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Ultimate Easy Weeknight Pizza Casserole

A close-up of a serving slice being lifted from a baked pizza casserole topped with melted mozzarella cheese and meat sauce.
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Make this ultimate easy weeknight pizza casserole for a satisfying, cheesy dinner. This recipe uses simple ingredients and bakes in one pan, making cleanup fast. Customize it with your favorite pizza toppings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound dried pasta (penne, rotini, or shells recommended)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup water or low-sodium broth
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni (optional, for topping)
  • Your favorite vegetable toppings (mushrooms, peppers, olives)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
  3. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking it up, until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
  4. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  5. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with juice), oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and water or broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the cooked, drained pasta and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese until everything is combined.
  7. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
  8. If using, arrange pepperoni slices and any other desired vegetable toppings over the cheese layer.
  9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown.
  10. Let the pizza casserole rest for 5 minutes before you serve it.

Notes

  • For a meat-lover’s version, use ground sausage and add cooked bacon or ham.
  • To make this a low-carb pizza casserole, substitute the pasta with riced cauliflower or use low-carb pasta alternatives.
  • If you want to use canned biscuits (Bubble Up style), skip the pasta and layer the bottom of the dish with torn biscuit pieces, top with sauce and meat, then cheese, and bake until biscuits are cooked through.
  • You can assemble this entire dish ahead of time, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kingscook.com/easy-pizza-casserole-recipe/