Stretchy cheese, al dente pasta, and your favorite pizza toppings make this easy Pizza Casserole recipe a guaranteed winner with the family for a simple weeknight dinner. Serve it with a green salad and some French bread for a freezer-friendly meal that is sure to please!
We love a good casserole for dinner. Some of our other favorites are Baked Spaghetti Casserole, White Chicken Spinach Lasagna, and Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole.
Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
Our family loves having pizza for dinner, especially when I make homemade pizza dough and they can top their own pizzas any way they like. But it's always fun to change things up and this pizza-fied casserole is a great way to give everybody the flavors they love in a new and exciting package.
Plus, pasta bakes feed a crowd and are easy to make. I can assemble this pizza casserole the night before or in the morning, then pop it in the oven to heat for dinner. And honestly, the leftovers are even better the next day.
Why You'll Love Pizza Casserole
- So easy! Using your favorite pasta shape and store bought sauce (Rao's is the best!) make this semi-homemade dinner one that is simple and stress-free.
- Customizable. You can easily change out the topping ingredients to make it more like your favorite pizza, whether you like supreme, Hawaiian, or vegetarian.
- Freezer-friendly. Sometimes I will double the recipe and assemble one to stick in the freezer for an easy dinner that just needs to go in the oven and heat through. It's also a great idea for taking a meal to a family in need.
I love Freaky Fridays when my blogging friends and I swap blogs secretly to make each other's recipes. Michaela from An Affair from the Heart hosts it and this time around I was assigned Julie from Hostess At Heart. I've been excited to share one of Julie's recipes for a while now because she has so many to choose from!
Julie has some amazing bread recipes like cinnamon raisin bread and applesauce oatmeal bread that look so good. And her salmon salad with balsamic blueberry sauce sounds incredible. But it was her pizza casserole that really caught my eye since my family loves pasta.
Pizza Bake Ingredients
This is a quick overview of some of the important ingredients you'll need for this pizza casserole recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Meat: A combination of ground beef and mild Italian sausage are used in this casserole. We prefer a lean ground beef like 85/15 and sweet Italian sausage, but try spicy if you like the heat! You can omit or use a plant-based meat substitute for a vegetarian version.
- Sauce: To keep things simple, a jar of our favorite marinara sauce and pizza sauce are used for the sauce (we like Rao's). But if you prefer, you can make homemade marinara sauce and pizza sauce instead.
- Cheese: A combination of freshly grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese gives that gooey stretch that you get from a nice cheesy pizza. You could also use a pizza or Italian cheese blend.
- Toppings: We opted for some of our pizza favorites like mushrooms, pepperoni, and bell pepper this time around. But you could try Canadian bacon and pineapple, or roasted red peppers, olives, and artichokes instead. Use whatever toppings you like to get when you order pizza!
How to Make Pizza Casserole
- Cook the meat. Brown the crumbled ground beef and Italian sausage in a large pan with the chopped mushrooms and onions. Once the meat is browned, be sure to drain off any excess fat.
- Make the sauce. Add the jars of marinara sauce and pizza sauce, then stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add a little extra oregano to boost the "pizza-ness" of the sauce.
- Cook the pasta. While the meat is browning and the sauce is coming to a simmer, cook your favorite pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted, boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain well.
- Layer the dish. Spray the bottom of your baking dish with cooking spray, then layer half of the cooked pasta noodles and sauce in it. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, then repeat the layers.
- Finish with toppings. Top the casserole with pepperoni and green onion or whatever pizza toppings you choose.
- Bake. If you are baking the casserole immediately, the pasta and sauce will already be warm, so you only need to bake for 20-25 minutes until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted. If you choose to refrigerate the assembled casserole or freeze for later, you will need to increase the bake time when you are ready to cook it (see notes below).
Pizza Casserole Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don't overcook the pasta. The penne noodles will continue to cook in the sauce while the casserole bakes in the oven so you want to cook them just until barely al dente.
- Make cleanup easy. Spraying the baking dish with cooking spray to make it easy to clean up afterwards.
Pepperoni Casserole Storage
- How to store: Store leftover casserole in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- How to freeze: Once cooled, freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months. If freezing unbaked, you can cover with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat: Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or covered with foil in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warm. To bake from frozen, bake at 350°F for 60 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes until heated through.
Pepperoni Pizza Bake Recipe FAQs
If you want to cut back on the calories in this dish, try using ground turkey or a plant-based meat substitute in place of the ground beef and swap in turkey pepperoni for regular pepperoni. You could also use your favorite whole wheat pasta and double up on the veggies.
More Casserole Recipes
- Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
- One-Pan Chicken, Green Bean, & Potato Dinner
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Pepperoni Pizza Bake Recipe (Pizza Casserole)
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta, cooked until al dente
- 1 pound lean ground beef (we use 85/15)
- ½ pound sweet Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
- 1 (28-ounce) jar marinara sauce (we like Rao's)
- 1 (8-ounce) jar pizza sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese or a combination of half mozzarella and half sharp cheddar
- 6 ounces pepperoni
- ½ green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in 3-4 quarts of boiling water seasoned with 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Brown meat with onions and mushrooms in a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Add marinara sauce, pizza sauce, and oregano to the browned meat and vegetables. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
- Layer half of the cooked pasta with half of the sauce, half of the cheese, and half of the pepperoni. Repeat.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is hot, melted, and bubbly.
Notes
- More Topping Ideas: Crumbled bacon, canadian bacon, ham, basil, thyme, oregano, pineapple, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, olives, etc. Basically any way you would top a pizza.
- Pasta Shapes: Fettucine, rigatoni, macaroni, farfalle, or egg noodle would all work.
- How to store: Store leftover casserole in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- How to freeze: Once cooled, freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months. If freezing unbaked, you can cover with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat: Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or covered with foil in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warm. To bake from frozen, bake at 350°F for 60 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes until heated through.
- Healthier version: If you want to cut back on the calories in this dish, try using ground turkey or a plant-based meat substitute in place of the ground beef and swap in turkey pepperoni for regular pepperoni. You could also use your favorite whole wheat pasta and double up on the veggies.
Nutrition
Take a look at all of our 2022 Freaky Friday Winter Edition Recipes:
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The simplicity of a casserole with the taste of a pizza?! I am SOLD. Looks so cheesy and dreamy my family is going to LOVE this one!
Pure comfort food and so kid-friendly, too! It's sure to become a family favorite around here, too!
Ok, I'm totally making this for the kids when they come to visit! It has all their favorite foods, and my husband's too. It looks delicious!!!
OHHHHH wow, my mouth is watering like crazy! This looks and sounds so good-- I'm adding it to our dinner rotation!!
Just like my favorite supreme pizza but with pasta! I can't even as I am a sucker for pasta! I am making it again, but a double batch with one stored in the freezer for pizza emergencies 🙂
You are speaking my love language with this recipe, Amy! Pizza AND Pasta....such perfection! This casserole was inhaled yesterday when I made it for my boys, and I'm glad we have a little leftover too. YUM!
What a PERFECT meal for the whole family. I have no doubt that mine are going to be obsessed with this combination of flavors because, well, who doesn't love pizza? Thanks for the great recipe, Amy!
WOW, made this the other night when I realized I didn't have any pizza dough, but I had everything else! It was a hit!
I love the freezer option! It's perfect for a busy night or when a friend needs a meal. It's perfect for pizza night too.
This is such a fun and delicious casserole!! Big flavors and the whole family really enjoyed it! So glad I came across this recipe
Thank you for sharing one of our favorite kiddo-friendly recipes! Your recipe looks delicious!
This may be our new favorite dinner! I love how this pasta states just like pizza and it's even easier to make! This pizza casserole is being added to our menu rotation and I can't wait to try different toppings! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Oh this looks AMAZING. I know my husband would adore it if I made pizza casserole sometime soon.
This is a recipe I wish I had when my boys were younger. It would have been heaven sent for sure. Now that they are a bit older they thought it was fantastic. Can't wait to try some different variations.
You really can't get any better than combining 2 of everyone's favorite foods: pizza and pasta in one delicious dish! LOVE IT!
Can I make this a day ahead and reheat it in the oven? Will reheating it make it taste less good?
You could assemble a day and and then bake when you want to eat it. If you bake it, then reheat, some of the sauce will be absorbed by the pasta so you might want to double the sauce if you are taking that approach.