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Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls

Spaghetti garlic bread bowls are a fun dinner idea where hollowed sourdough bread bowls are crisp-baked, then filled with spaghetti and meat sauce. The tops get melty, bubbly mozzarella while the bread edges turn golden and crunchy.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 980
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bread bowls
  • 4 round sourdough bread bowls
  • 4 tbsp butter melted
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Meat sauce & pasta
  • 12 oz spaghetti cooked
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 24 oz marinara sauce 1 jar
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Cheese & serving
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 Parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep & pre-bake the bread bowls
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. This prepares a hot baking environment so the bread crisps right away.
  2. Cut the tops off each round sourdough bread bowl and hollow out the centers, leaving a 1-inch border. Keep the bowls intact so they can hold spaghetti and sauce.
  3. Mix the melted butter with the minced garlic and chopped parsley, then brush generously inside and outside each bread bowl. Make sure the butter coats the rim for golden, crispy edges.
  4. Bake the bread bowls for 10 minutes at 375°F until crispy. Watch for deep golden color on the outside and sturdy sides.
Make the meat sauce
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, then drain excess fat. Cook until no pink remains.
  2. Add the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the skillet, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly.
Fill, top, and melt
  1. Toss the cooked spaghetti with the meat sauce and fill each bread bowl generously. Pack them so the pasta sits high above the rim.
  2. Top each filled bowl with shredded mozzarella and bake for 8–10 minutes at 375°F until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately with Parmesan.

Notes

For the crispiest bread, keep the 1-inch border uniform so the bowls don’t collapse under the spaghetti. Store leftover baked bowls in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through (microwaving can soften the bread). Freezing isn’t recommended because the bread texture will change. For a lighter option, swap ground beef for lean ground turkey while keeping the same marinara and seasonings.