This easy Pizza Casserole has all of your pizza favorites in a casserole dish. Topped with gooey cheese and loaded with pasta and pizza sauce, this pizza casserole will become a quick favorite at your house!
Let's talk about a family favorite recipe! This Easy Pizza Casserole is a pizza in a casserole dish. It starts with pasta and is topped with whatever is your favorite toppings. From pepperoni to sausage, olives to pineapple, if you like it on your pizza, put it in this casserole. Let us not forget the cheese, of course.
Casseroles are a family's favorite type of recipe because they feed a large family for little cost. Casseroles like Hamburger Casserole, Mexican Rice Casserole and Cheesy Enchilada Casserole can be made ahead of time and then cooked when it is time to eat.
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Why you will love this recipe
- It is easy.
- This recipe is kid friendly.
- It is cost effective.
- This pizza bake has "pizza" in the title.
Who needs a kid friendly recipe the whole family will enjoy? I certainly do. This casserole's base is pasta then the rest is your favorite pizza toppings.
Ingredients
- pasta - elbow or rotini work fine
- cheese - Mozzarella or a combination of Mozzarella, Italian and Cheddar
- pizza sauce
- favorite pizza toppings - such as ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, green peppers, pineapple or ham
How to make Easy Pizza Casserole
First, you fry up the hamburger until no longer pink. I added about ¼ cup of chopped onion with the hamburger (as well as salt, pepper and garlic powder) for added flavor. The onion is optional though it does add a nice depth to the ground beef.
If you choose, you can replace the ground beef with sausage. If you typically like onion with your pizza, then you can add the onion to the pasta with the rest of ingredients. If not, then the onion isn't necessary.
After the ground beef is done cooking, add 1 jar of pizza sauce and the pepperoni's if you are using them. Let cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Cooking the pasta
While you are cooking the ground beef, be sure to boil the pasta to al dente. (Basically, it still has a bite to it.) The noodles will need to be drained using a strainer.
Bake
When the hamburger and noodles are done, Place them in a lightly greased 9x13 casserole dish. I like to put the noodles in first, then add the hamburger mixture then add 1 more jar of pizza sauce.
Now is the time to add any other pizza topping ingredients. Mix it all in and then add the cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes covered with foil.
FAQ
Yes you can. Remember, the texture of gluten free noodles is different. You will want to cook the noodles slightly less then al dente so when you bake the pizza casserole they won't get too mushy.
Yes, I did! After the 25 minutes was through, I placed the pizza bake under the broiler for 5 minutes, watching carefully. Cheese can burn quickly. Also, remove the foil to broil the cheese.
It makes the cheese a little firmer and has a nice "crust" on it. You want the cheese to turn a slight brown, but not too much.
Yes, you can! After making the pizza casserole, cover it with plastic wrap and foil and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Then remove the plastic wrap and bake.
Storage options
To store any leftovers, place the leftover casserole in airtight containers such as Pyrex. Then place in fridge for up to 3 days.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Pizza Bake
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Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta any shape but I use either macaroni or rotini
- 28 oz pizza sauce 2 jars
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef or sausage
- 20 slices pepperoni
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese or a combination mozzarella/cheddar
- ¼ cup onion diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- green peppers, mushrooms, pineapple, ham, olives optional and per your taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Boil noodles according to package directions to al dente. (About 7-8 minutes).
- Meanwhile, cook ground beef (adding salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic) until no longer pink. You can add the onion in while the hamburger is cooking if you choose.
- Drain water from the pasta and place noodles in lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.
- Mix together 1 jar of pizza sauce and 12 pepperoni's with the cooked hamburger. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add hamburger mixture to the pasta and mix to incorporate everything in. Add other toppings such as mushrooms, peppers, etc, now.
- Sprinkle cheese on top and place additional pepperoni on top (optional), cover with foil and bake at 375* for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
- Remove foil and broil under oven broiler if desired for 5 minutes
- Serve
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