Meaty Skillet Bucatini Pie.
This skillet bucatini pie is one of our family’s favorite meals! Marinara meat sauce, tender bucatini pasta and lots of cheese is baked into a pasta pie and served in delicious slices. Comforting and satisfying!
Oh how I love a pasta pie!
This skillet bucatini pie is such a fun twist on eating pasta! A meaty marinara sauce starts it off, then hot bucatini pasta and shredded cheese are stirred right in the skillet. The whole thing gets baked in the oven until it becomes like a pizza/pie, held together with melty cheese.
It’s a showstopping dish because of how it looks, but at the same time it is so easy! It’s almost as easy as making pasta with meat sauce and jarred marinara. The only difference is we’re keeping it piled together in a skillet, adding a blanket of mozzarella and baking it.
Then serving it in SLICES!!
How fun is that?!
I’ve made a few different pasta pies in my day and they are always a huge hit! This pesto bucatini pie is probably my favorite. I also love this cacio e pepe pie, but the kids find it slightly too spicy. The kids love anything with marinara, of course.
However, if pasta without red sauce is available, I’m all over it.
So, even though this meaty marinara version may not be my #1 choice, everyone else would choose it first any day. I don’t blame them.
Here’s how I make it!
First, I use lean ground beef OR ground turkey, depending on what I have in my fridge. That’s the beauty of this! I like to add lots of garlic and season it with some basil and oregano too.
Once the beef is browned, add your favorite store-bought marinara sauce right to the skillet. Unless you have homemade on hand, of course. Our go-to is Rao’s and I throw it right on in there! Make sure the meat is fully combined and stirred into the sauce.
While this is all happening, I’ve boiled some bucatini too. At this point, I add the hot bucatini right to the skillet. And toss toss toss! Mix it up as much as you can. I also stir in some grated mozzarella or provolone cheese here too.
Next, add a big blanket of the grated cheese on top. Yum yum yum. And it’s time to bake it!
After the skillet bakes, I sprinkle on fresh parm and basil. I let it sit and cool for 10 to 15 minutes or so – just to set up. You don’t need to let it sit as long as, say, lasagna. But you do want it to sit for a few minutes and set up if you want a “slice” of pie.
This is one of those meals that is pure comfort food but great to make all year long. It doesn’t feel as heavy as a soup or creamy pasta dish. It’s essentially the same as eating spaghetti and meatballs! And it’s fabulous.
Bucatini is by far my favorite cut of pasta. The long tubes are just so enjoyable and fun to eat! Plus, once they bake in the sauce, they expand even a bit more and take on all that flavor.
Can’t get enough!
Skillet Bucatini Pie
Meaty Skillet Bucatini Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 pound bucatini
- 1 ½ cups shredded italian cheeses, like mozzarella and provolone
- finely grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- fresh basil, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Heat a large (12+ inch) oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and season it all over with salt and pepper. Cook the beef until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano and garlic cloves. Stir in half of the marinara sauce. Reduce the heat to low.
- Cook the bucatini according to package directions. Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the marinara meat sauce. Use kitchen tongs to toss the pasta into the sauce, making sure the mixture is fully combined and the sauce is evenly distributed. Add the rest of the sauce and toss the pasta again so it’s combined.
- Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, making sure it’s evenly dispersed throughout the pasta. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
- Bake the skillet for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly on top.
- Remove the skillet and top with parmesan and fresh basil. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice and serve!
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