Pizza Pasta Casserole
Pizza Pasta Casserole brings together all your favorite pizza flavors in one cheesy, family-friendly baked dish. Loaded with rotini pasta, ground beef, pepperoni, marinara, and gooey mozzarella, this comforting casserole is perfect for busy weeknights and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for both kids and adults.
Servings: 8
Calories: 325kcal
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box rotini pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 6 oz package pepperoni, chopped (reserve 20 whole slices for topping)
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 36 oz marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 20 whole pepperoni slices reserved from package
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside (do not rinse).
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and kosher salt until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, beef mixture, chopped pepperoni (reserve 20 slices for topping), diced green pepper, diced onion, marinara sauce, and 2 cups of shredded mozzarella. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, and top with the 20 reserved pepperoni slices.
- Return the casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
For softer bell pepper and onion, sauté them with the beef in step 3.
You can use 1½ jars (24 oz each) of marinara or substitute part of it with pizza sauce for extra flavor.
Any variety of onion will work well—white, yellow, or sweet Vidalia.