Cheesy Stuffed Italian Bread (Print Version)
Crusty Italian loaf packed with pasta, seasoned meats, tomato sauce, and bubbly melted cheese.
# Ingredients:
→ Main ingredients
01 -
1 loaf Italian bread (16 ounces)
02 -
1 pound ground beef
03 -
1 pound ground sausage
04 -
2 cups tomato sauce (16 ounces)
05 -
3/4 cup tomato paste (6 ounces)
06 -
1 medium onion, diced
07 -
7 ounces uncooked spaghetti
08 -
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, divided (about 1/2 cup)
09 -
2/3 cup Mozzarella cheese, divided
→ Seasonings and additions
10 -
Butter, melted, for brushing
11 -
Garlic powder, for sprinkling
12 -
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
13 -
1 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
14 -
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
15 -
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
# Steps:
01 -
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 -
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
03 -
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, ground sausage, and diced onion until browned. Drain excess fat. Return to heat and stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
04 -
Add cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the meat sauce, stirring until fully coated. Remove from heat.
05 -
Slice the Italian bread loaf in half lengthwise and hollow out the centers of each half. Brush the inside with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast in the preheated oven for several minutes until the bread is lightly crisped.
06 -
Spoon the meat and pasta mixture into the hollowed bread halves. Distribute half the Parmesan cheese and half the Mozzarella cheese evenly over the filling.
07 -
Bake the filled bread halves in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and golden brown.
# Notes:
01 -
For a crisper texture, toast the hollowed bread halves briefly before filling.