Chef notes
Cheeseburger or pasta? There’s no need to choose between two all-American dishes, thanks to this casserole mashup. While spaghetti pie typically features a ground beef ragu, this recipe takes it one step further by highlighting all the best flavors that make up a cheeseburger, without the bun. Don’t be fooled by calling it a pie — this is a savory dish through and through. This crowd pleasing dish is sure to become an instant family favorite. We love serving it with a side salad for a well rounded meal.
To make it, start by browning the beef in a large pan. Once browned, add in the onions and tomato paste, which are automatic flavor boosters. This mixture gets that classic cheeseburger taste, thanks to a trio of condiments including ketchup, mustard and relish.
In a separate bowl, add the eggs, ketchup and a duo of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. This mixture will act as the binder to hold the pie together. Once combined, add the cooked spaghetti until well coated. Transfer half of the pasta mixture to a pie dish, then top with the cheeseburger mixture. Follow it by adding the remaining pasta mixture on top so that the beef is sandwiched between the pasta, just like a cheeseburger. Top with the remaining cheese and bake until golden brown.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Technique Tip: To make this dish weeknight-friendly, the cheeseburger mixture can be made up to one day in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just toss with the spaghetti and continue with the recipe when you’re ready to get cooking.
Swap Option: You can use any ground meat for this recipe, like ground turkey, lamb or even pork. To make it vegetarian, use a ground meat alternative. Spaghetti works particularly well for this recipe, but any long pasta like fettuccine, bucatini or even tagliatelle will do.
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for greasing
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow or red onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons ketchup, divided
- 1 tablespoon sweet relish
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2.Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, then drain and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
3.In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
4.Remove the pan from the heat and pour the beef and onions into a medium bowl, scraping all the bits from the pan into the bowl.
5.Stir 2 tablespoons ketchup along with the relish and mustard into the beef and set aside.
6.In a large bowl, stir the remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup with the eggs, 1/2 cup of the cheddar, all of the mozzarella and salt. Add the pasta and gently toss to coat.
7.Grease a a deep 9- to 10-inch pie pan or cast-iron skillet with remaining 1 teaspoon oil.
8.Pour half the pasta mixture into the greased pan or back into the skillet. Top the pasta with the ground beef mixture, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining pasta. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over the pie.
9.Bake for about 30 minutes, until the pie is sizzling around the edges and the top of the pie is golden brown.
10.Let the pie rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
