Pizza Casserole
This Pizza Casserole is saucy, cheesy comfort food at it’s finest and a hit with all ages. Serve it for a foolproof, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner that’s better than takeout!
What happens when a cozy casserole meets pizza night? You get the ultimate comfort food mash-up, and it is next-level delicious. This Pizza Casserole is a tasty twist on the classic supreme pie with all the same cheesy, savory flavors in one golden, bubbly casserole dish. It’s actually easier to make than pizza, just as delicious (if not more!) and it’s great for feeding a hungry crowd during the week.
Melty cheese, rich tomato sauce, savory meats and all of the classic Italian seasonings and flavorings are combined into one dish with perfectly al dente pasta for a craveable creation like no other. Pizza Casserole is super easy to customize too, so my family loves choosing all of their favorite toppings. This recipe has actually become one of our most-requested dinner ideas, so Friday night isn’t pizza night anymore, it’s Pizza Casserole night!
If you like this casserole creation, try some of our other favorite one-pan mash-ups. We love this Sloppy Joe Casserole for a spin on tradition and this easy Philly Cheesesteak Casserole is a delicious take on the classic sandwich.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy, Cheesy, Comfort Food: This recipe is a delicious mash-up of two comfort foods, pizza and casserole, in one ultimate creation. It’s cheesy, saucy, and stick to your rib delicious.
- Use Your Favorite Pizza Toppings: Just like a classic pizza pie, you can pick and choose the toppings and flavors you’d like in this casserole. It’s easy to add in any of your favorites, depending who’s enjoying it.
- Easy Weeknight Meal: With a simple process and familiar ingredients, you can whip this up at any time to have dinner on the table, fast. It comes together quickly for a hungry group, and there’s minimal cleanup.
- Great Leftovers: This is delicious right after baking, and just as tasty the next day. Leftovers save beautifully, so you’ve got another meal at the ready for later in the week.
Ingredients
- Penne Pasta: The short cut and tube shape hold the sauce and cheese perfectly. Cook this just shy of al dente.
- Ground Beef: Use 80/20 for the best flavor. Be sure to drain any excess grease.
- Ground Pork Sausage: Slightly sweet and flavorful, pairs nicely with the ground beef and a classic pizza topping.
- Pepperoni Slices: Spicy and meaty, another signature pizza topping.
- Green Bell Pepper: Crunchy and fresh for texture.
- Onion & Garlic: Added aromatics for flavor.
- Dried Oregano & Italian Seasoning: For even more of that classic pizza taste.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grate your own.
- Jarred Marinara: Use your favorite good quality red sauce from the store or local pizzeria.
- Sliced Mushrooms & Black Olives: More signature pizza toppings to incorporate. Find these in the canned section and keep them on hand in your pantry.
- Mozzarella Cheese: For that ooey, gooey cheese pull. Shred your own.
How To Make Pizza Casserole
1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the meat: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and sausage until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease.
3. Add flavor: Add onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, oregano, and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add sauce and toppings: Stir in marinara sauce, mushrooms (if using), olives, and half of the pepperoni. Let simmer for 2–3 minutes.
5. Combine everything: Add cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet and mix until fully coated.
6. Assemble casserole: Pour into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining pepperoni.
7. Bake: Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Serve: Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Watch How to Make It
Expert Tips
- Use Freshly Shredded Cheese: This step is worth it for the best melt and gooey texture. Pre-shredded cheese comes with a coating that prevents it from melting perfectly, and it can have a grainy texture.
- Don’t Overbake: Once the cheese is melty, the sauce is bubbly and the edges start to brown, the casserole is ready to serve. Overbaking can dry it out.
- Try Other Types of Pasta: Short cut tubes like ziti or rigatoni would be great, or corkscrews like rotini or cavatappi also hold the sauce and cheese nicely.
- Slightly Undercook the Noodles: Boil the pasta a minute less than the package instructions, so it’s just shy of al dente. Remember, it’ll continue cooking as it bakes.
- Make It Meatless: Want a vegetarian version? Skip the meat all together.
- Add More Meat: Turn this into a meat-lovers pizza casserole with spicy or sweet Italian sausage, or diced ham or bacon.
- Add Even More Veggies: Whether you go meat-lovers or vegetarian, bulk it up with extra veggies like sliced mushrooms, eggplant or more bell peppers.
Storage
Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350° until warmed through and cheese is melty.
Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thawing can slightly change the texture of the pasta, so we only recommend freezing pizza casserole if you really need to.
This is a great make-ahead recipe. Fully assemble the casserole, then either store in the fridge for 1-2 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months, covered, then thaw overnight if needed, and bake as instructed when you’re ready to enjoy. Be sure to add an extra 10-15 minutes onto the cook time if baking from cold.
FAQs
Definitely. This will give the casserole a “bubble up pizza casserole” vibe with fluffy, chewy biscuits. Use canned or store-bought biscuits cut into pieces, and mix together with the rest of ingredients per the recipe. They’ll bake up nice and golden brown for a soft, tender bread-like “deep dish” texture.
Any short-cut, tube, corkscrew or ridged pasta work best to hold the sauce and gooey cheese. Penne, rigatoni, cavatappi or medium shells would be great options. You could also use ziti.
Absolutely. Brown and drain the meat ahead of time, then add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Reserve some cheese for the top. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, and be sure to check the pasta so it doesn’t overcook and turn mushy.
More Pizza-Inspired Recipes
Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta about 4 cups cooked
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork sausage like Jimmy Dean
- 4 oz pepperoni slices
- ½ green bell pepper chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 24 oz jar marinara or pizza sauce
- 1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
- 1 small can sliced black olives drained
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Cook the meat
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and sausage until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease.
Add flavor
- Add onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, oregano, and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
Add sauce & toppings
- Stir in marinara sauce, mushrooms (if using), olives, and half of the pepperoni. Let simmer for 2–3 minutes.
Combine everything
- Add cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet and mix until fully coated.
Assemble casserole
- Pour into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining pepperoni.
Bake
- Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350° until warmed through and cheese is melty.
- Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thawing can slightly change the texture of the pasta, so we only recommend freezing pizza casserole if you really need to.
- This is a great make-ahead recipe. Fully assemble the casserole, then either store in the fridge for 1-2 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months, then thaw overnight if needed, and bake as instructed when you’re ready to enjoy. Be sure to add an extra 10-15 minutes onto the cook time if baking from cold.
