This Baked Spaghetti Pie is made with a gruyere cheese and spaghetti layer, a rich homemade meat sauce layer, cottage cheese, then topped with melted mozzarella cheese. You can make it ahead of time, which is perfect for those busy weeknight dinners.
I you are looking for a ground beef recipe the whole family will love, this is the recipe to try! This baked spaghetti pie recipe is one the kids will be asking you to make all the time. Double the recipe as it freezes very well. I like to serve this dish with a simple tossed salad with my fresh Italian Herb Dressing.
How to make Spaghetti Pie
Prepare the meat sauce.
- In a large skillet cook the ground beef with onions, garlic, and peppers. Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Continue to cook while you prepare the pasta.
- Why the sugar? A tad of sugar helps to cut down the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Can you use store-bought meat sauce.? Yes, but it certainly will not be as tasty
Prepare the crust layer
- Cook the spaghetti until al dente (soft but still chewy and firm)
- Toss the spaghetti with butter, egg, and Gruyere cheese.
- Can another cheese be substituted for Gruyere? I love the flavor of Gruyere cheese and how it blends with the pasta. If you must, Jarlsberg, Emmentaler or, fresh grated Parmesan will work.
Putting the pie together
- Place the spaghetti mixture in the bottom of a large pie plate that has been generous greased with butter.
- Spread the cottage cheese over the pasta. I do this by placing dollops and then spreading evenly.
- Next, add the meat sauce over the cottage cheese. Again, do this by scooping dollops and then spreading evenly.
- Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese, then bake for additional 10-12 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Try these family favorite recipes made with ground beef.
This post was originally published on August 3, 2013. Occasionally I update with fresh tips, content, and photos. Current update February 24, 2021.
Baked Spaghetti Pie
Ingredients
- ½ box spaghetti about 9 oz
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 eggs beaten
- ½ cup gruyere cheese grated
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
- 1 ½ pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ red pepper chopped
- ½ yellow pepper chopped
- 1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes drained
- 1 can (6oz) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahreheit.
- Brown the ground beef with onions, garlic and peppers.
- Stir in the tomato paste and diced tomatoes.
- Add the sugar and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
- Keep heated while you prepare the spaghetti.
- Cook spaghetti until al dente. Soft, yet chewy and firm.
- Drain and return to pot.
- Mix in the butter, eggs and gruyere cheese.
- Grease 10 inch pie plate. Spread the spaghetti mix evenly in the pie plate. This is your crust.
- Spread the cottage cheese on top of the spaghetti crust. Do this by placing dollops over the spaghetti and then spread evenly.
- Spoon the ground beef mixture on top of cottage cheese layer. Spread evenly.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Then top with mozzarella cheese and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.