Can’t decide between pizza and pasta? Make them both with this easy Pizza Casserole recipe! Filled with sausage, pepperoni and ooey gooey cheese, this Pizza Pasta Casserole is a kid friendly hit the whole family will love.
Skip the takeout and make cheesy pepperoni pasta bake instead!
Reasons to Make This Recipe
- This meal is a meat lover’s dream with lots of zesty pepperoni and flavorful sausage.
- Simple to make with just 20 minutes of prep time.
- Uses simple pantry friendly ingredients that are easy to find.
- Easy to make gluten free.
- Guaranteed to make even the pickiest eaters happy!
This pizza pasta bake hits all the cheesy, saucy tasting notes of traditional pizza. So you can make this instead of ordering in and save a few bucks, too! Kids gobble this up but all the adults in the family are going to love this meal just as much.
Pizza Casserole Recipe
Pizza meets pasta in this flavorful casserole recipe!
When I’m trying to find a meal that everyone in my family will love, one dish comes to mind: pizza. Pasta recipes are a close second–especially ones filled with plenty of cheese and pepperoni.
This Pizza Pasta Casserole recipe is the best of both worlds. Made with both pasta sauce and pizza sauce, it’s full of Italian flavor! It takes under an hour to make from start to finish and most of that time is completely hands off.
How To Make Pizza Pasta Casserole
What will I need to make this recipe?
Ingredients: (full printable recipe found at bottom of page)
- Pasta– I used rotini in this recipe. Substitutions that would work well are penne, elbow macaroni, ditalini, or any other short to medium sized pasta. Use gluten-free pasta if you are avoiding gluten.
- Ground pork sausage– I used regular, unflavored sausage but if you prefer more flavor Italian sausage would work well. Be sure to use ground sausage and not link sausage.
- Yellow onion
- Minced garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Pasta sauce – I used a traditional pasta sauce. Feel free to substitute with a flavored sauce or use a homemade sauce.
- Pizza sauce – Adding the pizza sauce gives this dish an extra boost of pizza flavor. Store-bought or homemade sauce can both be used.
- Sea salt – if you use table salt reduce the amount by half.
- Pepper
- Mozzarella cheese – Be sure to use fresh cheese and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains additives that prevent it from melting.
- Pepperoni – Be sure to use a gluten-free pepperoni if you are avoiding gluten. Both turkey pepperoni and pork work well. You can also use mini pepperoni.
Supplies:
- Large skillet
- 9×13 baking dish
- Large pasta pot
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Box grater or other cheese grater/shredder
How to prepare:
Directions at a glance, the full printable recipe found below.
- Cook the pasta and sausage.
- Stir together pasta sauce, pizza sauce, salt and pepper.
- Pour some pizza sauce into bottom of prepared pan. Add drained pasta and sausage, then top with remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle on cheese, pepperoni and spices and bake.
- Cook time is 30-40 minutes.
How do I store this recipe?
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cool the dish to room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator.
Can I use a different meat?
Ground turkey or ground beef would be a great substitute for the ground sausage. You can even leave the meat out all together to make a vegetarian dish. Simply sauté the onions until translucent, add the garlic and cook 1 minute and proceed with the recipe as written. Leave out the pepperoni.
Can I make this ahead of time?
To make this dish ahead of time go ahead and follow the recipe through step 8. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 days in advance and allow to warm up on the counter while you preheat the oven to bake.
You may want to increase the sauce and add an extra cup or so of either pasta sauce or pizza sauce to avoid the pasta absorbing too much sauce and making the dish dry as it sits.
What to Serve With Pizza Casserole
This casserole can easily be served as a full meal on its own. I love to add some veggies to my meal by serving pizza pasta casserole with a side salad or sliced vegetables.
And if you’re like my family and can’t get enough cheese with your Italian food? Serve your pizza casserole with some freshly baked Cheesy Garlic Rolls too.
Don’t forget dessert: I wouldn’t turn down delicious Brownies Made With Cocoa Powder as a sweet end to this meal!
More Recipes You’ll Love
We can never have enough Italian meals on our dinner menus! If you like my Pizza Pasta Casserole recipe, here are a few more delicious family meal ideas.
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Easy Calzones
- Breaded Chicken Calzones
- Easy Ravioli Lasagna
- Easy Sausage Pasta
- Slow Cooker Meatballs
- Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- How To Reheat Pizza In An Air Fryer
- Boursin Cheese Pasta
Dinner time can’t come soon enough when Pizza Pasta Casserole bake is on the menu! With just a bit of prep time, you’ll have a bubbly cheesy pasta bake on the table in just 50 minutes.
Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 oz uncooked pasta
- 1 lb ground pork sausage
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Italian seasoning divided
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 24 ounces pasta sauce
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 tsp finely ground sea salt
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 24 slices pepperoni
- Fresh basil for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground sausage, diced onion, and 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning until sausage is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the pasta sauce, pizza sauce, salt, and pepper until well-combined. Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Add the drained pasta to the baking dish and top with sausage mixture. Pour the remaining sauce over the meat.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and layer the pepperoni slices on top of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning on top.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly. Top with fresh basil if desired and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Kim says
This was easy to make and so good to eat!!
Lynn says
Great easy dinner, kids loved it. Thanks.