Spaghetti Pie

A new way to serve a family favorite.

Southern Living Spaghetti Pie in the cast iron skillet with a wedge cut out to serve
Photo:

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs
Servings:
4

This Spaghetti Pie recipe has all the delicious elements of lasagna —creamy ricotta, savory sausage, bright tomato sauce, and that burnished, gooey-crisp cap of mozzarella—without the fuss of layering the ingredients. Cooked in a cast-iron skillet that you can bring right to the table, it’s an easy and delicious weeknight meal that you can pair with a simple Caesar salad and a baguette or garlic bread.

It’s also a nicely portable dish to deliver to someone who’s recovering from an illness or just had a baby. If you’re worried about getting your treasured cast-iron skillet back, you can bake the pie in a disposable aluminum pie pan.

This recipe is also wonderfully flexible: Make it vegetarian by using a meat substitute like Impossible Foods' Savory Sausage that comes in a tube, or add more nutrition by wilting a handful of spinach in the cooked sausage, or adding some chopped broccoli florets into the pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. (1/2 package) spaghetti

  • 3 tsp. vegetable oil , divided

  • 2 mild Italian sausages , casings removed (about 8 oz.)

  • 1 large green bell pepper , seeded and chopped

  • 1 medium y ellow onion , chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic , minced

  • 1 ( 15-oz. ) can tomato sauce or puree

  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning blend , divided

  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper , divided

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese , divided

Directions

  1. Cook pasta, gather ingredients:

    Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie ingredients

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

  2. Cook sausage and peppers:

    While pasta cooks, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and brown, breaking the pieces into small chunks with a spoon, until cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie sausage in skillet

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

    Add the bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage mixture to a medium mixing bowl, set aside.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie sausage and peppers in skillet

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

  3. Cook onions and garlic, add tomato sauce:

    Adding more oil to the skillet if needed, sauté the onion over medium-high heat until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie onions and garlic in skillet

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

    Stir in the tomato sauce or puree and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 4 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Season with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, adding additional if desired. Remove from heat.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie sauce in skillet

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

  4. Combine spaghetti pie mixture:

    In a small bowl, mix the egg, ricotta, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning until smooth.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie ricotta mixture in bowl

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

    Add the cooked, drained spaghetti to the bowl with the sausage.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie spaghetti and sausage in mixing bowl

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

    Stir in the ricotta mixture, about half the tomato sauce (about 1 cup) and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Use tongs to mix the spaghetti thoroughly with the other ingredients.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie spaghetti mixture in mixing bowl

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

  5. Add pasta to preheated pan and bake:

    Remove the hot cast-iron pan from the oven. Using a basting or pastry brush, brush the remaining 1 teaspoon oil over the bottom and sides of the pan. Immediately pour the spaghetti mixture into the pan, using a spoon or tongs to distribute it evenly.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie in cast iron skillet

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

    Smooth the remaining tomato sauce over the top of the spaghetti and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie in cast iron skillet before baking

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

    Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

    Southern Living Spaghetti Pie in cast iron skillet after baking

    Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

418 Calories
23g Fat
25g Carbs
29g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 418
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 1305mg 57%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 31mg 155%
Calcium 410mg 32%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 730mg 16%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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