Description
A hearty, family-friendly baked dish that brings all the classic pizza flavors in an easy pasta casserole format.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (penne or rotini)
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 2 cups tomato or pizza sauce
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic; cook until fragrant.
- Add ground beef or sausage, season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in tomato or pizza sauce; simmer for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix pasta with meat sauce and half the mozzarella cheese.
- Transfer to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella, pepperoni, and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Swap pepperoni with cooked sausage, bacon, or ham for variety.
- Add bell peppers, mushrooms, or olives for extra veggies.
- Use spicy marinara or red pepper flakes for a kick.
- Make gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.
- Try white pizza sauce for a flavor twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 70mg