Easy Cheesy Pizza Pasta Casserole

Pizza and pasta in a casserole dish in the oven? Yes, please!

This is a simple pizza dough recipe packed with all the flavors of our favorite pizza pie and a generous helping of cheese and pepperoni.

Taste: This recipe has all the flavor of our favorite supreme pizza, baked in a tasty baked dough.
Preparation note: Cook the pasta until al dente (firm), usually the lower end of the cooking time on the package; it will cook more as it cooks in the oven.
Time saving tip: Skip the shredding; Pre-grated pizza cheese works perfectly in this recipe! In this recipe you can also use pre-cooked sausage (you will still have to soften the peppers and onions).

pasta sauce, pasta, cheese, sausage, beef, garlic, onion, oregano, peppers, bell peppers and tomatoes with labels for making pizza dough

What you will need to prepare the pizza dough

Meat: The sausage adds a lot of flavor and ground meat is added to make it even heartier. Only use one or the other if that’s what you have on hand.
- If using only beef, add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning since the meat is not seasoned like sausage.
Pasta: I love Corkscrews for this recipe because the shape of the curls holds up well and the sauce and seasoning are held in the curls. Other options are feathers, ziti or farfalle.
Vegetables: Use your favorite vegetables on pizza. We add peppers, but mushrooms and spinach are other great additions.
Sauce: I use pasta sauce, but you can substitute up to 1 ½ cups of it for pizza sauce if desired. I find pizza sauce to be a little sweeter, which is why I prefer at least a little pasta sauce in this recipe.
Cheese: Use grated mozzarella or your favorite Italian cheese blend in this recipe.

Other toppings to try

Top this pizza dough recipe with sliced mushrooms, sliced black olives, jalapenos, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, pineapple bites, or your other favorite pizza toppings!

add garlic and peppers to cooked meat and onions to make pizza sauce

adding ingredients together to make pizza dough sauce

How to prepare pizza dough (overview)

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package and download.
Brown the meat. Add the peppers and pasta sauce and simmer until thickened.
Combine on a baking tray and garnish with cheese and peppers.
Baking until they are golden and bubbly.

Like most baked casseroles, this recipe is great with breadsticks or crusty bread and a fresh salad. Try the Caesar salad or our favorite Italian salad (everyone loves this salad!).

Save leftovers

Prepare the pizza dough ahead of time and refrigerate up to 48 hours before cooking.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Portions can be frozen freezer-safe containers for a maximum of 4 months. The pasta will no longer be firm but will still be delicious!

My favorite spicy casseroles

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image from the Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

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Pizza Pasta

This pizza dough combines the savory flavors of classic pizza with hearty dough for a fun and satisfying meal.

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking time 50 minutes

Total time 1 Now 10 minutes

Cooking modePrevents the screen from going dark

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook the pasta al dente according to the package directions. Drain well.
Meanwhile, brown the onion, sausage and beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain off the fat.
Add the garlic and red and green peppers and cook 2-3 minutes until tender. Add the drained cherry tomatoes, oregano and pasta sauce. Mix well.
Combine pasta and tomato sauce and pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Top with slices of cheese and peppers.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes uncovered or until cheese melts and pasta is heated through.

If desired, you can substitute up to 1 ½ cups of the pasta sauce for pizza sauce.
Add as many toppings as you like to this baked pasta. Raw meats should be cooked first and vegetables should be softened so as not to make the casserole watery.

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Casserole, dinner, appetizer, main course, pasta

Kitchen American, Italian

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