What do you get when you combine two culinary favorites into one fantastically fun family dinner? Spaghetti Stuffed Garlic Bread, that's what! Or, as I like to call it, a spaghetti sandwich!

**Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making spaghetti stuffed garlic cheese bread is available at the end of this post. OR you can hit the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe.
The ingredient list:
**Note - The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned
- rustic round bread (or other crusty bread)
- Italian sausage
- garlic, minced
- canned fire-roasted tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)
- canned tomato sauce
- spaghetti
- butter
- garlic powder
- dried basil
- dried oregano
- salt and pepper
- Parmesan cheese
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- large pasta pot or stockpot with strainer
- large skillet
- spatula or wooden spoon
- serrated knife
- cutting board or breadboard
- tongs
- butter knife or offset spatula
- aluminum foil
- baking sheet
- cheese grater
Why this recipe works:
When I make spaghetti, I almost always make garlic bread. The two just go hand-in-hand, like old friends.
This time, however, I decided to think outside the box (and inside the bread) with this new twist on serving spaghetti.
Needless to say, my family's eyeballs nearly popped out of their heads when I brought this Spaghetti Stuffed Garlic Cheese Bread to the table.
Score one for mom!
This Spaghetti Stuffed Garlic Bread is also a fantastic dish to serve when you're having company because one, they'll never expect it, and two, it will serve a crowd!
What kind of bread works best for this spaghetti stuffed garlic bread recipe?
The bread I used for this recipe is a rustic country boulé (French for "ball") I purchased in the bakery section of the grocery store.
Or, if you're feeling super ambitious you can make a homemade rustic boulé.
That said, if you choose to use a different type of bread, just make sure it's a crusty loaf that will remain sturdy once you slice it open, pull out some of the interiors, and pile in the spaghetti.
The secret's in the sauce:
If you're looking for a quick and easy homemade marinara sauce, I have a good one you can use if you'd like to change things up a little from what I'm sharing today.
Do I have to use meat in the recipe?
And, although I've used Italian sausage in this recipe, feel free to omit it if you're looking to make something meat-free and vegetarian.
Either way you make it, with or without meat, it will be filling, delicious and a nice change of pace from your typical spaghetti and garlic bread dinner.
The easy step-by-step photo instructions:
- In a large skillet brown one pound of Italian sausage and 1 chopped onion.
- Add minced garlic, dried basil and oregano, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
- Simmer the sauce while the pasta cooks.
- Meanwhile, slice the top off the bread and pick out the inner crumb from the top and bottom portions of the bread (reserve that for another use).
- Drain the cooked spaghetti and toss with the sauce in the skillet.
- Place the bread (top and bottom portion) on a baking sheet and spread liberally with softened butter.
- Sprinkle both sides with plenty of garlic powder, and lots of Parmesan cheese.
- Fill the hollowed-out bread with the spaghetti and top place the top of the bread on top of the spaghetti, pressing lightly.
- You can either serve this immediately...
- ...OR wrap the spaghetti sandwich in aluminum foil, refrigerate, and bake at 425 for 40 minutes, when needed.
- *Note - A serrated knife works best for slicing this Spaghetti Stuffed Garlic Cheese Bread into pieces for serving.
- Serves 8-10.
Can leftover spaghetti be used for this recipe?
Great idea!!
Leftovers can sometimes be boring, but not if you shake things up by stuffing leftover spaghetti inside garlic bread!
I'll bet they didn't see THAT coming!!
Additional Italian favorite recipes:
*Italian Shell Pasta Salad (pictured below and featured in the video)
Italian Shell Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Basil & Tomatoes comes together quickly with the help of store-bought bottled Italian dressing. It’s wonderful as a chilled side dish or a vegetarian main course.
*Pan-Fried Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Rice Balls (arancini di riso) (not shown)
Pan-Fried Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Rice Balls are crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and stuffed with lots of melted cheese! What’s not to love?
*Italian Layered Zucchini Parmesan (pictured below)
Italian Zucchini Parmesan has all the flavors you love about pizza or lasagna, but without all those annoying carbohydrates to weigh you down.
*Italian Sausage Pizza Burgers (not shown)
They’re the best of both worlds (pizza and burgers), and they take less time to get on the table than a traditional pizza delivery and they taste better than a standard burger.
*Spaghetti Stuffed Garlic Bread (pictured below) THIS IS THE PLACE!!
Below is the printable recipe card along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today's spaghetti sandwich.
When you make this recipe, and I hope you do, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave a star rating on the recipe card and briefly comment on why you rated it as you did. FYI - Google appreciates recipe ratings and, in turn, will share my recipes with more people. Thank you so much!!
Printable Recipe Card
SPAGHETTI STUFFED GARLIC CHEESE BREAD
Ingredients
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage or removed from the casings
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) fire-roasted tomatoes, including their liquid
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce tomato sauce
- 1 pound spaghetti cooked and drained
- 1 round loaf crusty artisanal bread
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 1½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh basil leaves for garnish optional
Instructions
- Cook the sausage and onions in a large skillet over medium/high heat, breaking up the sausage as it cooks.
- Stir in the garlic, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the cooked and drained spaghetti into the skillet, and toss with the sauce to coat.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the top off the crusty bread. Use your fingers, hollow out the top and bottom of the bread to form a bowl, making sure to leave enough of the outer crust to keep the bread sturdy. (Reserve the bread insides for another use. They may be frozen if needed)
- Slather the softened butter on the insides of both the top and bottom of the bread bowl, and sprinkle both sides with the garlic powder and the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Use tongs to pile the spaghetti high inside the bread bowl. Place the top of the bread on the pile of spaghetti and press gently.
- Wrap the spaghetti sandwich in aluminum foil and either refrigerate it until ready to bake or bake immediately in a preheated 425-degree Fahrenheit oven for 40 minutes.
- *Note - if baking after refrigeration, allow the spaghetti sandwich to come to room temperature (approximately 30 minutes) before baking, and bake for 40 minutes in a preheated 425-degree Fahrenheit oven.
- Unwrap the sandwich and slice using a serrated knife.
Nutrition
Thank you so much for visiting me here today in my Kudos Kitchen!
I hope you've enjoyed today's fun and tasty dinner recipe for spaghetti stuffed garlic bread with cheese as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!
Nellie Tracy says
This is my family's new favorite way to enjoy spaghetti! Such a fun and delicious recipe!
Renée says
It's fun, isn't it? Glad to hear it, Nellie. Enjoy!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Just tried this recipe and my family loved it. Thank you so much!
Renée says
Happy to hear it, Shadi. Thanks!
wilhelmina says
This is such a great way to switch up boring spaghetti night. My daughter thought it was so great to have a "sketti" sandwich, delicious!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
This is creative! Beautiful pictures as well.
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons says
You are not messing around! This looks like everything I love all put together!
Sharon @What The Fork says
I think I've just found out a new favorite way to enjoy two foods that we all love- spaghetti and this delicious garlic bread!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
I love this so much! My mom has always been a "we must have bread with dinner" kind of person and she use to make us little sandwiches like this with rolls when we were little. I can't wait to make this for Thomas!
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says
This is such an awesome idea! What a fun way to serve spaghetti and garlic bread. 🙂
TheChunkyChef says
I bet this would be perfect for game day... or even just a big family meal!!
Katerina @ Diethood says
What a neat idea!! My husband will be so happy with this recipe!!
Michelle Verkade { A Latte Food } says
This is so fun! I've never seen a spaghetti sandwich, but I do love meatball subs so I'm sure I would adore this!
Renée says
It would be a great idea to add the meatballs to the spaghetti on this and then stuff the bread. YUM!
Krista says
What a great sandwich idea! Great idea for kids!