Upside Down Pizza
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Upside down pizza made with the toppings on the bottom and the crust on top is a super fun casserole that the whole family will love!
This upside down pizza casserole is a simple dinner idea that comes together in just a few minutes. Serve it with a fresh cucumber salad or sautéed vegetables!
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Upside Down Pizza
Upside Down Pizza
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Upside Down Pizza Casserole Ingredients
- Ground meat – We used Italian sausage, but ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, or pork sausage would be awesome too.
- Onion – Sweet yellow onion. You can also use white onion or red onion.
- Sweet pepper – Green bell pepper.
- Pepperoni – We used mini pepperoni, but you could also use regular size and dice it.
- Spaghetti sauce – Use your favorite brand (or whatever is on sale!).
- Cheese – Shredded mozzarella, parmesan.
- Flour – All purpose flour.
- Eggs – Large, room temperature.
- Milk – Whole milk is my preference but any kind will work.
- Oil – Olive oil is best, but any vegetable oil is fine.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, salt, pepper.
How do you make an upside down pizza? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, cook the sausage, onion and bell pepper in a large skillet until meat is cooked through and vegetables have started to soften. Drain grease, if necessary.
⭐ Next, add the pepperoni and Italian seasoning; continue to cook. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and bring to a simmer. Spread the meat mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish, then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
⭐ Then, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs, milk, vegetable oil and salt and pour evenly over the top of the cheese. Bake until dish is bubbly and the crust has puffed up and started to brown.
⭐ Finally, allow to rest for several minutes before serving.
Preparation
Can you make upside down pizza ahead of time?
Yes, this can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 days or in the freezer for several months.
What other vegetables can I add?
Adding veggies to your casserole is a great way to make this a whole meal in one dish.
Try adding olives, eggplant, zucchini, spinach and sun dried tomatoes!
Storage and leftovers
How long does upside down pizza casserole last?
The leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. Keep in an air tight container for best results.
Can you freeze it?
Yes! Allow the casserole to cool to room temperature then store in a freezer safe, air tight container for up to 3 months.
Can you bake a casserole from frozen?
To bake from frozen, preheat the oven and bake the casserole covered with foil for 60 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking as directed in the original recipe.
Make sure if you are baking from frozen that your dish is freezer to oven safe, not all glass and ceramic dishes are.
Alternatively, thaw in the refrigerator and bake according to original recipe directions.
Variations
🔥 Make it spicy by adding red pepper flakes or by using spicy Italian sausage.
🍗 Do an alfredo version by swapping the red sauce for alfredo sauce and chicken for the beef.
😲 Go fully loaded with allll the meat and allll the veggies.
🥩 Make it a meat-lovers by adding bacon and chicken too.
🍆 Go full veg by swapping out the meat for diced peppers, eggplant, mushroom, olives, and spinach!
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
- Make a garlic parmesan crust by brushing the baked crust with butter and sprinkling with parmesan and garlic salt then popping back in the oven for a few more minutes.
- Surprise a friend or neighbor by doubling the recipe and bringing one to them.
- If you’re freezing allow the casserole it to cool in the fridge and then double wrap it in plastic wrap and foil and it will last 6 months or longer.
What to eat with upside down pizza casserole (serving suggestions)
We love the combo of pizza and salad, so I’d definitely serve this with something yummy and green like an antipasto salad, brussels sprout salad, or broccoli salad. For dessert a batch of homemade peanut butter fudge!
More delicious pizza recipes
- Pizza dip
- French bread pizza
- Bisquick pizza
- BBQ chicken pizza
- Sausage & peppers flatbread
- Pizza Casserole
- Classic pizza dough recipe
- See all our pizza recipes!
Other casserole recipes you’ll love
- Chili cornbread casserole
- Chicken cordon bleu casserole
- Chicken bacon ranch casserole
- Baked ravioli
- Chicken alfredo bake
- Dorito casserole
- See all our casserole dinner recipes!
More Italian inspired recipes to try!
- Antipasto platter
- Air fryer mozzarella sticks
- Baked spaghetti recipe
- Homemade meatballs
- Fettuccine alfredo
- See all our Italian recipes
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.
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How to Make Upside Down Pizza
Upside Down Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage or other ground meat
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup mini pepperonis (5 ounce package)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 ounces)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup flour all purpose
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the Italian sausage, onion and bell pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat until sausage is cooked through completely and vegetables have started to soften. Drain grease, if necessary.
- Add the mini pepperonis and Italian seasoning and cook for another minute or two.
- Stir in the spaghetti sauce and allow to simmer for several minutes.
- Spread the meat mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish, then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs, milk, vegetable oil and salt, then pour evenly over the top of the cheese.
- Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until dish is bubbly and the crust has puffed up and started to brown.
- Allow to rest for several minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Upside Down Pizza
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Oh my goodness! It has been FOREVER since I last had this! And my mom doesn’t even know where the recipe is anymore! Seriously delicious, this dish is a definite fond memory for me! Thanks for the recipe! Now I can recreate the memories for my kids!! LOVE Upside Down Pizza!!!
Such a great idea! My kids (and my hubby) loved this! I will definitely make again!
This was amazing!! So flavorful & delicious!
Make with out bell pepper as some in family are allergic to them. But these is very good.