Old-fashioned beef spaghetti pie is the kind of cozy dinner that feels simple, filling, and family-friendly. It has all the comfort of spaghetti with meat sauce, but baked into a cheesy pie-style dinner you can slice and serve.

This beef spaghetti pie is made with simple ingredients like ground beef, spaghetti, tomato sauce, cheese, and pantry seasonings. It is a great choice when you want an easy ground beef dinner, a baked spaghetti recipe, or something different from regular spaghetti night.

Serve this baked spaghetti and beef pie with a simple salad, garlic bread, or roasted veggies for an easy family dinner. It is also great for picky eaters, meal prep, and using up leftover spaghetti in a cozy old fashioned way.

It’s a solid weeknight dinner, especially when you’ve got people to feed. Leftovers reheat well the next day, so it works for meal prep too.

Serve it with a green salad and garlic bread, or alongside something like Creamy Garlic and Parmesan Orzo Pasta when you want a bigger spread.

If you enjoy baked pasta dishes and cheesy beef dinners, these are worth bookmarking too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Standard pantry ingredients — the main things to note are the eggs and Parmesan that bind the spaghetti layer, and the mozzarella split into two additions (one goes in before the foil, one goes on at the uncovered finish). Any marinara you’d eat on its own works fine here.

Ingredients

12 oz spaghetti
1 lb ground beef
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until just al dente u002du002d pull it about 1-2 minutes before the package time.
Drain it well and transfer immediately to a large mixing bowl while still hot.
Add the beaten eggs and Parmesan right away and toss quickly so the heat from the pasta slightly cooks the egg coating (this is what binds the spaghetti layer later).
Press the egg-coated spaghetti firmly into the bottom of your prepared baking dish to form an even layer.
Use the back of a large spoon to press it into the corners u002du002d consistent thickness matters more than perfection.
Spoon the ricotta cheese over the top and spread it into a thin, even layer covering all the spaghetti.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes until softened.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add the ground beef and break it apart with a spoon.
Cook until no pink remains, about 7-8 minutes, then drain off any excess fat from the pan (skipping this step makes the whole dish greasy).
Stir the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper into the browned beef.
Reduce heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until slightly thickened.
Spoon the beef sauce evenly over the ricotta layer in the baking dish.
Scatter 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the beef sauce.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil, add the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella on top, and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the dish.
Pull the dish from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
This is the step most people skip u002du002d and the reason slices fall apart.
The layers firm up as the dish cools, so give it the full time before you cut in.
Slice into squares or wedges and serve directly from the baking dish.

Important Recipe Notes

Toss the pasta while it’s hot — The eggs need the residual heat from the freshly drained pasta to set slightly. If you wait until it cools before adding the eggs, the coating won’t bind properly and the spaghetti base will be too loose to hold when sliced.

Drain the beef well — Excess fat left in the skillet makes the sauce watery and pools at the bottom of the baking dish. Tilt the pan and spoon it off, or blot with a paper towel, before adding the marinara.
Shred your own mozzarella — Pre-shredded mozzarella has anti-caking agents that make it melt unevenly. It takes about two extra minutes to shred from a block, and the top comes out much smoother and browner.
Don’t skip the rest time — 10 minutes minimum after it comes out of the oven. The whole dish firms up as it cools. Cut in at 5 minutes and you’ll get a pile of sauce and pasta instead of clean slices.
Make it ahead — Assemble the dish a day in advance, cover with foil, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, add about 10 extra minutes to the covered bake time since it’s starting cold.
Storing leftovers — Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave at medium power for 2-3 minutes. Freeze slices for up to 2 months — thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving :

Cut into squares and bring the baking dish straight to the table. A simple green salad and garlic bread are all you need on the side.

Storage:

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container.

Freeze individual portions for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Customization:

Ground turkey works in place of beef if you want something lighter, and Italian sausage (removed from the casing) adds a lot more flavor without needing any extra seasoning.

You can also tuck a layer of sauteed mushrooms or baby spinach between the ricotta and the beef sauce for extra bulk.

Baked Spaghetti and Beef Pie

Course: Recipes

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

12 oz spaghetti
1 lb ground beef
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook spaghetti until al dente, drain, and immediately toss with beaten eggs and Parmesan.
Press the egg-coated spaghetti into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Spread ricotta evenly over the top.
Brown ground beef with onion and garlic in olive oil. Drain fat, add marinara and seasonings, simmer 5 minutes.
Spoon beef sauce over ricotta layer. Top with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.
Remove foil, add remaining mozzarella, bake uncovered 15-20 more minutes until golden and bubbly.
Rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve in squares from the dish.

Notes

Do not overcook the spaghetti. Cook it just until al dente because it will continue baking in the oven.
Let the spaghetti pie rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing. This helps it hold its shape better.
This old fashioned beef spaghetti pie is a great way to use leftover cooked spaghetti or leftover meat sauce.