Pizza Spaghetti Pie

This is the kind of creative, kitschy recipe that peaked in the 1970s and honestly still works. A seasoned ground beef mixture gets pressed into a pie plate and baked into a firm meat shell, then filled with cooked spaghetti tossed with egg, Parmesan, and butter. Pizza sauce, oregano, green pepper rings, and mozzarella go on top, and it bakes for 10 more minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

The meat shell is the clever part. Ground beef mixed with breadcrumbs, onion, and evaporated milk holds together during baking and creates a sturdy, flavorful crust. The evaporated milk keeps it moist so it doesn’t dry out into a hockey puck. Spooning off the drippings after the first bake prevents the spaghetti filling from sitting in grease.

The egg beaten into the spaghetti binds it into a firm, sliceable layer so the whole thing cuts into clean wedges like an actual pie.

Kitchen Tips

• Press the meat mixture firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Thin spots will crumble
• Spoon off all the drippings after the first bake. Excess fat makes the spaghetti layer greasy
• Let the finished pie rest 5 minutes before cutting. The egg-set spaghetti layer needs time to firm
• Use evaporated milk, not regular milk. It’s thicker and keeps the meat shell from getting soggy

Variations

• Add pepperoni slices on top with the mozzarella for a more loaded pizza feel
• Use Italian sausage instead of ground beef for a spicier meat shell
• Swap spaghetti for penne or rotini for a different texture in the filling