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Easy Cheesy Pizza Casserole Recipe

Easy Cheesy Pizza Casserole

A bubbling pizza-pasta casserole made with rotini or penne, seasoned meat, pizza sauce, tomatoes, pepperoni, and two layers of mozzarella. This easy dinner serves six and is ready in about 40–45 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Sauce
  • 12 ounces Rotini or penne pasta, uncooked
  • 1 pound Lean ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 small Small onion, diced
  • 1 small Small green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 14-15 ounce jar Pizza sauce
  • 1 14-15 ounce can Diced tomatoes, drained
Seasoning and Toppings
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup Sliced pepperoni, plus extra for topping if desired
  • 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the pasta in salted water until just al dente according to the package directions. Drain it well.
  3. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef or Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain any excess fat.
  4. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper to the skillet, cooking for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  5. Stir in the pizza sauce, drained diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 3–5 minutes.
  6. Combine the cooked pasta, meat sauce, pepperoni, and 1 cup of mozzarella.
  7. Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, and extra pepperoni over the top.
  8. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until hot, bubbling, and lightly browned.
  9. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Cook the pasta only to al dente because it continues cooking in the oven. For a stronger pizza flavor, replace part of the mozzarella with provolone or add sliced mushrooms, olives, cooked sausage, or banana peppers. If the cheese browns too quickly, loosely cover the casserole with foil during the final baking period.