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Pizza Pasta Bake

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This pizza pasta bake is easy, gooey, cheesy and oh so delicious. Made with pasta, ground beef, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. I like to cook extra pasta the night before and save it for this recipe.

This pasta bake can be whipped up pretty quickly, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights. Your family is going to love this cheesy pasta bake! We ate every inch of this casserole, it was seriously THAT good.

pizza pasta bake in white casserole dish with spatula, parsley and kitchen towel surrounding it

You’re looking at a cheesy pasta dish that’s also loaded with ground beef and sliced pepperoni. This pasta hits the spot when you’re craving comfort food. It’s loaded with sauce, cheese and meat. My favorite part is the crispy pepperoni on top!

I’m not gonna lie, I could probably eat this whole pizza casserole to myself. Luckily my family will happily eat it too.

pizza pasta bake in a white casserole dish - close up detail

For this recipe, I like to use a big bag of brown rice spiral pasta. Have you tried it before? I promise you that brown rice pasta is actually quite good and the consistency is similar to normal pasta.

The difference is that it’s gluten-free and a whole grain pasta, which can be easier on the digestive system. You can find brown rice pasta here.

ingredients for the recipe in separate containers on a white table, including pepperoni slices in a white bowl, spiral pasta noodles, marinara, uncooked ground beef in a tube, chopped onion, and sliced mozzarella cheese

Pizza Casserole Ingredients:

  • Ground beef – I like to use extra lean ground beef for this recipe.
  • Yellow onion – you can also use white or red onion. Whatever you have in your cupboard works.
  • Mozzarella cheese – one of my favorite ingredients for obvious reasons.
  • Pepperoni slices – you’ll be adding these into the pasta dish and also on top.
  • Marinara sauce – one jar of low sugar marinara sauce is dumped into this mixture to keep this recipe easy peasy.
  • Pre-cooked spiral pasta – I like to use gluten free brown rice pasta, but you can use any pasta you prefer.

pizza pasta bake close up detail of cooked pepperoni and cheese surface

How To Make The Pizza Pasta Bake

  1. First, you’ll want to cook the pasta, drain and set it aside. To save time, you can cook this the day before and store it in the fridge.
  2. Brown the beef and onion in a skillet. This doesn’t take too long, about 8-10 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done when the onion is translucent and the beef has gone from pink to brown.
  3. After that, add the beef to a bowl along with cooked pasta, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce. This will become the base of this yummy pizza casserole.
  4. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. The pizza casserole will be done when the sides start to brown and the cheese is bubbling.

How To Layer The Pizza Pasta

  • First layer: Ground beef / pasta mixture
  • Second layer: Half of grated mozzarella cheese
  • Third layer: Slices of pepperoni

How To Freeze The Pizza Pasta Bake

This recipe makes a great freezer meal. You can freeze before or after cooking in the oven. It’s an easy recipe to add to your meal prep nights, or double up and make two casseroles one night. Eat one and freeze the other for later.

pizza pasta bake on a white plate with kale salad and a fork

Pizza Casserole Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Different Shaped Pasta Noodles?

Yes. You can use any kind of pasta shape that you’d like. Spaghetti, rigatoni, bowtie, penne and even lasagna pasta would all work!

Can I Make This Gluten Free?

Yes. You can use brown rice noodles or chickpea pasta noodles to make this gluten free.

What Can I Serve The Pizza Pasta Bake With?

Great question! I like to round out the meal with a large dose of veggies. Like my Kale Caesar Salad or Garden Salad. You could also serve this with roasted vegetables.

More Family Dinner Recipes:

White casserole dish with pizza pasta casserole recipe, a kitchen towel and spatula beside it.

Pizza Pasta Bake

This pizza pasta bake is easy, gooey, cheesy and oh so delicious. Made with pasta, ground beef, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. 
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Cook the pasta al dente in boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cool water. Set aside.
  • In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add a bit of cooking oil and yellow onion. Cook until onion turns translucent. Add in the ground beef and break up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink.
    ground beef and onion cooking in a frying pan
  • Pour the beef mixture into a large bowl being careful to leave excess grease in the frying pan. Add in the cooked pasta, marinara sauce, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup pepperoni. Stir everything together.
    pasta, sauce and ground beef in a steel bowl
  • Pour the entire mixture into a casserole dish (mine was 11” x 7”) and spread out evenly with a spoon.
    pasta mixture in a white casserole dish
  • Sprinkle the last half of mozzarella cheese.
    mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top of pasta mixture
  • Top with pepperoni slices.
    sliced pepperoni on top of pizza pasta bake
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until casserole cheese is melted, edges are turning brown, and casserole is fully heated throughout. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Recipe Notes:

  • Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • This recipe makes a great freezer meal. You can freeze before or after cooking. The casserole can be reheated in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.

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