Spaghetti Pie Recipe with Tomato Meat Filling and Ricotta (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to spaghetti sauce to make it taste better? ›

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

Layer Cottage Cheese: Spread a thin layer of cottage cheese over top (you could substitute ricotta if you like). Add Spaghetti Sauce: Top with spaghetti sauce. You could use my homemade spaghetti sauce, marinara sauce or store-bought pasta sauce.

Use salt and pepper to season ground beef, turkey, or pork. Add garlic, onions, bell peppers, oregano, basil, parsley, or Italian seasoning for extra flavor. Stir red pepper flakes, chili powder, or hot sauce into the meat for a spicy kick.

For best flavor, use certified San Marzano tomatoes. Add Parmesan cheese into the sauce while cooking. Use no salt added tomatoes. Use ground beef to cut down on sodium content.

Approximately three dashes or ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg is plenty for a jar of tomato sauce. If you are making a large batch, add a bit more for good measure. While the flavor should be subtle, you still want it to make the other ingredients shine, so feel free to play around with the quantity until you get it just right.

Starting with good quality tomatoes and crushing them by hand offers great flavor and texture later on. The combination of butter and oil releases fat-soluble aromatics and gives the sauce a creamy texture. Slowly cooking the sauce in the oven creates rich caramelization without burning.

Similar to creamy sauces like Alfredo, or meaty sauces like ragu, tomato sauce is naturally low in fat, and as a result, sometimes becomes too thick and too starchy when it's been tossed with pasta. The addition of butter helps to loosen and emulsify the sauce, making it smooth and creamy.

Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.

Cream cheese: Cream cheese is made with milk and cream, while ricotta is made with just milk. The lower fat content makes the latter cheese slightly less creamy. However, cream cheese can still be substituted for ricotta.

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a rich, soft Italian cheese. It's similar to cream cheese in texture but is made with heavy cream rather than milk. If you're wondering what is ricotta cheese substitute for desserts, mascarpone is a great option.

What do Italians use instead of ricotta in lasagna? ›

Most traditional lasagna doesn't use ricotta cheese. Instead, bechamel sauce mixed with parmesan cheese is used.

One of the finest cuts of beef to be served with pasta is chopped filet mignon. The tenderness of the steak paired with the flavor of the sauce creates an unforgettable pasta dish. Ground beef is often used to create the traditional spaghetti and meatballs we all know and love.

You can put raw anything into spaghetti sauce, simmer it long enough and it will cook and be safe to eat. You'll lose out on a bit of flavor though. I'd brown the pork in a pot and season it before simmering it in the sauce. Browning the meat develops color and flavor in the finished sauce, so don't forget that step.

Once the ground beef is fully cooked, it's time to add seasonings and enhancements to elevate the flavor of your spaghetti. You can add minced garlic for a savory kick, dried herbs like oregano and basil for an Italian touch, or even a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat.

Olives and capers add a punch of briny goodness and give tomato sauce some real personality. Toss in some chopped or whole, pitted olives and/or a handful of drained capers after heating the sauce for several minutes. Or, if you're adding garlic or sautéed vegetables, add to the sauté just before you pour in the sauce.

Tomatoes is the most popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce dishes. In fact, over 90% of spaghetti sauce recipes contain tomatoes. Variations of tomatoes include: tomato sauce: 15% of recipes.