Description
This Spaghetti Boats recipe offers a fun and delicious twist on classic spaghetti, combining tender spaghetti noodles mixed with savory ground beef and rich spaghetti sauce, all nestled inside a toasted garlic butter French bread boat topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. It’s a perfect family-friendly meal that’s easy to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Spaghetti and Sauce
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) spaghetti sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
Bread Boat & Topping
- 1 loaf French bread
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat and Brown Beef: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, diced onion, and minced garlic. Cook and crumble the beef until it’s no longer pink. Drain any excess fat and grease from the pan to keep the dish from being too oily.
- Make Sauce: Stir the spaghetti sauce, kosher salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper into the browned beef mixture. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer gently while you cook the pasta and prepare the bread boat.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander without rinsing to preserve the starch that helps the sauce cling better. Add the cooked noodles to the skillet with the beef and sauce, stirring to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Prepare Bread Boat: While the pasta cooks, create the garlic bread boat. Cut a large oval from the top of the French bread loaf, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges. Carefully remove the center dough, forming a hollow boat shape ready to be filled.
- Toast Bread: In a small bowl, combine softened butter, garlic powder, and dried parsley flakes. Spread this garlic butter mixture generously inside the bread boat. Place the bread boat on the prepared sheet pan and toast it in the oven for 5-8 minutes until it’s slightly crispy and fragrant.
- Assemble and Bake: Fill the toasted garlic bread boat with the beef and spaghetti mixture from the skillet. Top generously with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake the assembled spaghetti boat in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese. Cut the bread boat into large slices and serve warm, enjoying the combination of hearty spaghetti and crispy garlic bread in every bite.
Notes
- Do not rinse the pasta after draining to help the sauce adhere better.
- Use a sturdy, fresh French bread loaf for the best bread boat structure.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken to reduce fat content.
- For extra flavor, add red pepper flakes in the sauce if you like a little heat.
- Leftover spaghetti can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
