Pizza Casserole
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This pizza casserole recipe is one of those dinners that disappears fast. It has all the familiar flavors everyone loves about pizza — savory sausage, pepperoni, melty mozzarella, and a rich pizza sauce — tucked into a cozy baked pasta casserole that’s perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a hungry crowd.
Pizza Casserole
Pizza Casserole
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This recipe comes together with simple ingredients, is easy to customize with everyone’s favorite toppings, and reheats beautifully for leftovers (if you’re lucky enough to have any).
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Why You’ll Love This Pizza Casserole
If pizza night and pasta night had a baby, this would be it. This casserole is hearty, cheesy, and incredibly forgiving — you can swap toppings, adjust the meat, or even clean out the fridge a little. It’s also a great make-ahead option for those nights when you know dinner needs to be easy.
Bonus: kids love it, adults love it, and nobody complains.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe sticks with classic pizza flavors and pantry-friendly ingredients:
- Rotini pasta
- Italian sausage or ground beef
- Green bell pepper and yellow onion
- Minced garlic
- Chopped pepperoni
- Sliced black olives
- Mozzarella cheese
- Pizza sauce
Optional toppings like extra pepperoni, olives, peppers, pizza seasoning, or red onion let everyone make it their own.
How to Make Pizza Casserole
- Start by cooking the rotini according to the package directions and draining it well. While the pasta cooks, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet. Add the onion and green pepper and cook until softened, then stir in the garlic just until fragrant.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, sausage mixture, chopped pepperoni, black olives, pizza sauce, and most of the mozzarella cheese. Stir until everything is evenly coated, then transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Top with the remaining mozzarella and any additional toppings you like. Cover with foil and bake until everything is hot and bubbly, then uncover briefly so the cheese can melt and lightly brown.
- Let it sit for a few minutes before serving — it thickens up nicely and is much easier to scoop.
Tips & Easy Variations
- Swap the protein: Ground beef or ground turkey both work well if you don’t have Italian sausage.
- Change the pasta: Penne, ziti, or rigatoni are great alternatives to rotini.
- Add veggies: Mushrooms, spinach, or sliced olives are easy additions.
- Make it spicier: Use hot Italian sausage or add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the whole dish in the oven, covered, until heated through. This casserole also freezes well — just wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
More Delicious Pizza Recipes
- Crescent Roll Pizza Recipe
- Upside Down Pizza Recipe
- Pizza Dip Recipe
- French Bread Pizza Recipe
- Bisquick Pizza Recipe
- See all our easy pizza recipes!
How to Make Pizza Casserole
Pizza Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup chopped pepperoni
- 1 can sliced black olives (3.8 ounces) drained
- 3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese divided
- 24 ounces pizza sauce
- Optional Toppings: pepperoni slices, sliced black olives, chopped green bell peppers, sliced red onion
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook to al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
- While the pasta is boiling, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
- Mix together the cooked pasta, ground beef mixture, chopped pepperoni, black olives, 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese, and the pizza sauce. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. If desired, arrange your choice of topping over the top of the cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot and bubbly.
Notes
- Ground beef or ground turkey can be substituted for the Italian sausage if preferred.
- Penne, ziti, or rigatoni can be used in place of rotini with no other changes needed.
- For a spicier casserole, use hot Italian sausage or add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- This casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated; add 5–10 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat easily in the microwave or oven.
Nutrition
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Tools We Love
- Glass casserole dish with lid – I love this dish, it can go from freezer to oven!
- Metal spatula – We like a metal spatula for getting heavy piles of noodles out easily.
Final Thoughts
This pizza casserole is one of those dependable, crowd-pleasing meals you’ll come back to again and again. It’s easy, comforting, and endlessly adaptable — exactly the kind of recipe that earns a permanent spot in the dinner rotation.
If pizza night needs a little shake-up, this one delivers every time 🍕
Other Awesome Casseroles to Try
- Tuna Casserole Recipe
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole Recipe
- Taco Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
- Meatball Casserole Recipe
- See all our best casserole recipes!
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