Description
Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls combine classic comfort foods into a fun and flavorful dish. Hollowed sourdough bread serves as an edible bowl filled with garlicky spaghetti tossed in olive oil, Parmesan, and parsley, topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. Baked until golden and bubbly, these bowls make a perfect cozy meal that’s both hearty and visually appealing.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Bowl
- 1 large loaf of sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Spaghetti
- 1 pound of spaghetti
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Toppings
- 1 cup marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the bread bowls later.
- Prepare bread bowls: Cut off the top of the sourdough loaf to create a lid and set it aside. Carefully hollow out the inside of the bread, leaving the sides and bottom intact to form a bowl.
- Brush bread with olive oil: Use 2 tablespoons of olive oil to brush the inside and the cut top of the hollowed bread. This will add flavor and help crisp the bread during baking.
- Bake bread bowls: Place the hollowed bread bowls on a baking sheet and set aside until ready to fill.
- Cook spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
- Sauté garlic: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Add red pepper flakes: If using, stir in red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds to infuse the oil with spice.
- Toss spaghetti: Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the garlic oil. Stir well to coat the noodles, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
- Season and garnish pasta: Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley for flavor and freshness.
- Fill bread bowls: Spoon the garlic spaghetti mixture evenly into each hollowed sourdough bread bowl.
- Add marinara and cheese: Pour marinara sauce over the spaghetti in each bowl, then sprinkle generously with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake bread bowls covered: Loosely cover the filled bread bowls with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Cool and garnish: Let the bread bowls cool slightly before serving. Garnish with extra parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve warm, using the reserved bread tops for dipping into the cheesy marinara sauce.
Notes
- Use a sturdy sourdough loaf to ensure the bread holds the spaghetti and sauce without sogging through.
- Reserve pasta water; it helps loosen the spaghetti and bind the flavors.
- Red pepper flakes are optional but add a nice hint of heat.
- For a vegetarian option, keep as is. For non-vegetarian, consider adding cooked meat to the spaghetti if desired.
- Leftover bread tops can be toasted to serve as dipping crisps.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
