Jazz up pizza night with this easy pizza casserole recipe. This freezer friendly pizza pasta casserole is one recipe that the kids will be begging for more.
This easy pizza casserole recipe is a kid pleaser. My entire family devoured it and raved about how great it was. This pizza pasta casserole also freezes great so you can easily make two batches and toss one in the freezer for an easy freezer meal.
That way with very little work, you can make one for your family today and then the second goes in the freezer making another night even easier for you. You know I love an easy freezer meal. There is nothing better than having dinner already in the freezer. Don’t you agree?
Plus, your kids will love it because it is like pizza, but you will love it because it is a TAD fancier than pizza. This easy pizza casserole recipe is packed with flavor. I think you will be surprised by how good it really is. Don’t let the simple ingredients fool you. It will be your new favorite casserole dish.
There is just something about pizza recipes. Don’t you agree? Pizza is a staple at our house from ordering out to our flatbread pizza, our crock pot pizza chicken, or our Bubble up pizza our family has to enjoy some kind of pizza every single week. It is a kid pleaser and Mom loves how easy it is to throw together.
If you like this pizza casserole, make sure you check out this Easy lasagna recipe. It’s quick and easy!
Ingredients you need for pizza pasta casserole:
- 1 lb of ground beef (or Italian Sausage)
- 6 oz pepperoni
- 3 cups of Mozzarella cheese
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (or Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe)
- 1 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning
- 16 oz of penne pasta
- ¼ up of Parmesan cheese
How to make Easy Pizza Casserole Recipe:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ground beef and drain any sausage.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and the garlic salt. Stir to combine.
- Meanwhile boil pasta according to directions but cook to al dente, meaning you want the pasta to be firm and undercooked.
- Drain pasta and pour half of the pasta in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Spoon half the meat mixture over the pasta.
- Top with half the Mozzarella cheese.
- Lay half the pepperonis on top.
- Then later the remaining pasta, meat sauce, cheese and pepperoni.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until bubbly and brown.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then serve.
Easy Pizza Pasta Casserole Side dish ideas
- Easy Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
- Creamy Broccoli Salad Recipe
- How to Steam Broccoli in the Microwave
- Easy Parmesan Roasted Zucchini Recipe
- Oven Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
With an easy casserole dish and an easy side dish you can have dinner ready in no time.
Print your recipe below:
Easy Pizza Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or Italian Sausage)
- 6 oz pepperoni
- 3 cups Mozzarella cheese
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (or 2 15 oz cans of crushed tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 16 oz penne pasta
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ground beef and drain any sausage.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and the garlic salt. Stir to combine.
- Meanwhile boil pasta according to directions but cook to al dente, meaning you want the pasta to be firm and undercooked.
- Drain pasta and pour half of the pasta in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Spoon half the meat mixture over the pasta.
- Top with half the Mozzarella cheese.
- Lay half the pepperonis on top.
- Then later the remaining pasta, meat sauce, cheese and pepperoni.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until bubbly and brown.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then serve.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
How to Freeze Easy Pizza Casserole Recipe:
- Make the easy pizza pasta casserole recipe in a tin toil pan according to direction above.
- However, instead of baking, cover with foil and allow to cool.
- Once cooled, freeze.
- To bake, remove from freezer the day before you want to eat it and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour covered, and 15 minutes uncovered.
We also love Pepperoni Chicken Pasta Recipe. The kids love it and it’s so easy to fix.
We make several of these every couple of months, freeze them, and use them on Family Night Fridays instead of pizza! Delish!
This is a big favorite in my house. Question for you all tho, do you use fresh mozzarella or shredded mozzarella like kraft or sargentos? I read fresh sometimes makes it ‘wetter’ but I usually use fresh.
I like to use fresh and shred my own as it melts easier and tastes better in my opinion but you can use the pre-shredded too.
Is this 16 oz uncooked penne ? Seems like a lot of pasta.
Yes, I use 16 oz of penne pasta for this recipe. Thanks.
Can you make the casserole the day before you will bake it
Yes, this is great to make ahead. Store in the refrigerate and then bake the same time as in the recipe.
Love this recipe!!!! Came across Carroe making it in a live one time and had to try it!!! The family loved it!! I love it! It’s a keeper in our house!!
See a ‘PRINT YOUR PIZZA CASSEROLE BELOW” comment, But DO NOT find a way to PRINT.
In the recipe card on the post, there is a print button right below the photo that will allow you to print this recipe. Thank you!
I made the Pizza casserole and am loving it so much.
Thanks for the recipe.
Loved this, but the next time I will not cook the whole amount of Penne. Maybe 10-12 oz. It was a little dry. I didn’t layer anything but the cheeses. We mixed all the topping in the meat mixture. But I will definitely fix this again!