If there’s one recipe that takes me proper again to busy weeknights as a child, it’s Pizza Casserole. It combines the consolation of a comfortable baked pasta with all of the enjoyable flavors of Friday pizza evening. Assume tender pasta coated in wealthy tomato sauce with savory sausage, peppers, mushrooms, and loads of golden, melty mozzarella, and pepperoni and olives on prime. My one-skillet model makes six servings for about $2 every, and is prepared in simply over half-hour. It’s kid-friendly, crowd-friendly, and simply plain enjoyable to eat!
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One-Pan Pizza Pasta Casserole
I’ve taken my mother’s basic pizza casserole and made it even simpler. It was all the time a humble dish that helped get our household fed shortly, nevertheless it additionally occurred to be one in all my absolute favorites. In my model right here, the pasta cooks proper within the tomato sauce, so there’s no separate pot of water to boil and one much less dish ready for you afterward. Because it simmers, the pasta soaks up all that taste earlier than the skillet heads into the oven for a bubbly, evenly golden tacky end.
It nonetheless tastes simply as nostalgic as I keep in mind, solely now the cleanup is a complete lot simpler! I additionally love that just about any pasta sauce works right here. For those who’ve bought a batch of do-it-yourself marinara in your freezer, go forward and use it! Or simply seize no matter jar of pasta sauce is hanging out in your pantry for a simple win. You may as well pile on any pizza toppings your loved ones loves. Go full supreme (like I’ve right here), hold it easy with cheese, and even Hawaiian (I gained’t decide!). Nonetheless you construct this dish, I already understand it’ll have you ever and yours coming again for extra!
- Use a big and deep skillet. There’s so much going into this pizza casserole recipe, so I take advantage of a big skillet with loads of room for the pasta, sauce, greens, sausage, and toppings. A crowded skillet makes it tougher to stir with out sauce sloshing over the edges! I additionally want utilizing a skillet with a fitted lid, however I’ve discovered that tightly masking it with aluminum foil works simply as nicely.
- Be certain that the rotini stays submerged within the sauce. The pasta cooks by absorbing the liquid round it, so any items sitting above the sauce might keep agency or cook dinner inconsistently. Stir sometimes to forestall sticking, then exchange the lid shortly to carry within the warmth and steam.
- Examine the pasta earlier than including the cheese. It needs to be al dente (tender with a slight chew). The pasta will proceed cooking within the oven, so that you don’t need it fully delicate at this stage. If it’s nonetheless too agency however a lot of the liquid has lowered, I’d stir in a small splash of water, cowl, and let it simmer for a number of extra minutes. Add the toppings as soon as the feel of your pasta is true!
Skillet Pizza Casserole
Value $12.31 recipe / $2.05 serving
This tacky Skillet Pizza Casserole recipe combines saucy pasta, Italian sausage, veggies, pepperoni, and melty mozzarella in a single straightforward pan dinner!
- 1 lb. floor Italian sausage ($3.62*)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced, (145g) $0.70)
- 1 inexperienced bell pepper (diced, (145g) $0.86)
- 8 oz. mushrooms (sliced, (120g) $2.04)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced, $0.22)
- 8 oz. rotini pasta (raw, $0.54**)
- 24 oz. pasta sauce ($1.58***)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.04)
- ¼ tsp crushed pink pepper flakes (non-compulsory, $0.01)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.02)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.04)
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, $1.47)
- 25 pepperoni slices (50g, $0.85)
- ¼ cup black olives (sliced, (28g) $0.32)
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Collect and prep all components. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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Warmth a big oven secure skillet over medium warmth and add sausage and cook dinner for about 5-7 minutes till browned, breaking it up with a spoon.
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Stir in onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Prepare dinner for 4-5 minutes till softened and aromatic.
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Stir within the raw rotini pasta, pasta sauce, water, Italian seasoning, pink pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Be certain that pasta is usually submerged in sauce.
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Scale back warmth to low, cowl****, and simmer for 10-12 minutes till pasta is al dente and sauce is usually absorbed. Be certain that to stir sometimes to maintain pasta from sticking.
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Sprinkle mozzarella evenly excessive. Prepare pepperoni slices and sprinkle with black olives. Bake within the oven for 10-Quarter-hour uncovered, till the highest is browned and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
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Let sit for five minutes earlier than serving for the casserole to set. Garnish with recent basil and Parmesan (non-compulsory, in the event you’ve bought them) and luxuriate in!
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**I all the time use rotini every time I make this pizza casserole as a result of I really like how the sauce clings to each twist! Penne or one other equally sized pasta must also work, however understand that completely different pasta shapes can cook dinner at completely different charges. If the pasta isn’t absolutely cooked, add a splash of water (if wanted), cowl the skillet, and let it simmer till al dente. If there’s extra liquid and the pasta is already accomplished, simmer uncovered for a couple of minutes to let it cut back.
***You need to use a do-it-yourself sauce or any most well-liked model of pasta sauce right here. Even plain tomato sauce or passata with extra seasonings (about 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and salt to style) will work if that’s what you will have available.
****In case your skillet doesn’t have a lid, masking with aluminum foil will do the trick!
No giant oven-safe skillet? You possibly can cook dinner the sausage, greens, pasta, and sauce in a daily skillet, then switch every part to a baking dish earlier than including the cheese and toppings. The baking time could also be barely longer as a result of forged iron holds onto warmth higher than most glass or ceramic baking dishes.
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 584kcal (29%)Carbohydrates: 40g (13%)Protein: 27g (54%)Fats: 36g (55%)Sodium: 1591mg (69%)Fiber: 4g (17%)
Make Skillet Pizza Casserole Step-by-Step Images
Collect all of your components and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Brown the sausage: Warmth a big, deep, oven-safe skillet over medium warmth. Add 1 lb. floor Italian sausage and cook dinner for 5-7 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles because it cooks. The sausage needs to be absolutely browned with no pink bits left.
Prepare dinner the veggies: Add 1 diced onion, 1 diced inexperienced bell pepper, 8 oz. sliced mushrooms, and three cloves minced garlic. Prepare dinner for 4-5 minutes, stirring usually, till the onion seems translucent, the pepper begins to melt, and the mushrooms have shriveled. The garlic must also odor aromatic.
Add the pasta and sauce: Stir in 8 oz. raw rotini, 24 oz. pasta sauce, 1 cup water, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp crushed pink pepper flakes, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir nicely, scraping alongside the underside of the skillet, then press the rotini down so it’s submerged within the sauce.
As soon as the sauce begins effervescent gently, cut back the warmth to low and canopy the skillet with a fitted lid or tightly with aluminum foil. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring each jiffy to forestall the pasta from sticking or cooking inconsistently. Change the lid shortly every time to carry within the warmth and steam.
Examine the pasta and add the cheese: Style a bit of rotini earlier than including the cheese. It needs to be al dente, which means tender with a slight chew, and the sauce ought to nonetheless be unfastened sufficient to maintain every part saucy. If the pasta is just too agency and a lot of the liquid has disappeared, stir in a small splash of water, cowl, and simmer for a number of extra minutes. If the pasta is prepared however the sauce seems too unfastened, simmer uncovered briefly to let it cut back.
Now sprinkle 1½ cups shredded mozzarella evenly over the pasta. Prepare about 25 pepperoni slices over the cheese, then scatter ¼ cup sliced black olives on prime.
Bake the casserole: Switch the uncovered skillet to the oven and bake for 10-Quarter-hour, or till the cheese is totally melted and bubbly with evenly golden spots. The sauce must also be effervescent gently across the edges.
Let it set and serve: Fastidiously take away the skillet from the oven and let your pizza casserole sit for five minutes. This offers the sauce time to thicken barely and makes it simpler to scoop and serve. Garnish with recent basil and grated Parmesan (non-compulsory), then take pleasure in!
Serving Ideas
This skillet pizza casserole is lots filling by itself because it’s just about a full meal in a single pan. You possibly can positively add some greens to your plate to complete issues off, although! I wish to serve it with a crisp easy aspect salad tossed in a lightweight balsamic dressing. The tangy dressing retains the meal feeling recent and goes nicely with the wealthy tomato sauce and melty cheese. Otherwise you add some garlic bread or tacky breadsticks while you need to absolutely lean into pizza evening. They’re additionally good for scooping up any sauce left behind!
Proper earlier than serving, I wish to garnish my serving with recent basil, grated Parmesan, or a drizzle of scorching honey for a little bit candy warmth. These are all non-compulsory, however they actually add to the pizza taste! I additionally suppose it could be enjoyable to set out extra toppings (further olives, banana peppers, crushed pink pepper, recent herbs, no matter you’ve bought) so everybody can customise their portion how they like.
To get a head begin, put together your pizza casserole all over to including the cheese, pepperoni, and olives, however don’t bake it but. Cowl it tightly and refrigerate for as much as 24 hours. While you’re able to eat, bake it straight from the fridge, including about 5-10 minutes to the cooking time because it’ll be chilly.
Storage & Reheating
Let any leftovers cool earlier than storing in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days. The pasta will take in extra of the sauce because it sits, however leftovers of this casserole are scrumptious regardless!
Reheating
I normally microwave particular person parts till heated by. I’ll typically add a splash of water to loosen the sauce if wanted. You may as well reheat this recipe lined in a 350°F oven till warmed by (about 15-20 minutes).
Freezing
Cool the pizza casserole fully, then switch to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for as much as 2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating. Simply observe the pasta and veggies shall be softer after thawing, so solely freeze this recipe in the event you don’t thoughts these texture adjustments.
Love Pizza Flavors? Attempt These Recipes Subsequent:
- Received leftover toppings from this casserole recipe? Add them to a Pizza Pasta Salad for lunch the following day!
- These Pizza Melts mix pizza and grilled cheese in a single crispy, tacky 15-minute lunch.
- I really like how Calzones are endlessly customizable with no matter pizza toppings suit your finances.
