This skillet bucatini pie is one of our family’s favorite meals! Marinara meat sauce, tender bucatini pasta and plenty of cheese are baked into a pasta pie and served in neat slices. Comforting, satisfying, and simple to make.
Oh how I love a pasta pie!
This skillet bucatini pie is a playful take on a classic pasta dinner. A savory meat marinara forms the base, then hot bucatini and shredded cheese are folded in right in the skillet. The whole pan goes into the oven to bake until it sets up like a pizza or pie, held together by melted cheese—then it’s served in slices.
It’s a showstopper visually, yet it’s surprisingly easy. Think of it as pasta with meat sauce, but kept together in a skillet, topped with mozzarella and baked. The result is fun to serve—and even more fun to eat.
Then serving it in SLICES!!
How fun is that?!
I’ve made several pasta pies over the years and they always disappear fast. A pesto bucatini pie and a cacio e pepe pie are favorites in our kitchen, but anything with marinara is a guaranteed hit with kids. If plain pasta is on the table, I’m not complaining either—pasta is always welcome here.
While the meaty marinara version might not be my personal top pick every time, it’s usually everyone else’s first choice—and that’s perfectly fine. It’s comforting, familiar, and feeds a crowd.
Here’s how I make it!
Start with lean ground beef or ground turkey—use whichever you have. Brown the meat in a large, oven-safe skillet and season with salt and pepper. Add dried basil, oregano and plenty of minced garlic for great flavor. Once the meat is cooked through, stir in half of your marinara sauce and lower the heat.
While the sauce simmers, cook the bucatini according to package directions. Drain the pasta and immediately toss it into the skillet so the hot noodles absorb the sauce. Add the remaining marinara and toss again to coat everything evenly. Stir in about one cup of shredded Italian cheese (mozzarella and provolone work well) so it’s distributed throughout the pasta, then pile the remaining cheese on top.
Slide the skillet into a hot oven to bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
When it comes out, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and torn basil leaves. Let the pie rest for 10 to 15 minutes so it can set up enough to slice cleanly—no need to wait as long as lasagna, but a short rest helps it hold together.
This is classic comfort food that works all year round. It doesn’t feel as heavy as a creamy pasta or stew, yet it delivers the same cozy satisfaction as spaghetti and meatballs—only easier to serve and a bit more dramatic.
Bucatini is my favorite pasta for this because the hollow tubes soak up sauce and bake into a wonderfully toothsome texture. They expand slightly in the oven and carry the flavors of the sauce and cheese beautifully.
Can’t get enough!
Skillet Bucatini Pie
Meaty Skillet Bucatini Pie
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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
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
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Heat a large (12+ inch) oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano and minced garlic. Add half of the marinara sauce and reduce heat to low.
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Cook the bucatini according to package directions. Drain and immediately add the pasta to the skillet. Use tongs to toss the bucatini so the sauce is evenly distributed. Stir in the remaining sauce and toss again.
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Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese so it’s mixed throughout, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
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Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly.
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Remove from the oven, top with grated Parmesan and fresh basil. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes to set. Slice and serve.
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