Gail Simmons’ Epic Spaghetti Pie
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This impressive spaghetti pie, packed with broccoli, Italian sausage, and a jaw-dropping amount of cheese, is a total crowd pleaser—perfect for leftovers, too!
Featured on the cover of her beautiful new cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes From A Life of Adventurous Eating, Gail Simmons’ spaghetti pie with broccoli and Italian sausage is, according to my husband, one of the best things I’ve ever made. EVER. I could take offense since it’s not even my own recipe, but honestly, I totally agree with him. It’s similar to lasagna or baked ziti, only way more impressive to serve. Fair warning: the recipe calls for a jaw-dropping amount of cheese, but trust me—it’s worth it.
Gail writes, “Spaghetti pie is a big affair, impressive in both stature and ingredients, and meant to feed a crowd. You don’t have to wait for your next party to make it, though. If you don’t have enough eaters to tackle it, there’s a bonus: slices of the savory pie make the best leftovers of all time.” The recipe calls for a springform pan, which is a great investment if you don’t already have one, but you could also use a large baking dish and serve it lasagna-style if needed.
“We make this about twice a month. This is a favorite of ours. Even the leftovers are amazing.”
What You’ll Need To Make Spaghetti Pie
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Adds richness and depth of flavor to the sautéed vegetable and sausage mixture.
- Yellow onion and garlic: The aromatic base, infusing the pie with savory, well-rounded flavor.
- Broccoli or broccoli rabe: Brings texture, vibrant color, and earthy flavor, balancing the richness of the cheese and sausage. Broccoli rabe has thinner stems smaller florets than broccoli, and a more bitter, leafy flavor.
- Italian sausage: Provides savory, spiced depth to the pie; choose hot or sweet depending on your preference.
- Tomato paste: Concentrates the tomato flavor, adding richness and depth to the sausage mixture.
- Canned whole peeled tomatoes: Introduces a burst of freshness into the sauce, balancing the hearty ingredients with bright acidity.
- Spaghetti: The sturdy base of the pie, it holds up well when combined with the other ingredients and baked.
- Whole milk: Adds creaminess and moisture, helping to bind the ingredients together. Use half and half for a bit more richness.
- Eggs: Essential for structure, the eggs help the pie set as it bakes, making it easy to slice and serve.
- Sharp cheddar cheese and fontina cheese: These cheeses melt beautifully, adding a creamy, tangy richness to the pie.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese: Adds a salty, nutty finish; used in both the filling and the topping for extra flavor.
- Fresh sage: Lends a fragrant, earthy note that complements the savory, cheesy pie.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
To begin, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broccoli and 1 tablespoon of water and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the sausage.
Cook, breaking the meat into small bits, until cooked through, about 6 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Then add the crushed drained tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. (Note that it’s best to use canned whole tomatoes and crush them yourself over diced tomatoes, since diced canned tomatoes contain a firming agent, calcium chloride, that makes them slow to break down.)
Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping any bits from the pan, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti just until very al dente, 7 to 8 minutes (look for a white spot in the center when you bite into a strand). Drain the pasta (do not rinse) and reserve the pot.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Combine the spaghetti and milk mixture in the pot; add in the sausage-broccoli mixture, cheddar, fontina, and 1 cup of the Parmesan.
Stir until well combined.
Butter a springform pan that has been wrapped in aluminum foil (wrapping the pan in foil protects against leakage). Transfer the pasta mixture into the pan and, using a spatula, smooth the top.
Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the edges are golden and bubbling, about 35 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the pie with the sage and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat until the cheese is golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and run a knife around the inside of the pan. Let the pie rest for about 10 minutes, then release and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the pie into slices and serve warm.
Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions
The pie can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time, then baked right before serving. The unbaked pie can also be frozen for up to a month. The day before serving, remove the pie from the freezer and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed.
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Gail Simmons' Epic Spaghetti Pie
This impressive spaghetti pie, packed with broccoli, Italian sausage, and a jaw-dropping amount of cheese, is a total crowd pleaser—perfect for leftovers, too!
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¾ lb broccoli or broccoli rabe, trimmed, stems and florets chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about 2 ½ cups)
- 1 lb hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, tomatoes crushed by hand
- Kosher salt
- 1 lb dried spaghetti
- ¾ cup whole milk (I substituted half & half)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ cups (8 oz) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2½ cups (8 oz) grated fontina cheese
- 1½ cups (3 oz) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- Special equipment: 9½-inch springform pan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and set a rack in the middle position. Butter a 9 ½-inch springform pan. Tightly wrap the bottom of the pan with a large sheet of aluminum foil, crimping the foil against the outer edges to tightly seal.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and 1 tablespoon of water and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat into small bits, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the crushed drained tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping any bits from the pan, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Add salt to the boiling water and cook the spaghetti just until very al dente, 7 to 8 minutes (look for a white spot in the center when you bite into a strand). Drain the pasta (do not rinse) and reserve the pot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, pepper, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Combine the spaghetti and milk mixture in the pot; add in the sausage-broccoli mixture, cheddar, fontina, and 1 cup of the Parmesan; stir until well combined.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared pan. Using a spatula, smooth the top. Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the edges are golden and bubbling, about 35 minutes. (Keep an eye on it; if the top starts to get too brown, cover with foil.)
- Remove the pan from the oven. Turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the pie with the sage and remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat until the cheese is golden, 1 to 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the inside of the pan. Let the pie rest for about 10 minutes, then release and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the pie into slices and serve warm.
- Make Ahead: The pie can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time, then baked right before serving.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The unbaked pie can be frozen for up to a month. The day before serving, remove the pie from the freezer and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 642
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Sodium: 862 mg
- Cholesterol: 153 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this delicious casserole today and it is a winner. My husband does not like broccoli so I substituted 5 oz of baby spinach. I added the spinach at the end of the cooking time of the Italian sausage. I used an oval (8×10″) French white “deep” ceramic dish instead of the springform pan. I think there would have been too much for the springform as it made an abundant amount. My husband is particular about his food but he loved this dish. Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
This recipe was a lot of work. A lot of dishes. And hinged on a lot of hope. It did not come through. Perhaps it was the sibling teenage drama raging through the house. Or the hangry prepubescent that felt so let down by a dish he helped make. But this poor dish did not have a chance. I’m not sure why the broccoli was in the dish except to add a veg. The flavor was flat. Even with all that cheese. I had even doubled the garlic and added a few dashes of red pepper flakes. Sadly this dish is not a do over. And the drama rages on……
I have been eyeing this recipe for some time. I had company and decided to make this recipe. I trust your recipes so much Jenn that it was not necessary to even do a trial run. From a 3 year old up to a 70 year old my group loved this recipe. As usual another 5 star recipe. The only thing I left out was the fresh sage because I thought possibly the kids may not like but next time will put it in. I used the cheesecake pan but I think the next time I would double and bake in an appropriate cake pan for a larger group. The presentation would not be as pretty but it would still be delicious.
I give this recipe 5 stars! I have made other spaghetti pie recipes and have found this one to be the best by far. I loved how it all mixed together and stayed moist. I did omit the broccoli and found that I didn’t miss it at all. The spices were the perfect blend to give it its authentic taste. Have already passed this recipe on to friends and they have agreed it too is a must have recipe.
Thank you for this recipe! My family thought it was impressive in the presentation and even better tasting. My husband asked that the next time I make it that I increase the amount of Italian sausage. I followed the recipe exactly as written, but will increase the sausage for our tastes when I make it again.
I recently made this and it was perfectly delicious! I took it to a covered dish event and everyone loved it and there was only one slice left. The left over slice reheated nicely! I followed the recipe exactly (which was hard for me because I’m an experienced cook who improvises 😉) but it’s outstanding in flavors and textures just the way it’s written. It’s worth the effort and makes for a unique and lovely presentation of good, hearty, comfort food. Excellent recipe! Thank you for your website— it’s my number one place for delicious and successful recipes.
While making it the first time, I said to my husband, “This better be extraordinary or it just isn’t worth the effort.” It was extraordinary. The first time you make it, don’t count on serving it the same day. It takes much longer than you would think. Fortunately, there are instructions for serving it the next day. It is best served hot. We had trouble keeping it hot after the first time. Honestly, unexpected people kept coming to eat and meals were delayed. I will definitely cook it again. The leftovers just seem to get better.
When I read that your husband exclaimed that this was one of the best dishes you’ve ever made – I knew we had to try it. I will say that it was tasty, but we didn’t have the “OMG this is the best thing ever” reaction. It was good, but we felt it needed more depth of flavor. Perhaps it was the sausage we bought, (mild italian) it was perhaps too mild to add the needed punch to the dish.
First off, I’ve made Many of you recipes, all delicious, and I’ve gifted your cookbook to many friends and family members. We love it.
I’d like to make spaghetti pie, but with ground sirloin I place of the sausage. Will this substitution affect the end result?
Thank you!
Dina Herron
Hi Dina, It should work but you’ll need to season it very well as the sausage adds a lot of flavor to the dish. So happy you’re enjoying the recipes and the book! ☺️
Jenn, I also want to use ground sirloin. Any chance you can be more specific about the spices? I don’t improvise very well. Thanks for your help.
Hi Felice, Generally sausage is seasoned with salt, pepper and Italian seasonings (like basil, oregano, and parsley). I’d use about 1 tsp. of each of these with the exception of the pepper – I’d suggest about 1/2 tsp. of that. Hope that helps!
Cheese – how can 2 1/2 cups equal 8oz.
Hi Sara, 2 1/2 cups is the volume you’ll need and it’s the equivalent of 8 ounces. (The 2 1/2 cups are volume whereas the 8 ounces is what it would weigh if you put it on a scale.) Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy!
In addition to Jenn’s suggestions, I’d add crushed fennel seeds and a little red pepper flakes to mimic the Italian sausage flavoring.
Do you have any suggestions for adjusting this to make it meatless, other than veggie sausage? It looks just delicious!
Thanks!
Jacki
Hi Jacki, Gail Simmon’s actually makes a vegetarian version of this! You can find it here. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe is outstanding! It makes a great meal for company. I made it to specifications with garbanzo bean spaghetti for GF and you couldn’t tell the difference. And even with the spicy Italian sausage it was very balanced flavor and not too spicy for my guests who prefer milder food. It turned out amazing!!!