Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls Recipe
Imagine combining the richness of saucy spaghetti, the comforting cheese pull of a classic bake, and the crunch of garlicky, herb-brushed bread—all in one charming, pick-up-and-eat package. That’s exactly what Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls bring to your table: a playful, hearty meal where the bowl itself is warm, buttery garlic bread, just begging to be devoured along with perfectly tangled spaghetti and melty cheese. It’s the kind of fun, crowd-pleasing dish that makes everyone at dinner lean in for another bite (and maybe even another bowl!).
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses everyday ingredients that each play a star role—adding deep flavor, luscious texture, and beautiful color to your Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls. There’s no need for anything fancy here, just the best of Italian-inspired comfort food, pared down to the essentials.
- Olive oil for cooking: Brings a fruity, savory base flavor that helps everything sizzle gently.
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced: Adds sweetness and a melting softness to the sauce.
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced: Infuses rich garlicky aroma to both the sauce and the bread bowls.
- 500g ground beef (12% fat): Provides juicy, flavorful bites without being greasy.
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree: Brings tang and depth to the sauce, helping it cling to your pasta.
- 80ml red wine: Adds elegant depth (don’t worry, the alcohol cooks off!) and ties the sauce together.
- 500g tomato passata: The silky tomato base, giving a bright, full-bodied flavor and vibrant color.
- 240ml beef stock: Enriches the sauce and gives extra savory oomph.
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce: Brings subtle acidity and complexity you might not guess.
- ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped: Lifts the sauce with gorgeous herby brightness.
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano: Provides familiar Italian warmth and herbal notes.
- ½ teaspoon sugar: Balances acidity for just-right sweetness in the sauce.
- 20g freshly grated parmesan: Adds a salty, nutty finish to the sauce (and later, the bowls!).
- 200g spaghetti: The classic strands that cradle all that sauce and flavor.
- 6 crusty white rolls: Instantly transform into golden, crunchy edible bowls!
- 100g butter, melted: Soaks into the bread, making it rich and irresistible.
- 30g parmesan for butter: Sneaks more umami into every garlicky bite.
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped: Sprinkles color and freshness through the garlic butter.
- 3 garlic cloves, made into paste: Intensifies the garlic flavor, especially in the bread crusts.
- 200g mozzarella, shredded: Creates a blanket of luscious, melty cheese on top—essential for the cheese pull!
How to Make Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls
Step 1: Start and Build the Sauce
Set a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, add a good drizzle of olive oil, and let the onion cook gently until golden and sweet. Next, stir in the garlic and let its aroma fill your kitchen—just for a minute, so it doesn’t burn. Add the ground beef, breaking it up and browning it thoroughly. When it’s almost there, spoon in the tomato puree and cook until everything’s mingling and smelling fantastic.
Step 2: Simmer and Finish the Sauce
Time for the deglazing magic: pour in the red wine and simmer until it’s mostly evaporated, letting the beef soak up all that flavor. Stir in the tomato passata, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, fresh basil, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer, uncovered, for about 25 minutes—just enough time for the sauce to thicken and deepen. When the sauce is rich and luscious, stir in the grated parmesan cheese.
Step 3: Prep the Garlic Bread Bowls
While that glorious sauce bubbles away, focus on transforming the rolls. Cut the tops off and gently hollow out the centers, saving that bread for breadcrumbs later. In a bowl, mix the melted butter with the garlic paste, chopped parsley, and parmesan until well blended. Brush this mixture generously, inside and out, on each roll—you want every bite to pop with buttery, garlicky flavor.
Step 4: Cook the Spaghetti
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add your spaghetti. Cook until just al dente, as it’ll finish cooking in the sauce. Use tongs to transfer the spaghetti directly into the sauce (a little pasta water is welcome—it makes things silkier!) and toss to coat every strand.
Step 5: Assemble Your Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls
Spoon the saucy spaghetti into each bread bowl, really nestling it in and piling it a little higher than you think you should—overflowing is half the fun! Make sure a generous spoonful of sauce tops each mound, then scatter shredded mozzarella over everything for maximum gooeyness.
Step 6: Bake Until Golden and Bubbly
Set the filled bowls on a lined baking tray. Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 8-10 minutes until the bread is crisped and the cheese is gloriously melted. For that irresistible bubbling top, finish with a quick broil—just keep an eye out so it doesn’t burn. The result: crunchy, cheesy, saucy perfection every time.
How to Serve Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls
Garnishes
Before they hit the table, add a sprinkle of extra chopped parsley or basil, and a shower of grated parmesan over the molten mozzarella. This brightens each serving and makes your Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls look straight out of your favorite Italian restaurant.
Side Dishes
Pair these hearty bowls with a fresh green salad tossed in a tangy vinaigrette, or simply serve with roasted vegetables if you want to add color and crunch. Even a side of marinated olives or a crisp, light antipasto plate brings balance to your Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls meal.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties, mini Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls made with small dinner rolls are endlessly fun and easy to serve. You can also let everyone build their own at the table, letting kids (and adults) pile on the pasta, sauce, and cheese just how they love it—an instant hit for gatherings!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you have any Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls left, let them cool, then wrap tightly or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The bread loses some crispness but soaks up even more garlicky goodness.
Freezing
For longer storage, freeze the sauce and the hollowed bread bowls separately. Wrap the bread well and store the sauce in a lidded container; both can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before assembling and baking.
Reheating
To revive leftovers, wrap the bowls in foil and bake at 325°F until warmed through; uncover for the last few minutes to re-crisp the bread and remelt the cheese. If you made everything in advance, just assemble, top with cheese, and bake straight from chilled!
FAQs
Can I use a different meat or make it vegetarian?
Absolutely! Italian sausage or ground turkey are delicious choices, or try a plant-based mince for a vegetarian option. Just keep the seasonings bold and the sauce thick for the best Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls experience.
What type of rolls make the best garlic bread bowls?
Look for firm, crusty white rolls (like kaiser or sourdough) that feel heavy for their size and sound hollow when tapped. Softer rolls tend to get soggy and collapse, so stick with something sturdy.
Can I make the components ahead?
Yes! Prepare the sauce and the garlic butter up to two days ahead and store them in the fridge. Hollow out the rolls on the day and assemble just before baking for the crispiest Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls.
What’s the secret to keeping the bread from getting soggy?
Brushing the inside of each roll generously with garlic butter is key—it creates a protective barrier and big flavor. Also, don’t add too much sauce to the spaghetti; just enough to coat is perfect!
What should I do with the leftover bread centers?
Don’t toss them! Pulse into breadcrumbs and freeze for later, or toast and scatter over salads, gratins, or even top your next batch of Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls for extra crunch.
Final Thoughts
There’s pure joy in every bite of Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls—crisp, cheesy, saucy, and super satisfying. If you’re craving comfort food with a playful twist, grab some rolls and give this recipe a go. Your family and friends will be lining up for seconds!
Print
Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls Recipe
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings (6 bread bowls) 1x
- Diet: None
Description
Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls – Turn crusty rolls into edible bowls filled with meat sauce spaghetti and topped with melted cheese. The bread gets brushed with garlic butter for extra flavor.
Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
- Olive oil for cooking
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 500g ground beef (12% fat)
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 80ml red wine
- 500g tomato passata
- 240ml beef stock
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 20g freshly grated parmesan
Pasta:
- 200g spaghetti
Bread Bowls:
- 6 crusty white rolls
- 100g butter, melted
- 30g parmesan for butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, made into paste
Cheese Topping:
- 200g mozzarella, shredded
Instructions
- Cook onion until golden, add garlic. Add beef and brown. Mix in tomato puree. Add wine, reduce. Add passata, stock, herbs and seasonings. Simmer 25 minutes until thick. Stir in parmesan.
- Prep Bowls: Cut tops off rolls, hollow out centers. Mix melted butter with garlic, parsley, parmesan. Brush inside and outside of rolls.
- Cook Pasta: Boil spaghetti until al dente. Transfer directly to sauce and toss.
- Assemble: Fill rolls with pasta mixture, ensuring sauce on top. Top with mozzarella.
- Bake: Cook at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until bread is crisp and cheese melts. Optional: broil to brown cheese.
Notes
- Use firm crusty rolls that sound hollow when tapped.
- Save hollowed bread for breadcrumbs.
- Sauce can be made ahead.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bread bowl
- Calories: Approximately 650
- Sugar: Approximately 5g
- Sodium: Approximately 800mg
- Fat: Approximately 30g
- Saturated Fat: Approximately 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: Approximately 12g
- Trans Fat: Approximately 0g
- Carbohydrates: Approximately 60g
- Fiber: Approximately 5g
- Protein: Approximately 30g
- Cholesterol: Approximately 80mg
