pan. Then top with dried parsley.
To freeze:
- If freezing the pies, cover well with plastic wrap. Then wrap it with a layer of aluminum foil. Then freeze. I like to get the disposable pie tins that come with lids so I would then put the lid on it. That will make sure it's well-protected from freezer burn. If giving one of the pans to a friend, make sure to write instructions on the pan.
To bake:
- When you are ready to bake your pie for dinner (if baking right after preparing), preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Place the pie tin on a cookie sheet (this will make it easier to put in and take out of the oven.) Bake pie for about 25 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
To bake from frozen:
- If cooking from frozen, remove all plastic wrap and aluminum foil and any lids, etc. Place pie tin on cookie sheet and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I’m surprised there aren’t more comments on this recipe – it is fantastic. I did just add a bit of sauce onto our plates before serving the slices of the pie. So good!
Delicious – thank you
This was loved by all.
Thanks for a great recipe will definitely make again. I also cut the recipe in half to just make 1 pan, and we still have 1/2 of it left. Thanks again!