Baked Pizza Pasta is awesome. It’s one of those loaded pizza casseroles with both Italian sausage and pepperoni, plus of course, it wouldn’t be Italian if there wasn’t lots of mozzarella cheese and other gooey deliciousness. One of the nice things about this recipe is you don’t have to precook the pasta. You just stir it into the  tomato sauce with all the other ingredients and it cooks on the stove.

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You can also make this a one-dish pizza pasta by cooking the whole recipe in a Dutch oven or extra large skillet, although I pre-made the recipe so I baked it later.

Last month I was looking for some kind of easy Italian dish to make as an entree for a potluck at our church. Most folks, even kids, will enjoy something with an Italian flavor or style to it. One look at this recipe and I knew I had to make it.

And, I would have made it in a single pot like the original recipe indicated, except that I needed to take it to a potluck and I wanted to assemble it just up to the baking stage and refrigerate it for 24 hours first. So I ended up making this as a baked casserole rather than entirely on the stove.

Baked Pizza Pasta turned out so scrumptious. It’s a savory, cheesy, sumptuous treat that everyone loves. In fact, the dish was pretty well scraped out and clean by the time I was ready to take it home. It’s one of those dishes that you won’t be able to get enough of–especially if you enjoy the twin flavors of Italian sausage and pepperoni.

Try this delightful recipe the next time you get the urge for something Italian. I guarantee it’s kid-friendly, and if you choose to use gluten free noodles, you can even make this gluten free.

Baked Pizza Pasta is amazing. It’s so easy–especially if you prepare it in one pan.

If you love pizza, you will love this tasty pasta dish.

While I baked this entree, you can also leave it in the Dutch oven and melt the cheese on top and serve straight from the pan (or large skillet), making this a one-dish pizza pasta entree.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients. You can also use a gluten free pasta if you need to make this recipe gluten free.

Saute pepperonis for a few minutes in a large skillet until crispy. Remove pepperonis to paper towel to drain.

To same skillet add onions and red pepper flakes. Saute a few minutes until onions soften. Add garlic and saute another minute or so.

Saute Italian sausage in same pan until no pink remains. Add tomato paste and saute an additional minute or so.

I had to move the mixture to a Dutch oven because my skillet wasn’t big enough. Add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth.

Add uncooked pasta and oregano and stir to combine.

Bring to a simmer and add half of the pepperonis. Cover Dutch oven with lid and reduce heat to low. Cook about 15-20 minutes or until pasta cooks through.

Check seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can finish the rest of this in the Dutch oven or you can refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. I placed the mixture into a greased 9×13″ glass baking dish and refrigerated it about 24 hours before baking it about 30 minutes minutes or so until bubbly.

STOVE TOP METHOD:

If the mixture is hot all you need to do is top it with cheese and pepperoni and allow the cheese to melt in the Dutch oven. Serve right from the dish.

OVEN METHOD:

If you have to prepare this ahead of time like I did, then refrigerate until ready to bake. Place casserole in a 350 oven and bake until bubbly – about 30 minutes. Then top with cheese and remaining pepperonis and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese melts.

Garnish dish with fresh basil, if desired.

Every bite of Baked Pizza Pasta is incredibly sumptuous.

Here’s the recipe.

BAKED PIZZA PASTA

(Recipe adapted from Number 2 Pencil)

Baked Pizza Pasta

Teresa Ambra

Baked Pizza Pasta is like enjoying pizza but as a pasta dish instead! This amazing pasta dish combines the best of pizza with pepperoni, Italian sausage and pasta noodles. We love this wonderful entree. It's kid-friendly and is so enjoyable that they're rarely leftovers!

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Dish, Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Calories 631 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large Dutch oven with lid or large stock pot with lid
• 1 wooden spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 hamburger chopper to chop meat down in small pieces while it cooks

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 oz. package miniature pepperoni
• 1/2 large onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 oz. bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 14.5 oz. can low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 oz. rotini or fusilli pasta, dried
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
• 1 tsp. Fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Sauté mini pepperonis for 1-2 minutes, until they start to crispen.
• Remove pepperonis to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add onion and red pepper flakes to pan and sauté until onions start to soften and become translucent.
• Add garlic.
• Crumble the sausage into the pan, breaking it up with a hamburger chopper as it cooks.
• After sausage has browned add tomato paste.
• Cook about one minute.
• Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, uncooked pasta and oregano.
• Stir ingredients to combine well.
• Bring to a simmer and stir in half of mini pepperonis.
• Cover Dutch oven with lid and reduce heat to low.
• Allow ingredients to cook, covered, until the pasta is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
• Remove lid and stir ingredients.
• Check seasonings.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

NOTE: I pre-made this dish the day before without adding the cheese, pepperonis or garnish. Then I baked the casserole at 350° until the casserole was bubbly (approximately 30-45 minutes) before adding cheese and pepperonis. Bake about 5 minutes allowing the cheese to melt before removing from oven. Garnish with basil strips or leaves.

 

Recipe adapted from No. 2 Pencil.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 28gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 1206mgPotassium: 822mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 810IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 272mgIron: 4mg

Keyword main dish, pasta, pepperoni, pizza, pork, sausage, tomatoes

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Baked Pizza Pasta can be made on the stove top or made ahead and baked in the oven like I did.

You will drool over this tasty entree.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Supreme Pizza Casserole

Cavatini

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

Baked Pizza Pasta

Teresa Ambra

Baked Pizza Pasta is like enjoying pizza but as a pasta dish instead! This amazing pasta dish combines the best of pizza with pepperoni, Italian sausage and pasta noodles. We love this wonderful entree. It's kid-friendly and is so enjoyable that they're rarely leftovers!

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Dish, Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Calories 631 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large Dutch oven with lid or large stock pot with lid
• 1 wooden spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 hamburger chopper to chop meat down in small pieces while it cooks

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 oz. package miniature pepperoni
• 1/2 large onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 oz. bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 14.5 oz. can low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 oz. rotini or fusilli pasta, dried
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
• 1 tsp. Fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Sauté mini pepperonis for 1-2 minutes, until they start to crispen.
• Remove pepperonis to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add onion and red pepper flakes to pan and sauté until onions start to soften and become translucent.
• Add garlic.
• Crumble the sausage into the pan, breaking it up with a hamburger chopper as it cooks.
• After sausage has browned add tomato paste.
• Cook about one minute.
• Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, uncooked pasta and oregano.
• Stir ingredients to combine well.
• Bring to a simmer and stir in half of mini pepperonis.
• Cover Dutch oven with lid and reduce heat to low.
• Allow ingredients to cook, covered, until the pasta is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
• Remove lid and stir ingredients.
• Check seasonings.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

NOTE: I pre-made this dish the day before without adding the cheese, pepperonis or garnish. Then I baked the casserole at 350° until the casserole was bubbly (approximately 30-45 minutes) before adding cheese and pepperonis. Bake about 5 minutes allowing the cheese to melt before removing from oven. Garnish with basil strips or leaves.

 

Recipe adapted from No. 2 Pencil.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 28gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 1206mgPotassium: 822mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 810IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 272mgIron: 4mg

Keyword main dish, pasta, pepperoni, pizza, pork, sausage, tomatoes

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!