Pizza Casserole

This dump-and-bake pizza pasta casserole is loaded with pepperoni, mozzarella, and marinara. No boiling required! Just stir everything together and bake for an easy, family-friendly dinner.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword 4 ingredient casseroles, 4 ingredient pizza casserole, 4-ingredient dump meals, Pizza Casserole, pizza casserole recipe, Pizza Casserole with Pasta, pizza pasta bake, pizza pasta casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 364kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow pasta (or rotini, penne, or similar shape)
3 cups marinara sauce (or pizza sauce)
3 cups water
1 (5 ounce) package mini pepperoni, divided (or regular/turkey pepperoni, chopped)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend
Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil or parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In the prepared baking dish, stir together the uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water, about ¾ of the pepperoni, and salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir. The pasta should be almost done but still slightly firm (al dente). If it's too hard, cover and bake 5 more minutes.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top and arrange the remaining pepperoni on top of the cheese.
Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the pasta is tender.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired.

Notes

Cover tightly with foil. The pasta cooks by absorbing the liquid and steam. If the foil isn't sealed, the noodles won't cook through.
Don't skip the water. It looks like a lot, but the dry pasta needs it.
Pasta still firm? Cover loosely with foil and let sit 5 minutes. The residual heat finishes cooking the noodles.
Pasta swap: Rotini, penne, rigatoni, or bowtie all work. Look for similar cook times (7 to 8 minutes).
Make it ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Reduce bake time slightly since noodles soften as they sit.
Freezer-friendly: Wrap unbaked casserole tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding extra time.
Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven or microwave. Add a splash of sauce or water to prevent drying.

Nutrition