Pizza Casserole

This Baked Pizza Casserole Recipe combines rotini pasta, Italian sausage, onions, garlic, bell peppers, pepperoni, and black olives all smothered with a pizza marinara sauce blend and baked with a blanket of mozzarella cheese. It has all the flavors from pizza and pasta combined. This is the perfect dish for families with young kids and hungry appetites.

This casserole is one of our favorites because it is customizable to what you have on hand and all your favorite pizza toppings. It can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Simply remove from the fridge 30-40 minutes before baking, remove the plastic wrap, cover with foil, and follow the baking directions. If you like this recipe tray baked mostaccioli, baked rigatoni, and ravioli lasagna.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.

• Rotini: Any medium pasta works well with this recipe. Think rotini, rigatoni, ziti, cavatappi, mostaccioli, or penne pasta.
• Marinara and pizza sauce: I like a mixture of marinara and pizza sauce as I think it gives the dish that authentic pizza sauce taste. However, you could substitute all marinara if you wanted to.
• Shredded mozzarella: You can substitute an Italian blend cheese.
• Pepperoni: Use pork, beef, or turkey pepperoni.
• Fresh herbs: Such as basil, thyme, or Italian parsley.

How to make Pizza Casserole

This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.

Start by cooking your pasta al dente and drain well. Meanwhile, start browning the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is about halfway through the browning process add the onion and bell pepper. Continue cooking until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft. Drain any excess grease. Then reduce the heat and add the garlic and Italian seasoning stirring and cooking for a minute.

Add the marinara and the pizza sauce to the skillet stirring to combine and simmering over low heat. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Spoon it into a baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and black olives.

Bake covered with foil for 15-20 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil ribbons, fresh thyme leaves, or chopped fresh Italian parsley.

Preparation Tips

• Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook it al dente per the directions on the packaging. Al dente means slightly firm as the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
• Use your favorite pizza toppings like ham, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, jalapenos, banana peppers, and bacon.
• Cover the dish with foil before cooking for the first 15-20 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes. This allows the casserole to heat thoroughly and the cheese to melt without over-browning.

Topping Variations

• Meats: Sausage, ground beef, pepperoni, bacon, ham, grilled chicken
• Vegetables: Onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, jalapenos, banana peppers, spinach
• Fruit: Olives, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, eggplant, zucchini

Store and Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat at reduced power in the microwave so the casserole heats through to the center without being overcooked on the outside.

To freeze, fully cool the casserole or better yet freeze the uncooked casserole double-wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove any plastic wrap and follow the baking instructions.

More Pizza Recipes

Naan Pizza

Pizza Burgers

Breakfast Pizza

Pizza Zucchini Boats

Mexican Pizzas

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Easy Pizza Casserole Recipe

An easy Pizza Casserole with pasta, Italian Sausage, onions, garlic, green or red peppers, pepperoni, and black olives in marinara sauce topped with oodles of melted mozzarella cheese.  This dish is ideal for large families and hungry appetites.

5 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal pasta

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 531kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 12 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
• 1 lb. Italian sausage
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 24 ounces marinara
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 3 ounces pepperoni or turkey pepperoni
• 1 (2.25-ounce) can black olives drained
• basil ribbons optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta al dente and drain well.
• Meanwhile start browning the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat.   When it is about halfway browned add the onion and green bell pepper. Continue cooking until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft. Drain any excess grease. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian seasoning stirring and cooking for 1 minute.
• Add the marinara and the pizza sauce to the skillet stirring to combine and simmering over low heat. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. 
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and black olives. Bake covered with foil for 15-20 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Top with fresh basil ribbons.

Notes

• Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook it al dente per the directions on the packaging. Al dente means slightly firm as the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
• Use your favorite pizza toppings like ham, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, jalapenos, banana peppers, and bacon.
• Cover the dish with foil before cooking for the first 15-20 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes. This allows the casserole to heat thoroughly and the cheese to melt without over-browning.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1310mg | Potassium: 688mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 754IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 3mg

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