Leftover Spaghetti Pie Recipe (2024)

Reinvent dinner with leftover spaghetti pie! This classic recipe is a cinch to pull together using a layer of noodles topped with Ricotta (or cottage cheese) and then spaghetti sauce. All ingredients can be new – or repurposed which is why this recipe is a must-have in your recipe box!

I am terrible at measuring how many spaghetti noodles we need. I know there are those fancy tools – but who has room for them in their drawer? Instead, when I have leftover spaghetti noodles I turn to this classic recipe from my mother’s recipe book.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Create a completely new dinner with leftover ingredients.
• The noodles stay soft below the cheese and sauce, but the edges get a little bit crispy perfect for a crunchy bite.
• Use ricotta or cottage cheese as the middle layer. Either one works great!
• This recipe is adaptable to whatever leftovers you have! Use different cheeses, pasta sauces, and even noodles!

Ingredients

Most ingredients you’ll have after making spaghetti, but you’ll want to make sure to have a few extras.

• 8 oz cooked spaghetti noodles – After making spaghetti, store any leftovers in the refrigerator in a sealed container to use in this recipe. Spaghetti, fettuccini, or angel hair work bests.
• Butter – The margarine helps to keep the spaghetti noodles from sticking together and creating one big noodle.
• Eggs – While the butte helps to separate each individual noodle, the eggs are a binding agent as the pie is baked to create that unique thick noodle “crust”.
• Parmesan Cheese – This ingredient gives a bit of a “bite” to the other ingredients.
• Ricotta or Cottage Cheese – This layer of cheese melts into the spaghetti crust to form a delicious cheesy center. I prefer Ricotta but cottage cheese is equally delicious. It’s really a matter of which texture you prefer.
• Pasta Sauce: This as with all Italian dishes is the star of the recipe. Use meat sauce or marinara. Any pasta sauce you have on hand will work.
• Mozzarella Cheese – The perfect cheesy topping that melts into the sauce to add that flavor you love when paired with tomato sauce.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven and prepare the deep dish pie plate. Prep the pie plate by spraying it with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

1. First Layer: In a large bowl, combine the leftover pasta, beaten eggs, butter, and parmesan cheese. Stir until the pasta is coated. Spread in the deep dish pie pan and spread up the sides.
2. Second Layer: Spread the ricotta or cottage cheese over the middle area of the noodle crust.
3. Top Layer: Pour the leftover spaghetti sauce on top. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese.
4. Bake in a 350˚ F oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are bubbly. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes and then serve.

Variations and Substitutions

Cheese: Use cottage or ricotta cheese, but other Italian cheeses would also make a great second layer. Use what you have on hand. This is a leftover spaghetti pie after all.

Parmesan Cheese – I prefer freshly grated parmesan with this recipe. It lasts a long time in the refrigerator and is excellent in many Italian recipes.

Double the Recipe: If you have a large family, you can easily double this recipe and use a 9×13 baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes longer.

Other Pastas to Use: Use whatever pasta you have left over. Bow ties, rigatoni, and other noodles will work with the flavor. They won’t look as much like a pie as you can’t create that “crust” look – but the dish will be equally delicious.

FAQ and Expert Tips

Other Tomato Sauce-Based Recipes

• Homemade Sloppy Joes – Delicious dinner that comes together quickly!
• Easy Lasagna Recipe (Made with Bowtie Pasta!) – a twist on traditional lasagna that is very cheesy!
• Classic Lasagna Recipe with No-Boil Noodles – make dinner the night before to pop into the oven!
• Skillet Lasagna Recipe – late on time? You can make lasagna in less than 30 minutes on the skillet.