Introducing a new family favorite: Pizza Casserole! Packed with the deliciousness of cheesy pizza and baked pasta, this easy weeknight dinner is a crowd-pleaser. It combines the flavors of sausage, veggies, and plenty of cheese, all neatly baked in a 13″x9″ pan for a comforting meal.
Top Tip: When boiling the pasta, leave it slightly undercooked to achieve that perfect al dente texture. This helps the noodles absorb more tomato sauce flavor during baking and prevents them from turning mushy.
Read on for more tips on making this comforting casserole, or explore another tasty mash-up like pizza egg rolls.
What is Pizza Casserole?
Pizza casserole is a delightful mix of pasta tossed with pizza sauce, sausage, mushrooms, and peppers, layered with mozzarella cheese, and baked to perfection. We recommend using cavatappi pasta for its corkscrew shape, ideal for holding all the sausage and veggies in the sauce. If unavailable, try substitutes like rotini, fusilli, or rigatoni.
Customize the Filling!
Personalize your casserole by choosing your favorite pizza toppings. While we went for the works in this recipe, feel free to omit or substitute ingredients to suit your taste. Whether it’s different veggies or an alternative protein like chicken sausage or ground beef, make it your own just like you would with a pizza order.
Prep Ahead of Time
Yes, you can! Cook the sausage, mushrooms, and sauce in advance, mix them together, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the casserole. Alternatively, assemble the entire dish and store it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before baking.
Can I Freeze This?
Absolutely! Assemble the casserole (excluding the top layer of mozzarella and pepperoni), cool it down completely, wrap it in plastic wrap, and freeze. The frozen casserole stays good for at least a month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before baking as directed.
Did you try this recipe? Share your experience in the comments below.
Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
- 12 oz. cavatappi pasta
- 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 c. shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1/3 c. sliced pepperoni
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13″x9″ glass baking dish with oil.
- Boil pasta with 2 tbsp. salt until al dente; drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, cook sausage in 1 tbsp. oil until browned; transfer to a bowl.
- Cook mushrooms in the skillet with 1 tbsp. oil until browned; add to the sausage.
- In the same skillet, cook onion, garlic, salt, and 2 tbsp. oil until softened. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and salt. Reserve 2 cups of sauce.
- Fold bell peppers, cooked sausage, mushrooms, and pasta into the remaining sauce.
- Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared dish, sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella, add the remaining pasta mixture, and pour the reserved sauce over.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, top with remaining 2 cups mozzarella and pepperoni, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and pepperoni is browned. Enjoy!