Quick Pizza Casserole
Imagine all your favorite pizza flavors in a cozy pasta casserole—yep, that’s this Quick Pizza Casserole! It’s got layers of gooey mozzarella, spicy sausage, and crispy pepperoni mixed with pasta and marinara sauce. It’s the perfect comfort food that’s ridiculously easy to make. Just toss everything in a dish, bake until it’s bubbly and golden, and you’ve got a dinner that’s guaranteed to make everyone happy. Ideal for busy nights when you want something delicious without the hassle!
6 Servings
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage bulk, no casings
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 6-ounce bag pepperoni, divided
- 3 c grated mozzarella cheese divided
- 2 jars 24 ounces each marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350°F and grab a 9x13-inch baking dish—set it aside for later.
- Get a big pot of water, add a good pinch of salt, and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it until it’s just about done, about 2 minutes less than what the package says. Drain it well and return it to the pot.
- While the pasta’s cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the sausage until it’s fully cooked. Add the garlic and let it cook for about a minute, just until you can really smell that delicious aroma.
- Set aside half of the pepperoni slices for the topping, and chop up the other half into smaller pieces.
- Now, add the sausage, marinara sauce, chopped pepperoni, Italian seasoning, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to the pasta. Stir until everything’s mixed and well-coated.
- Pour the pasta mixture into your baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella on top, then arrange the whole pepperoni slices in rows for a nice, classic look. Finally, sprinkle Parmesan over everything.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the pepperoni is crispy. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, then dig in and enjoy!
Notes
To make this Quick Pizza Casserole gluten-free, simply swap the regular penne for gluten-free pasta and make sure your marinara sauce and Italian sausage are gluten-free too (always worth a quick check on the labels!). Gluten-free pasta will bake up beautifully with all the other ingredients, giving you the same cozy, cheesy casserole without any gluten worries.