Posted Feb 24, 2019, Updated Aug 16, 2024 Today I am excited to share one of our family’s favorite recipes with you! I have been making this easy Pizza Casserole for almost 20 years! It’s a delicious, hearty flavorful meal that even picky eaters enjoy, just like this french bread pizza. There are many reasons to love this pizza casserole recipe, here are a few:
Extremely easy to make (only 10 minutes of prep)! Perfect to feed a crowd (read: great to take to a potluck) or a large family! Easily prepared in advance. Makes great leftovers! Freezes well.
Pizza Casserole: Ingredients & Substitutions
Let’s take some time and chat about the ingredients used in this pizza pasta recipe as well as possible substitutions!
Rotini. Use your favorite pasta variety (penne, bow ties, etc. etc.). You can also substitute gluten-free pasta varieties to make this dish gluten-free. Italian Sausage. choose your favorite variety, mild to spicy, pork/turkey/chicken, etc. Pasta Sauce. Choose your favorite, I recommend marinara or tomato basil. Try this homemade marinara sauce. Mozzarella cheese. I recommend a part-skim mozzarella, but there are so many options that could be used including: Italian cheese blend, fresh mozzarella, etc. Pepperoni. We almost always use turkey pepperoni, but once again, use your favorite.
How to Make Pizza Casserole
Let’s get started by walking through how to make this pizza casserole recipe step-by-step! It’s easy, but I want to show you exactly how it’s done to ensure your success.
Cook the Pasta
Begin by cooking the pasta. Since water takes while to boil and the pasta takes some time to cook, I recommend cooking the sauce while the pasta is boiling/cooking. When the pasta is done cooking, drain – but do not rinse.
Make the Sauce
Browning the sausage is an important step in this pizza casserole recipe because it adds lots of flavor and texture. Make sure to cook it until it’s browned as pictured below. Start by using 1 Tablespoon olive oil and add more as needed (you may need to add more if you chose a lean sausage like turkey or chicken sausage). If you would like to use onion in this recipe, add it here and cook it with the sausage. Then, add the sauce and spices to the browned sausage and stir to combine. Make sure everything is mixed well.
Assemble the Pizza Casserole
Pour the cooked and drained pasta into the sauce and stir to combine. NOTE about the amount of pasta: We prefer to make this recipe using 8 oz of pasta (about 3 cups dry & uncooked). We like our pasta dishes saucy. In the photo below I made it with 16 oz of pasta (6 cups dry). As you can see the sauce looks a little scant, but we all still loved it that way and it was less messy for the little ones in our family. So I recommend making it as written for the absolute best flavor. But if you’d like a larger amount you can either double the entire recipe or just the pasta amount (but remember it will be significantly less saucy). Then, top the pasta with mozzarella cheese and your desired toppings. We always choose pepperoni, but you can choose your favorites. Anything you normally put on a pizza (think peppers, onion, more sausage, olives, etc.) tastes great on this pizza casserole.
Prepare in Advance
To make this dish in advance or to bring it to a friend as a meal unbaked, make and assemble the casserole and then cover it and store until you want to bake it. If it will be stored for less than 2 hours before baking and serving, I recommend leaving it covered at room temperature. To store for longer (or overnight), place the covered baking dish in the refrigerator. You can even freeze it at this point for up to 2 months.
Choosing a Baking Dish
There are many different vessels that can be used to bake this pizza casserole. Here are a few options and their pros/cons:
Cast Iron Skillet: The beauty of using a cast iron skillet to make this pizza casserole recipe in is that it makes it a two-pan meal (one pot to cook pasta, then the cast iron skillet for the rest). It also looks like the shape of a pizza. Glass Baking dish (with lid): If you plan on making this pizza casserole ahead of time and waiting to bake it, I recommend using a baking dish with a lid. That way it’s easy to store until it’s time to bake. Disposable aluminum baking panDisposable Aluminum baking pan: If you plan to take this dish to a large gathering or bring it to someone as a meal I recommend using a (or another disposable baking dish). That way you don’t have to keep track of your dishes and you don’t have to give a friend the task of returning them to you!
Bake
Bake the assembled pizza casserole until the top is melted and the edges are slightly browned. I personally love the hard, chewy, cheesy edges the best, but you can bake to your preferred brownness/doneness!
Serve
Once the Pizza Casserole has slightly cooled, top it with some fresh parsley and a little parmesan cheese and serve. We love serving this with our favorites salads – especially burrata salad and panzanella salad.
Store/Freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can freeze individual portions in airtight containers or the entire casserole wrapped in plastic wrap/foil. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven set to warm. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
