So simple with all of your pizza favorites in this Easy Pizza Bake. Made with pasta this recipe is so easy to put together. Easy cheesy.
- Kid friendly
- Adaptable
- It has pizza in the title
- It freezes well
- Easy-peasy 1,2,3
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. From pepperoni to pineapple, whatever you like on your pizza, you will like in this dish.
You will need:
- pasta (elbow or shells work fine)
- cheese
- pizza sauce
- favorite pizza toppings such as ground beef, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, green peppers, pineapple or ham
The process
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.
While you are cooking the ground beef, be sure to boil the noodles to al dente. (Basically, it still has a bite to it.)
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. Mix it all in and then add the cheese.
375* for 25 minutes wrapped with foil.
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.
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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Easy Pizza Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta any shape but I use either macaroni or shells
- 28 oz pizza sauce
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef
- 20 slices pepperoni
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese or a combination mozzarella/cheddar
- ¼ cup onion diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- green peppers, mushrooms, pineapple, ham, olives optional and per your taste
Instructions
- Boil noodles according to package directions to al dente. (About 7-8 minutes)
- Meanwhile, cook ground beef (adding salt, pepper 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
Video
Nutrition
Do you like casserole recipes? Try:
Hamburger Casserole, Pizza Casserole with Ravioli and Cheesy Enchilada Casserole
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