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 melty mozzarella, this comforting one-pan dinner is easy to assemble and always a hit with 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 and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain (do not rinse) and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and kosher salt until browned. Drain excess grease.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, beef mixture, chopped pepperoni (reserving 20 slices for topping), diced green bell pepper, diced onion, marinara sauce, and 2 cups of shredded mozzarella. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella, and top with the reserved pepperoni slices.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
For softer bell pepper and onion, sauté them with the ground beef in step 3.
Use 1½ jars (24 oz each) of marinara or substitute with pizza sauce for more intense flavor.
Any type of onion works—white, yellow, or sweet Vidalia.