Transform your favorite loaded pizza into a delicious Pizza Casserole that’s baked in a 9×13 pan. This crowd pleaser includes tender penne pasta, browned meat, pepperoni, olives, bell peppers, and cheese smothered in marinara sauce.
Looking for more kid-friendly recipes? Don’t miss this Chicken Noodle Casserole, Cajun Chicken Pasta, and French Dip Sandwich,
Whenever I give input to my husband or kids for dinner ideas for the week, this Pizza casserole recipe tops the list. This recipe comes from my Mother-in-law, and it was a favorite in her household when my husband was growing up.
What I LOVE about this recipe:
- Sneak in veggies: I can always add extra chopped vegetables like chopped zucchini or shredded carrot.
- Make it healthier: Use whole wheat noodles and cut down on the cheese to make it a healthier meal.
- Make ahead: This is a great recipe to prep in the morning on a busy day. See make ahead tips below.
How to Make Pizza Casserole:
1. Cook pasta: Cook penne pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Brown meat: Brown ground beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove grease.
3. Toss together: Add cooked meat to a large mixing bowl. Add pepperoni, bell pepper, onion, parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic, mushroom and olives. Add cooked pasta and pasta sauce and toss to combine.
4. Add to casserole dish. Pour mixture into a greased 9×13” pan. Sprinkle 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese on top, (depending on how much cheese you want).
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
To make ahead: Assemble the pizza casserole up until baking and store covered in the refrigerator for several hours. Remove from oven and bake as directed.
To freeze: Assemble casserole up until baking, adding it to a freezer safe casserole dish. Cover well with plastic wrap and tinfoil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed. (Optional: I like to add extra sauce when serving as the noodles will soak up some of the sauce as it freezes).
Consider trying one of these family favorite recipes:
- Chicken Casserole
- Swedish Meatballs
- Homemade Pizza
- Italian Meatball Subs
- Stuffing Baked Chicken
- Honey Lime Chipotle Chicken Fajita Bowls
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Recipe
Pizza Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups penne pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound pork sausage
- 4 ounces pepperoni
- 1/2 green bell pepper , chopped
- 1 small onion , chopped
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 can sliced mushrooms (optional)
- 1 small can sliced olives
- 24 ounce jar marinara pasta sauce (homemade pizza sauce*)
- 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook penne pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Brown ground beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove grease.Â
- Add cooked meat to a large mixing bowl. Add pepperoni, bell pepper, onion, parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic, mushroom and olives.Â
- Add noodles and pasta sauce and toss to combine.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9x13'' pan.
- Sprinkle 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese on top, (depending on how much cheese you want).
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.Â
Notes
Nutrition
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*I originally shared this recipe August 2015. Updated April 2020 with process photos.
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Family loved it.I substituted italian sausage. I doubled the mushrooms,black olives and marinara sauce.It was not dry.Had plenty left over and it was great the next day.(I added a little margarine to leftover to prevent dryness).Will make again
Made it tonight, family loved it! Layered it like lasagna thank you for posting this recipe
This recipe is sooooo good. I didn’t have any mushrooms but I will use them next time. I used Italian sausage for the sausage. I wouldn’t change anything. My kids and I enjoyed thank you.
Delicious! Easy and great family meal. Added garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning to the meat. Used tomato and basil sauce instead of marinara. So great, thank you for sharing!
Has anyone used Italian sausage?
I plan to this weekend. I’ll let everyone know how it turned out.
I used italian sausage and it gave the food good flavor.
When a recipe doesn’t come out as expected it’s an automatic mood killer. Highly disappointed in this recipe. Came out super dry.
I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. I find when trying a new dish, I always either make too much sauce… or too little. Try egg noodles next time because I think the penne will soak up too much of the recommended amount of sauce. Good Eating!
This is so good, and easy to make. I love it!
Everyone loved it. Flavor was really good but I thought it could have used a bit more sauce and the peppers & onions could have used a bit of sauteing to soften them up. Fortunately I had time to make my own sauce and I definitely recommend doing so if you can. I will be making this again!
It was good… fast and simple.. subbed turkey sausage and turkey pepperoni