Pizza Pasta Casserole Recipe
If you want an easy dinner recipe, this Pizza casserole with pepperoni will be a lifesaver. You can make this recipe quickly and enjoy a nice combination of pizza pasta and the top resembling pepperoni pizza. You can customize the pasta and add sausage, ground beef, pepperoni, chicken, cauliflower, or any veggie or meat you choose, making it a healthy dinner option for busy weekdays.
Equipment
- 1 Convection oven
- 1 Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 200 grams Pasta (Rigatoni)
- 100 grams Chopped Mushrooms, finely
- 50 grams Chopped Onions, finely
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil or Butter
- 100 grams Cream Cheese
- 100 grams Marinara Sauce
- 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 7-8 Slices Pepperoni
- 1/2 tbsp Salt
- 1/2 tbsp Pepper
- 1/2 tbsp Oregano
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the manicotti or penne pasta for around 15 minutes . Make sure it is al dente because the pasta will be cooked again later on in the oven so just make sure you do not fully cook it or overcook it. Once the pasta is cooked drain it and set it aside.
- Take a pan and heat some oil on it. Add some finely chopped mushrooms and onions or bell peppers(if you have them, you can add ANY topping of your liking) and cook them for a while till get slightly golden brown. Once they are done, take them off heat and let the mixture cool.
- Mix the marinara sauce with cream cheese(optional) until well combined. Add the above-cooked mushroom and onion mixture to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Once you think everything is well blended, combine the cooked pasta with the sauce mixture, gently tossing until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Spread a layer of this pasta mixture evenly in a prepared baking dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the pasta layer, ensuring even coverage. Arrange pepperoni slices or your chosen toppings on the cheese layer, distributing them evenly across the casserole.
- Place the dish in a convection oven and bake for around 10-15 minutes at 400°F (198°C). After 15 minutes, the cheese should be melted, browned, and bubbly, and the casserole should be cooked through.
- Once done, remove the pizza pasta casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Slice and serve your delicious pizza pasta casserole with pepperoni or your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
1. You can choose any pasta of your choice. Just make sure it is not spaghetti or any other similar pasta type. You need some holes or spirals for the fillings to get into to get the maximum flavor of the casserole.
2. You can use any other veggie or meat option instead of just onions and mushrooms. You can add sausage, ground beef, pepperoni, chicken, leftover BBQ pork, cauliflower, bell peppers, basically anything you like. Make sure you finely chop the veggies to blend well with your sauce.
3. You can cover the casserole with aluminum foil and cook it if you want the pasta and other meat toppings to cook more without browning the cheese on top. Then, finally, you can take off the foil and broil the casserole to get the cheese on top to brown and cook to perfection.