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Spaghetti garlic bread bowls filled with pasta, meat sauce, and topped with parmesan and herbs.
Layla

Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls

Crispy, buttery garlic bread bowls baked until golden, then filled with saucy spaghetti for the ultimate carb-on-carb comfort food.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 685

Ingredients
  

For the Garlic Bread Bowls
  • 13.8 oz refrigerated pizza dough 1 can, room temperature
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan plus more for topping
For the Spaghetti
  • 12 oz spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 24 oz marinara sauce good quality jarred or homemade
  • 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil torn, for garnish

Equipment

  • 4 oven-safe soup bowls or ramekins (12-16 oz each)
  • Large pot for pasta
  • Skillet
  • Pastry brush

Method
 

Make the Garlic Bread Bowls
  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Divide pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then press and stretch into a 6-inch circle. Press each circle into an oven-safe bowl, letting excess drape over the rim. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick on the bottom and sides.
  2. Mix melted butter, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Brush this mixture generously all over the dough, inside and out, including the draped edges. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Parmesan inside each bowl.
  3. Place bowls on a baking sheet and bake for 18-22 minutes, until the bread is deep golden and crisp. The overhanging edges should look like a frilly crust. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Carefully lift bread bowls out of their molds (they should release easily) and return to the baking sheet, hollow-side up.
Make the Spaghetti
  1. While bowls bake, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook spaghetti 2 minutes less than package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add marinara and bring to a simmer. Stir in red pepper flakes if using. Add drained spaghetti and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce clings to the noodles. Cook 1-2 minutes more.
Assemble and serve
  1. Divide spaghetti among the bread bowls, mounding slightly. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top. Return to oven for 5-7 minutes, just until the cheese melts and the bread edges re-crisp. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.

Notes

For extra-crispy bowls, brush the outside with more garlic butter before the second bake. The bread bowls are best eaten the day they're made - they soften as they sit. If you only have smaller ramekins, divide the dough into 6 pieces and reduce initial bake time to 14-16 minutes.