Ultimate Cheesy Pizza Casserole: Your New Favorite Easy Weeknight Meal!
Say hello to your new go-to family dinner: this incredibly easy pizza casserole! Crafted with simple rotini pasta, savory ground beef, a generous helping of mozzarella cheese, and classic pepperoni, it’s a dish that brings all the beloved flavors of pizza into a comforting baked pasta form. Not only is it wonderfully cheesy and bursting with pizza goodness, but it also shines as a fantastic make-ahead meal, perfect for busy weeknights or whenever you need a stress-free dinner solution.
This pizza casserole recipe isn’t just another dinner; it’s a true family-favorite baked pasta dish! Its beauty lies in its simplicity, making it incredibly easy to whip up, yet it’s so satisfying and packed with flavor that it’s guaranteed to please even the pickiest eaters at your table. Imagine serving this warm, bubbling casserole alongside some crusty garlic bread and a fresh green salad – you’ve just created a comforting, complete meal that everyone will eagerly dig into. It’s the perfect fusion of two beloved comfort foods: pizza and pasta!
Pasta recipes are renowned for being quick and convenient, transforming into a delicious meal with just a few ingredients like tomato sauce or cream. If you’re looking for other lightning-fast pasta dinners, some of my personal standbys include a hearty Baked Ziti, the irresistibly smooth Creamy Parmesan Garlic Angel Hair Pasta, and the classic, rich Olive Garden Alfredo. But for those nights when pizza cravings hit and you want something a bit more substantial, this easy pizza pasta casserole is the ultimate answer.
The Story Behind Our Beloved Pizza Casserole with Pasta
This particular pizza pasta recipe holds a special place in my heart, being a treasured dish passed down from my wonderful Mennonite friends. I remember a time when my family was going through a challenging period, and a dear friend of mine showed up at my doorstep with a thoughtful meal: this very pepperoni pizza casserole, generously topped with traditional pizza favorites like melted mozzarella cheese and savory pepperoni, accompanied by a batch of warm, homemade garlic bread. It was more than just a meal; it was an act of kindness and comfort that we baked and enjoyed when we truly needed a nourishing supper.
It’s meals like these that truly make an impact – simple enough to prepare, yet profound in their ability to be shared with friends or family in need. The preparation of this pizza casserole recipe might initially surprise you, perhaps even make you question the unconventional method. But I urge you to trust the process; it yields delicious results every single time! My Mennonite friends, being intuitive cooks, often just “dumped” ingredients together without precise measurements, a method that intrigued me. Naturally, I felt compelled to meticulously recreate and document this comforting dish, finally nailing down the exact proportions so that anyone, anywhere, can easily make this comforting pizza casserole at home.
This recipe transforms a simple pasta bake into a flavor explosion, capturing the essence of a classic pizza. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the familiar taste of pizza in a new, exciting, and incredibly easy-to-manage format. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, this pizza pasta casserole promises a heartwarming and satisfying experience.
Make-Ahead Pizza Casserole (Freezer-Friendly):
For all the busy parents out there, this pasta recipe is a true lifesaver! Our pizza casserole recipe is incredibly versatile and can be prepped well in advance, saving you precious time on hectic days. Simply follow the preparation steps, transfer the mixture into a disposable foil pan for easy cleanup, then top it with your favorite cheeses and pepperoni. From there, you can either refrigerate it for a few days until you’re ready to bake, or for longer-term planning, it’s perfect for batch prepping and freezing!
To freeze, assemble a few casseroles, allow them to cool completely, and then freeze them uncooked. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw the casserole overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed. A pro tip for freezing: slightly undercook your pasta by a couple of minutes to ensure it retains a perfect al dente texture once it’s baked after thawing. This prevents it from becoming mushy. This freezer-friendly pizza casserole ensures you always have a delicious, homemade meal ready to go, making weeknight dinners a breeze!
Crock Pot Pizza Casserole: A Slow Cooker Delight
Yes, slow cooker pizza casserole is indeed a thing, and it’s absolutely brilliant! I discovered that you can easily adapt this pizza pasta casserole into a convenient crock pot recipe. As Hannah at My Family Dinner expertly demonstrates, you can combine all the ingredients directly into your slow cooker and let it cook slowly until the pasta reaches perfect tenderness. Since our recipe uses ground beef, I recommend browning the meat in a skillet first to drain any excess fat and build flavor before adding it to the crock pot.
For a quicker dinner, you can set your slow cooker to a high heat setting and cook for 3-4 hours, or for a more leisurely cook, opt for a low setting for 6-8 hours. Keep an eye on the liquid levels, as slow cookers can retain more moisture. This method is perfect for those days when you want to “set it and forget it,” coming home to a house filled with the inviting aroma of a hearty, cheesy pizza casserole.
Mise en Place & Essential Tools for Your Pizza Casserole
Mise en place, or “everything in its place,” is a culinary concept that ensures a smooth cooking process. Before you begin, gather all your ingredients and equipment. This will make assembling your pizza pasta casserole a seamless and enjoyable experience.
Equipment:
- Meat chopper: Indispensable for breaking up ground beef evenly as it cooks, ensuring no large chunks.
- 13×9 baking dish: The perfect size for a family-sized casserole, ensuring even baking and a beautiful presentation.
- Deep skillet with lid: Essential for cooking the pasta and ground beef in one pot, minimizing cleanup and maximizing flavor.
- Box grater: For shredding block cheese, which melts superiorly to pre-shredded varieties.
Ingredients for Pizza Casserole:
For those looking to craft a healthier version of this delightful pizza pasta casserole, consider making mindful ingredient choices. Opt for whole wheat pasta for added fiber, pair it with a vibrant homemade marinara sauce where you control the sodium and sugar, choose a block of organic cheese to grate fresh, and select uncured natural pepperoni to avoid added nitrates. While this recipe is designed as a ground beef pizza casserole, feel free to omit the meat entirely for a delicious vegetarian baked pizza casserole, or substitute with ground turkey or Italian sausage for a different flavor profile.
- Pasta: I highly recommend using rotini or fusilli pasta for this dish. Their twisted shapes are excellent at capturing and holding onto the rich pizza sauce, ensuring every bite is flavorful. However, any twisted pasta or tube-shaped pasta like penne or ziti will work beautifully for this cheesy pizza casserole.
- Ground Beef: Lean ground beef (85% lean, 15% fat) is ideal for a flavorful yet not overly greasy casserole. You can also experiment with ground turkey, Italian sausage (mild or spicy), or even a combination for varied flavors.
- Pasta Sauce: The heart of any pasta dish! While homemade marinara sauce offers a fresh and customizable flavor, a good quality store-bought pizza sauce or your favorite canned tomato sauce (like crushed tomatoes with added Italian herbs) will also yield fantastic results.
- Seasonings: A blend of seasoned salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning is crucial. While many pasta sauces are already seasoned, these additional spices truly amplify the “pizza parlor” flavor, adding layers of savory depth that make this dish irresistible. Don’t skip them!
- Mozzarella Cheese: For that ultimate gooey, stretchy cheese pull that pizza is famous for, always opt for a block of whole-milk mozzarella and grate it yourself using a box grater. Pre-shredded cheeses often contain anti-caking agents that can hinder a truly smooth melt. To achieve the perfect gooey melt and prevent your cheese from drying out, I’ll share a secret in the baking instructions: bake your casserole covered (even when broiling for the last few minutes).
- Pepperoni Slices: The quintessential pizza topping! I prefer using uncured pepperoni without any added nitrates for a more natural flavor. If you’re a fan of those curled-up, crispy pepperoni cups, choose thinner slices. Feel free to add other pizza toppings like sliced olives, mushrooms, or diced bell peppers.
- Velveeta Cheese: This is our secret ingredient for extra creaminess and a velvety smooth texture that binds all the ingredients together. I often make my own homemade Velveeta cheese, but you can certainly use a store-bought block. Alternatively, for a more gourmet touch or if you’re feeling spontaneous, you can create a rich cheese sauce from scratch using a roux and a block of sharp cheddar or a blend of cheeses. The Velveeta simply elevates the overall creaminess of the casserole.
How To Make Pizza Casserole: Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe truly is a testament to how simple and flavorful a meal can be. For a comprehensive visual guide, refer to my printable recipe card below, which includes a full step-by-step photo tutorial for this delightful pizza pasta bake.
- Cook Pasta and Ground Beef in One Pot: Begin by combining the uncooked rotini pasta and raw ground beef directly into a large, deep non-stick skillet. Pour in 4 cups of water. Cover the skillet with a lid and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. The beauty of this method is its incredible ease – literally dumping all those ingredients into one pan!
- Break Up Beef and Simmer: Once the water is boiling rapidly, use your meat chopper to easily break up the ground beef into crumbles. It will separate effortlessly as it cooks. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan again, and let it simmer for 11-15 minutes. The goal is for most of the liquid to evaporate and the pasta to cook to an al dente texture. If the mixture appears too watery towards the end, simply remove the lid and continue simmering for a few more minutes until the excess liquid has reduced.
- Season and Add Velveeta: Turn off the heat under the pan. Immediately add all the pizza seasonings – that’s 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt (like Lawry’s Brand), 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper – along with the Velveeta cheese. Stir everything together just until the Velveeta starts to melt and coat the pasta and beef mixture, creating a wonderfully creamy base.
- Incorporate Pasta Sauce: Next, add the pasta sauce to the skillet. Gently toss the mixture to ensure the pasta and beef are well coated with the sauce. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can cause the pasta to break down and become mushy. It’s equally important not to overcook the pasta in the previous step to maintain its texture.
- Assemble in Baking Dish with Toppings: Transfer the flavorful cooked pasta and beef mixture into your 13×9 baking dish. Take your block of mozzarella cheese (approximately 8 oz), grate it fresh using a box grater, and sprinkle it generously over the pasta. Finally, arrange the pepperoni slices evenly over the cheese. At this stage, your pizza casserole is ready for baking, or you can refrigerate or freeze it for later as per our make-ahead instructions.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the baking dish into the oven and bake the pizza casserole, covered tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, for 35-40 minutes. For the last 5-10 minutes, you have a couple of options: you can remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, or for an incredibly gooey cheese pull, leave the foil on and switch your oven to the broil setting for just 2-3 minutes. Broiling covered helps to steam the cheese, preventing it from drying out and resulting in that perfect melt.
- Serve and Enjoy: Carefully remove the hot pizza casserole from the oven. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving to allow the cheese to set slightly. This cheesy pizza pasta pairs perfectly with a crisp side salad and warm garlic bread, especially if made from a fresh loaf of Homemade Italian Bread. Get ready to enjoy a crowd-pleasing meal!
More Kid-Friendly Recipes:
If your family loves this easy pizza casserole, you’re in for a treat with these other kid-friendly, crowd-pleasing recipes. They’re perfect for busy weeknights and guaranteed to bring smiles to the dinner table!
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EASY Cheeseburger Sliders
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Ham and Cheese Sliders
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BBQ Meatballs
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Sweet and Sour Meatballs
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Pizza Roll Ups
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Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe
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Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe
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Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno Copycat (Video)
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Pizza Casserole: The Ultimate Cheesy Pasta Bake
Equipment
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1 meat chopper
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1 box grater
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13×9 baking dish
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1 Deep Skillet with a lid
Ingredients
Casserole Ingredients:
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1 lb ground beef (85% lean and 15% fat for best flavor)
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16 oz rotini pasta (uncooked, or other twist/tube pasta)
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4 cups water
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3 cups pasta sauce (marinara or your favorite pizza sauce)
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8 oz Homemade Velveeta cheese (or store-bought Velveeta, or homemade cheddar cheese sauce)
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8 oz Mozzarella cheese (block, shredded with a box grater for best melt)
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24 pepperoni slices (uncured pepperoni with no added nitrates preferred)
Pizza Seasonings:
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1 tsp garlic powder
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1 tsp seasoning salt (Lawry’s Brand recommended)
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1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
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1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Directions:
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In a deep non-stick skillet, combine the uncooked rotini pasta, raw ground beef, and 4 cups of water. Cover the skillet and bring the mixture to a vigorous rolling boil over high heat. -
Once boiling, use a meat chopper or spoon to break up the ground beef thoroughly. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 11-15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the pasta is al dente. If it’s still too watery, simmer uncovered for the last few minutes. -
Turn off the heat. Add all of the pizza seasonings (garlic powder, seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper) and the Velveeta cheese. Stir until the Velveeta begins to melt and combines with the pasta mixture, creating a rich and creamy base. -
Stir in the pasta sauce, gently tossing to coat the pasta and beef mixture without overmixing. -
Transfer the pasta mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Evenly sprinkle with the freshly shredded mozzarella cheese and arrange the pepperoni slices on top. -
Bake the pizza casserole, covered with foil, at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes. For the last 5-10 minutes, remove the foil and bake uncovered, or broil (covered with heavy-duty foil) for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- To prevent the cheese from drying out and ensure a perfectly gooey melt, I highly recommend broiling the casserole while it’s still covered with heavy-duty foil for the last few minutes. This method creates steam, which results in that desirable, stretchy, gooey cheese pull.
- Make-ahead instructions: If you’re not planning to bake the casserole right away, assemble the pasta mixture as directed, then transfer it into a 13×9 baking dish. Allow the mixture to cool completely before adding the shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni toppings. Once assembled and topped, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezer instructions: To prepare for the freezer, assemble the casserole in a disposable 13×9 pan for easy storage and reheating. Ensure the pasta mixture is completely cooled before adding any toppings or freezing. Cover the casserole securely with heavy-duty aluminum foil, label it with the date, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed. For optimal texture after freezing, undercook the pasta slightly during the initial cooking phase.
- To substitute Velveeta cheese and still achieve a creamy texture, you can make a homemade cheese sauce using a roux (butter and flour) and milk, incorporating cheddar or a blend of your favorite melting cheeses. This will add a similar richness to the pasta.
- Optional Add-ins: Feel free to customize your pizza casserole with your favorite pizza toppings! Diced onions, bell peppers, sliced black olives, mushrooms, or even cooked sausage bits can be stirred into the pasta mixture before baking for added flavor and texture.