Baked Spaghetti Pie with Linguiça
This spaghetti pie turns a pound of pasta into a dinner you cut into wedges. Spicy Portuguese linguiça sausage, roasted red pepper, spinach and plenty of Swiss cheese get tossed with spaghetti, then bound with a simple egg custard and baked in a springform pan until the top turns crisp and golden. There’s no jarred sauce and no ricotta layer, which is the main difference from most spaghetti pie recipes. It’s a hearty family meal that feeds up to eight.
When you’re craving pasta but not a traditional spaghetti night, spaghetti pie is a great alternative. It’s filled with flavorful bites of Linguiça sausage, roasted red peppers and ribbons of spinach in a rich egg custard with plenty of grated cheese.
This is a stick-to-your-ribs type of meal, so I like to serve it with a simple green leaf salad and a tangy vinaigrette.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Spaghetti Pie
- It feeds a crowd for little money. A pound of spaghetti and a pound of sausage serve eight.
- It slices like a pie. The custard sets the pasta, so each wedge holds its shape on the plate.
- The flavor comes from the sausage. Linguiça brings paprika, garlic and chile heat, so the dish doesn’t need a sauce.
- It’s a full meal in one pan. Protein, vegetables and pasta all bake together.
Ingredients for Spaghetti Pie:
- Fresh sausage: I use Portuguese linguiça for its paprika-and-garlic kick. I used fresh links, instead of the fully cooked kind. Look for it at the butcher counter or near the kielbasa and andouille.
- Spaghetti: One pound, cooked just short of al dente so it holds its structure in the oven.
- Fresh spinach: The hot pasta wilts it, so you don’t need to cook it separately.
- Roasted red pepper: A jarred one works, or roast your own. Either way, pat it dry.
- Tomato: One medium tomato, seeded, diced and salted to draw out the moisture.
- Yellow onion: Sautéed in the sausage drippings.
- Swiss cheese: Half a pound, grated, plus extra for the top.
- Eggs: the basis of the custard, which acts like a glue to bind the spaghetti pie.
- Milk–I used whole milk. You could use 2%, but I wouldn’t use skim or 1%
- Half-and-Half: you could also use cream.
- Kosher salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which is less salty by volume than Morton’s. If you use Morton’s, reduce the amount by about ⅓.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground will give the best flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated for topping, optional.
How to Make Spaghetti Pie:
1. Seed and dice the tomato, then set it on a paper towel and sprinkle it lightly with salt to draw out the juice.
2. Sear the sausages in a hot skillet for 5 to 8 minutes, turning, until the fat renders and the skins are golden. They don’t need to cook through, because they finish in the oven. Move them to a plate.
3. Sauté the onion in the sausage drippings for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender.
4. Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water and pull it 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain it, return it to the pot, and toss it with the olive oil and spinach. The heat wilts the greens. Add the tomato, onion, roasted red pepper and Swiss cheese.
5. Halve the sausages lengthwise, cut them into ½-inch pieces and toss them into the pot with tongs. Toss the pasta with the veggies, cheese and sausages and set aside.
6. Combine the eggs, milk, half-and-half, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine.
7. Pour the custard over the spaghetti mixture and use the tongs to mix and ensure everything is well coated.
8. Transfer to a the prepared springform pan (I put foil around the pan to prevent any of the custard from leaking out).
9. Bake the spaghetti pie for 30 minutes, rotate the pan 180°, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes more. It’s done when a knife poked into the center doesn’t show any bubbling egg.
10. Once baked, let the pie rest for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen any stuck bits, then remove the collar. Place a plate over the pie and invert it; remove the bottom of the springform pan. Place a serving platter on the pie and invert it again so the crispy edges and golden crust are on top. Serve.
Pro-Tips:
- Undercook the pasta. It keeps cooking in the custard. Fully cooked pasta turns mushy, and the pie won’t hold its shape.
- Control the moisture. Seed and salt the tomato, and pat the pepper dry. Extra liquid makes for a soggy pie.
- Don’t skip the foil wrap. Springform pans can leak, and the sheet pan underneath catches anything that gets through.
- Tent the top if it browns too fast. Lay a sheet of foil loosely over the pie for the last stretch of baking.
- Let it rest. Ten minutes lets the custard settle so the pie releases cleanly and holds together when you flip it.
Swaps and Variations:
- Sausage: Hot or sweet Italian sausage, or fresh Mexican chorizo. If you only have smoked, fully cooked sausage, brown it briefly. It only needs to heat through.
- Cheese: Gruyère, fontina, provolone or mozzarella. Any semi-firm cheese that melts well works.
- Pasta: Thin spaghetti, linguine or bucatini.
- Greens: Baby kale or chopped Swiss chard. Sauté the sturdier greens briefly first, since hot pasta won’t wilt them.
- Veggies: Sautéed yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, yellow or orange roasted peppers, peas, green beans or other vegetables can be added. The only caveat: pat them dry before adding so the pasta bake isn’t too wet. For frozen vegetables, defrost in the microwave, then pat dry with paper towels.
FAQs
Many spaghetti pie recipes use a red meat sauce and a ricotta layer. This one skips both. An egg custard holds the pasta, sausage and vegetables together, so it’s closer to a pasta frittata.
They’re close cousins. A spaghetti pie casserole is usually baked and scooped from a rectangular dish. Spaghetti pie bakes in a round pan and gets sliced.
Yes. A deep 9×9-inch baking dish or 2-quart casserole dish works. Serve it straight from the dish instead of flipping it out, and start checking for doneness a few minutes early.
Common causes include a wet tomato or pepper, overcooked pasta, or underbaking. Make sure no liquid egg bubbles up when you test the center with a knife.
Yes, if it’s plain cooked spaghetti. Leftover pasta already tossed in sauce will change the texture and make the pie wetter.
Linguiça is a Portuguese pork sausage that’s loaded with garlic. It has a coarse texture packed inside a natural hog casing. You can find fresh, raw and unsmoked Linguiça at some butchers and grocery stores, though it is less common than the standard cured or smoked varieties.
Make ahead:
- You can make the spaghetti a day or two ahead and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the dish.
Storage:
- Wrap slices or store them in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating:
- Warm covered with foil in a 350°F oven until heated through (about 10-15 minutes).
- Microwave single slices in 30-40 second bursts until hot.
Freezing:
- Wrap individual slices well and freeze for up to 1 month.
More pasta recipes you’ll love:
- Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers Pasta
- Ultimate Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Pasta Primavera
- Italian Pasta Fagioli recipe
- Pan-Seared Scallops over Spinach Pesto Pasta
Baked Spaghetti Pie with Linguiça
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound fresh sausages I used Portuguese Linguiça sausage
- 1 roasted red pepper chopped, from a jar or make your own.
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 medium tomato
- ½ pound Swiss cheese grated (plus extra for garnish), or other semi-firm cheese
- 5 ounces fresh spinach leaves
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1½ teaspoons olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup half-and half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated, optional
DIRECTIONS:
- Use heavy duty aluminum foil to tightly wrap the bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan, paying special attention to completely cover the bottom and side seams, so that no liquid escapes (you don’t want THAT mess). Place the pan on a sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
- Cut 1 medium tomato in half and squeeze gently to remove all the seeds and juice. Dice the tomato, transfer it to a small bowl lined with a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 pound fresh sausages. Cook until it renders the fat and sears the skin, turning occasionally so each side gets browned, for about 5-8 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a plate to rest. (Note: sausage will not be completely cooked through, but it will finish cooking in) the oven.
- Add 1 medium yellow onion to the pan with the sausage fat and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until tender and the onion has absorbed the sausage flavor. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt to season it; the water will boil even more furiously. Add 1 pound spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick. When it's 2 minutes shy of al dente, remove it from the heat. While the pasta cooks, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Drain the pasta and transfer it back to the same pot it was cooked in. Drizzle with 1½ teaspoons olive oil and toss to coat.
- Add 5 ounces fresh spinach leaves to the hot pasta and toss. The pasta will wilt the spinach naturally. When the spinach has wilted, add the diced tomato, sautéed onion, 1 roasted red pepper and ½ pound Swiss cheese. Toss to combine using a pair of kitchen tongs.
- Slice the sausages in half lengthwise and cut them into ½" pieces. Add the sausage to the pasta mixture.
- In another bowl, whisk 4 large eggs, ¾ cup milk, ¾ cup half-and half, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¾ teaspoon black pepper. Pour the mixture over the pasta and toss well with the tongs until well combined.
- Spray the springform pan liberally with vegetable spray. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared springform pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan 180° in the oven and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until pie is solid and no egg juices bubble up from the center when tested with a knife.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before removing the foil. Any remaining juices should settle back into the dish. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan so the edges of the spaghetti pie don’t stick to the collar. Open the collar and carefully remove.
- Place a plate on top of the pie and, in one swift move, invert the pan onto the plate. Place the platter you'll serve the spaghetti pie on in the center of the bottom of the pie, then flip it again so the crispy top is right side up. Serve.
NUTRITION:
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy. Values are calculated automatically based on the ingredients and quantities in each recipe and may vary depending on specific brands, exact measurements, and substitutions made. For precise nutritional guidance, especially if you have a medical condition or dietary restriction, please consult a registered dietitian or run the ingredients through your own nutrition calculator.
We loved it!!! realllllllly good.. don’t even know what a spring form pan is..just used a cast iron skillet and it came out great.
I followed the recipe to a T except I used Spicy Italian Sausage instead of the Linguica–No uncooked linguica sausage to be found in the Beaverton Oregon area–I tried 4 different grocery stores. The problem was that the 9″ springform pan was not big enough for the quantity of pasta, sausage, cheese and veggies that resulted from the quantity of each listed on the recipe. The final product was beautiful and delicious. I think I will cook the surplus in a greased casserole dish just to see how it turns out.
I loved that this had spinach in it for extra nutrition . This dish has a lovely presentation that everyone commented on! I didn’t bother flipping and reflipping . I just removed the collar of the spring form pan. I also didn’t bother with roasting the red pepper; I used up some jarred roasted pepper I had .
There were absolutely no drips at all when I made this . In the future I probably wouldn’t take the time to remove the juice from the tomato and drain in a bowl . The only negative of the recipe is that it is a bit time consuming and uses a lot of pans/bowls , so I tried to simplify a bit . I’m glad I made this creative and delicious dish.
So glad you enjoyed the spaghetti pie — yes, it’s a bit time consuming and I hear you on the cleanup (I’m the chief dishwasher in our house) but it’s definitely a tasty dish!
This market sounds fantastic! They’re opening one about an hour from me, and I hope that they come to my area as well. Their prices sound fantastic, especially the sandwiches–wow! Spaghetti pie is such a fun way to switch up a pasta dinner, and as you said, it’s great for a crowd too. I can just taste those Linguica sausages along with the spinach and swiss cheese!