Sausage & Arrabbiata Spaghetti Pie 

Growing up, one dish I frequently requested my mom make was her spaghetti pie – a casserole comprised of spaghetti noodles bound together with egg and parmesan, topped with a layer of cottage cheese, ground beef tomato sauce, and finally melty mozzarella. It was quick to pull together, and delicious, with plenty of leftovers that were often even better the next day!

I couldn’t resist adding my twist to this beloved recipe – updating it with some of my favorite flavors: Sausage + Arrabbiata Spaghetti Pie.

To give the pasta base a little more oomph, I added a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper along with upping the parmesan cheese to create a layer that’s reminiscent of cacio e pepe.

This is then topped with a mornay sauce infused with additional parmesan – if you’re not familiar, it’s simply warm milk thickened with butter, flour, and cheese.

Finally, you prepare an arrabbiata/sausage sauce using either sweet or hot Italian sausage (or a combination of both) and Rao’s arrabbiata sauce doctored with onions, green peppers, and oregano.

The dish is sprinkled with mozzarella cheese and popped in the oven until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. Out of the oven, it’s garnished with buttered panko breadcrumbs (because I add them to everything for a nice crunch) and parsley, sliced, and served.

Alex and I have polished off about 3 full casseroles during my recipe testing and every one was better than the last!

Sausage & Arrabbiata Spaghetti Pie

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(16 votes, average: 3.69 out of 5)

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3.7 from 16 reviews

• Author: Trent Pheifer
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 8–10 1x

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Ingredients

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For pasta:

• 1 16-ounce package of spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 large eggs, beaten

For Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
• 1 (24-ounce) jar arrabbiata sauce, preferably Rao’s
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

For Bechamel: 

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and pepper

To Finish:

• 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

 

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13x2 casserole dish.
   
2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook 1 16-ounce package of spaghetti according to the package instructions, typically about 9 to 12 minutes for al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the prepared casserole dish.
   
3. To the pasta, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper, and 2 large eggs, beaten. Stir until well combined, then spread the pasta evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish. 
4. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 chopped medium onion and 1 chopped green bell pepper. Cook until softened and onion becomes translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1½ lbs sweet Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add 1 jar arrabbiata sauce, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon garlic salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat 
6. In a medium saucepan, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter, then sprinkle in ¼ cup all-purpose flour, whisking constantly. Whisk for another minute then slowly add 2 cups warmed whole milk, and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened – it should coat the back of a spoon. Off the heat, add ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Immediately spread bechamel over spaghetti noodles. 
7. Spread arriabatta/sausage mixture evenly over the bechamel and sprinkle with 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese. 
8. Bake for 40 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly.
9. While pasta bakes, prepare the panko breadcrumbs: Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium sauté pan, add 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until panko is golden brown. Sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside. 
10. After removing the casserole from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and toasted panko breadcrumbs. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Category: dinner
• Cuisine: italian

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