This easy to make Pizza Pasta Bake with pepperoni and sausage combines two favorite meals, pizza and pasta, into one delicious dish that your whole family will love!
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Easy Pizza Pasta Bake
Craving pizza and pasta? Consider making this pizza pasta bake! It is loaded with rotini pasta, Italian sausage, marinara sauce, pepperoni, and of course lots of mozzarella cheese.
It's baked in the oven until it's golden brown and the cheese is melted to perfection. Serve up this pizza pasta with salad, garlic bread, or steamed veggies.
What Is Pizza Pasta?
It's all the flavors of pizza paired with pasta in one cheesy pasta dish. Marinara sauce, pepperoni, Italian sausage all mixed with pasta, poured into a baking dish, and baked in the oven.
This recipe is easy to make your own by adding all your favorite pizza toppings!
A simple and affordable easy dinner that is perfect for busy weeknights. Even picky eaters will love this pizza pasta casserole! It will quickly become a family favorite.
Why You Will Love This Pizza Pasta Bake
- Simple ingredients
- Quick prep time
- Bakes in oven for hands-off dinner
- Great pairing with a bagged salad for easy dinner
- Budget friendly meal
- Makes great leftovers
- easy meal
This Baked Pizza Pasta Casserole recipe is comfort food at it's best!
Ingredients
- rotini pasta
- ground Italian sausage
- pepperoni
- jar marinara sauce
- mozzarella cheese
How To Make Pizza Pasta Bake - Step by Step
Start by preheating the oven and lightly spraying a 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
Cook your pasta in a large pot as directed. Then drain pasta. While the pasta cooks, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet. Once cooked drain any excess fat.
In a large bowl mix together the rotini, sausage, pepperoni slices, marinara sauce, and one cup mozzarella cheese.
TIP: To save on dishes you can just return rotini pasta to the large pot it was cooked in then stir in the marinara sauce, sausage, pepperoni, and one cup mozzarella cheese. Mix well.
Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Watch it so it doesn't overcook.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Swap out the Italian sausage with ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Use turkey pepperoni.
- Sauté some chopped vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions to add in then top with black olives for a supreme style pizza.
- Use your favorite brand of marinara sauce.
- Add in 1/2 cup of pizza sauce to your marinara sauce for extra flavor.
- If you prefer you can grate your own cheese instead of bagged shredded cheese.
- You can use penne pasta instead of rotini.
- If you prefer a little more sauce start with 1/2 of a 24 ounce jar marinara sauce and keep adding more until you get to the consistency you like.
- Use mini pepperoni.
- Add both mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Pasta sauce is cooked, usually slow-simmered and full of flavor with a thinner texture. Pizza sauce is un-cooked tomato-based sauce that is thicker in texture.
You can but because pizza sauce is usually thicker you will want to add a little water to thin it out to reach the right consistency. Also add in some seasonings such as oregano, garlic, fresh basil, and onion or just add Italian seasoning.
Yes you can assemble your casserole in your baking dish and cover and store it in the refrigerator overnight to bake the next day.
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you want to store leftovers in the casserole dish cover with plastic wrap then add layer of aluminum foil over the top to keep it from drying out.
I hope you enjoy this pizza pasta casserole! Please leave a comment if you make it and let us know how you liked it.
Pizza Pasta Bake With Pepperoni And Sausage
Ingredients
- 16 ounce package rotini, prepared
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 16 ounce package of pepperoni, cut into small pieces
- 14 ounce jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, separated
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven and lightly spraying a 9×13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
- Cook your pasta in a large pot as directed and drain. While the pasta cooks, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet. Once cooked drain any excess fat.
- In a large bowl mix together the rotini, sausage, pepperoni slices, marinara sauce, and one cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Watch it so it doesn’t overcook.