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Family-friendly dinners don’t get much easier than this 4-Ingredient Dump and Bake Pizza Casserole! There’s no need to boil the pasta ahead of time, since all of the ingredients cook together in one dish for a hearty, comforting, and FAST weeknight supper!
With the busy, fast-paced lives that we lead right now, dinner together as a family feels even more special and even more important. That’s why I try my best to make it a priority! With my three boys off in different directions during the day, the evening meal is the one time that we all have an opportunity to come together, talk, and enjoy some food.
At the end of the day, I need recipes that are easy, that everyone loves, and that nourish my children…and they get bonus points if the recipes only call for a few simple ingredients.
My kids (and my husband) loved my Dump-and-Bake Meatball Casserole so much that I’ve continued to make it again and again. It’s too easy not to! For a fun twist, I decided that my pizza-obsessed boys would really fall head-over-heels for this concoction…
What is Pizza Casserole?
Since dinner in my house is an automatic WIN if it involves pasta or pizza, why not combine them all into one amazing dish?! This pasta bake is literally a casserole made with pizza ingredients. Instead of the dough for a pizza crust, however, the noodles are our carbs of choice!
How do you make Pizza Casserole?
You need just 4 simple ingredients for this pepperoni pasta bake casserole: uncooked elbow pasta, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni (plus water and salt, which I don’t count)!
First, combine the uncooked pasta, marinara, water, salt, and 3/4 of the pepperoni in a large bowl.
Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish. It will look like a lot of liquid, but the noodles will absorb this liquid as it bakes in the oven!
After cooking (covered) for about 25 minutes, pull the casserole out of the oven, remove the cover, and sprinkle the top with mozzarella and remaining pepperoni.
Return the casserole to the oven for about 5-10 more minutes, or just until the cheese is melted and the pasta is tender. Garnish with fresh herbs and/or grated Parmesan cheese, if desired, and your meal is ready!
Can you freeze Pizza Casserole?
Yes, you can! It’s not my first choice; however, because I worry that the texture of the pasta gets a bit compromised as it sits in the liquid. If you do choose to prep ahead and freeze the casserole, just know that the pasta might be a bit softer when it’s done baking.
I recommend freezing this pizza casserole with noodles before baking.
How to bake a frozen Pizza Casserole with Pasta:
Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight, bring to room temperature on the counter for about 20 minutes, and then bake according to the recipe instructions.
To bake a frozen casserole straight from the freezer, you will need to increase the baking time significantly. Start with baking the dish (covered) for 1 hour at 425 degrees F, but stir the casserole occasionally and check pasta for tenderness as it cooks. The final cooking time will vary slightly, depending on the type of dish that you are using.
COOK’S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS — PEPPERONI PIZZA CASSEROLE:
- This pizza casserole recipe is obviously made with pepperoni; however, you can feel free to add your favorite pizza toppings to the dish. Nice options include 1 lb. of cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or ground Italian sausage.
- Stir in some veggies! If your family likes mushrooms, bell peppers, or olives, stir them into the dish as well! If you’re using a larger vegetable with a longer cooking time (like broccoli), you may want to steam the vegetables first before adding to the dish. For something small like frozen peas, you can just add them (still frozen) straight to the baking dish towards the end of the cooking time.
- Cooking for a smaller family? I like to cut the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square pan. You can also use the full amount of ingredients, but divide the mixture evenly between two 8-inch pans. Bake one now, and freeze the other casserole for a later date!
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese or chopped, fresh herbs, if desired.
What to serve with Pizza Casserole:
- A simple green salad with Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette;
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli;
- 2-Ingredient Italian Sugar Snap Peas; or
- 3-Ingredient Breadsticks.
4-Ingredient Dump and Bake Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow pasta
- 3 cups (about 25.5 ounces) marinara sauce
- 3 cups water
- 1 (5 ounce) package mini pepperoni, divided (or substitute with regular or turkey pepperoni, chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- Optional: Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In the prepared baking dish (or in a separate bowl), stir together uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water, about ¾ of the package of pepperoni, and salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove dish from oven, take off cover, and give the pasta a stir. At this point it should be almost done, but still a bit firm ("al dente").
- Sprinkle mozzarella over the top and place remaining pepperoni slices on top of the cheese. Return the dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 5-10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender).
- Garnish with optional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if desired
Notes
- This pizza casserole recipe is obviously made with pepperoni; however, you can feel free to add your favorite pizza toppings to the dish. Nice options include 1 lb. of cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or ground Italian sausage.
- Stir in some veggies! If your family likes mushrooms, bell peppers, or olives, stir them into the dish as well! If you’re using a larger vegetable with a longer cooking time (like broccoli), you may want to steam the vegetables first before adding to the dish. For something small like frozen peas, you can just add them (still frozen) straight to the baking dish towards the end of the cooking time.
- Cooking for a smaller family? I like to cut the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square pan. You can also use the full amount of ingredients, but divide the mixture evenly between two 8-inch pans. Bake one now, and freeze the other casserole for a later date!
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese or chopped, fresh herbs, if desired.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in October, 2015. It was updated in December, 2018.
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