It doesn’t get much better than pasta and pizza! This easy pepperoni pizza casserole is packed with tender pasta, sauce, and zesty pepperoni – topped off with tons of cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.

A closeup image of pepperoni pizza casserole in a class casserole dish. This pasta bake is topped with melted cheese, green peppers, olives, mushrooms, and pepperoni.

I love pizza. It’s one of my favorite foods, right up there with pasta (and a burger, but that’s a whole different blog post!). One day, I got bored of our usual dinners and wanted something different, so I made a pizza casserole.

The cool thing about this pizza casserole is that you can adjust it to YOUR tastes. Any toppings you like on a pizza, you can try in this pizza casserole! Another cool thing? It’s super easy (and budget-friendly) to make. In our house, it’s a go-to meal for busy weeknights.

Pizza Night Meets Pasta

My fam will eat just about any form of pizza I put in front of them. We’ve made homemade pizzas, pizza in a mug, even pizza pasta salad and pizza pull-apart bread. If we can pizza it, we’ll do it! When pizza casserole popped into my head, it was a no-brainer.

This family favorite satisfies your pizza and pasta cravings in one easy weeknight dinner. It’s a bit semi-homemade with simple ingredients and room to make it your own. But no matter what, ain’t no one gonna complain when you put it on that dinner table!

Ingredients for Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

This easy pizza casserole recipe only uses SIX main ingredients; the rest are up to you! In our house, we usually keep these ingredients on hand just about always because they’re staples, and this is a go-to recipe. You can find the exact measurements for all the ingredients in the recipe card below – here’s everything you need!

Pasta: I prefer to use penne in this recipe, cause the tubes hold on to the sauce so well. But you can use other pasta shapes, like ziti, cavatappi, or even rotini pasta.
Italian Sausage: the perfect meat for pizza sauce!
Pasta Sauce: you can get creative – use your favorite jarred brand or make your own!
Italian Seasoning: the perfect combination of flavorful dried herbs to season the whole dish.
Pepperoni: you can use large or mini pepperoni. Mix it in with the pasta and sauce, and on top too!
Shredded Cheese: I use an Italian blend, but regular mozzarella cheese works great too.
Pizza Toppings: use your favorite toppings! We use black olives, sliced mushrooms, diced onion, and green peppers.

What’s the best sauce to use in pizza casserole?

There’s a whole bunch of different sauces you can use for your pizza casserole, and it’s entirely up to you! Here are some options:

Your favorite brand of pasta sauce: you can choose a simple marinara sauce, a spicy vodka sauce, or a basil and garlic sauce. The options are endless!
Pizza sauce: if you really love that straight-forward tomato flavor, go with pizza sauce. It’s simple, flavorful, and perfect for a pizza casserole.
Homemade sauce: if you’re feeling really fancy, go the homemade route! Try a from-scratch meat sauce, meatless spaghetti sauce, or a homemade marinara sauce.

How to Make Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

Okay, cousins, enough yammering. Let’s get to the good stuff – making this dang delicious pizza pasta casserole recipe! It’s so simple, I even made a video tutorial that shows you exactly how to make it step by step.

Get a large pot of lightly salted water boiling on the stove and cook your pasta until just before al dente (it will cook more in the oven, don’t you worry!). When it’s done, drain the pasta and set it aside.
While the pasta is cooking, brown the Italian sausage. When it’s fully cooked, drain the fat (ain’t no one wants a greasy casserole), and add the pasta sauce. Give it all a good mix.
In a large bowl or right in a large casserole dish, combine the cooked pasta, meat sauce, pepperoni slices, Italian seasoning, and about half of the shredded cheese. Stir everything until well combined.
Top the casserole with the rest of the shredded cheese and your favorite toppings. Bake the casserole uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until that top layer of cheese is perfectly bubbly and golden brown.

There you have it – an easy pepperoni pizza casserole recipe that kicks that pizza craving and pasta craving right in the behind. The whole family will eat this easy recipe UP!

Tips for the Best Pizza Pasta Casserole Recipe

Cousin Rosie tips, incoming! Fam, I want you to really consider all the magic you can make with a few simple ingredients. So, let me give you some tips on how to make that magic happen.

You don’t have to stick to just veggies in the toppings. Mix as much as you want in with the pasta, or sneak some extra veggies into the sauce by making a vegetable marinara.
If you don’t like Italian sausage, you can use lean ground beef instead. You can even use ground turkey if you prefer!
Just about any pasta shape will work in this easy pasta casserole. Use whatever you have – rotini, penne, cavatappi, even bow ties or tortellini works!
Y’all know I love seasonings. While I keep it simple in this recipe, I highly recommend seasoning until your ancestors tell you otherwise. Add onion powder, garlic powder, fresh basil, or parsley. Add a little kick of heat with red pepper flakes.
Fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese make for the perfect garnish.

Can you make pepperoni pizza casserole ahead of time?

You sure can! Prepare it as directed right up until you’re ready to pop that beauty in the oven. Cover it tightly with a lid, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil. Make it up to three days ahead of time and store it in the fridge, or freeze it for up to three months. Let it thaw before baking for a delicious, easy dinner in no time.

What to Serve with Pizza Casserole

What sides would you enjoy with pizza? Bread sticks, garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, some chicken wings, even a refreshing side salad – all great options to pair with pizza pasta bake!

Did you try this pepperoni pizza casserole? Drop a comment down below! Let me know what other savory casserole recipes you’d love to see next.

More Tasty Casseroles From I Heart Recipes

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