Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls (Printable Version)
Spaghetti and meat sauce in golden garlic bread bowls, finished with melted cheese for a playful Italian-American meal.
# The Ingredients You'll Need:
→ For the Meat Sauce
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium white onion, finely diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
04 - 500 g ground beef (12% fat)
05 - 1 tablespoon tomato puree
06 - 80 ml red wine
07 - 500 g tomato passata
08 - 240 ml beef stock
09 - ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
10 - ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
11 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
12 - ½ teaspoon sugar
13 - 20 g freshly grated parmesan cheese
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ For the Spaghetti
15 - 200 g spaghetti
→ For the Garlic Bread Bowls
16 - 6 crusty white rolls
17 - 100 g butter, melted
18 - 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
19 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
20 - 3 garlic cloves, made into paste
→ For Assembly
21 - 200 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and brown thoroughly. Stir in tomato puree and cook for 1 minute. Pour in red wine, stirring and allowing it to reduce for 2 minutes. Add tomato passata, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Stir in grated parmesan and adjust seasoning as needed.
02 - Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut the tops off the rolls, then hollow out the centers, leaving a 1 cm border. Reserve the bread for another use. In a bowl, mix melted butter with garlic paste, parsley, and parmesan. Brush the inside and outside of each roll generously with the garlic butter mixture. Place rolls on a baking sheet and set aside.
03 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just al dente according to package instructions. Drain and transfer spaghetti directly into the meat sauce. Toss until well coated.
04 - Fill each prepared bread bowl with the spaghetti and sauce mixture, ensuring a generous amount of sauce on top. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over each bowl. Bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, until the bread is crisp and cheese is melted. For a browned cheese topping, broil for an additional 1–2 minutes, watching carefully.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil or parsley if desired.
# Additional Tips::
01 -
- You can serve the meal in its own bowl so cleanup is easy
- A fun twist that delights adults and kids alike
- Rich meat sauce and hearty pasta with crispy garlicky bread in every bite
- Easy to prepare ahead for busy nights or parties
- The combination of cheese pull and fresh basil makes it stand out
02 -
- High in protein with comforting flavors perfect for cold weather
- Can be made ahead and baked just before serving for easy dinner parties
- Freezes well if you save the sauce and bread separately