Description
Meat lovers pizza casserole loads pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and gooey cheese over pasta for full-tilt comfort. It tastes like pizza night in casserole form.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 cup sliced pepperoni
Supporting Vegetables:
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
Finishing and Seasoning:
- 3 cups cooked pasta
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Heat your oven to precisely 375°F (190°C) and grab a large baking dish for preparation.
- Grab a large skillet and thoroughly cook 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound Italian sausage over medium-high heat until completely browned.
- Toss 1 chopped bell pepper and 1 chopped onion into the skillet with the meat. Sauté until vegetables become tender and translucent.
- Pour 2 cups marinara sauce and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning into the skillet. Allow mixture to simmer for exactly 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer 3 cups cooked pasta into a large mixing bowl and fold in the entire meat and sauce mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Spread half of the pasta-meat mixture evenly across the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and ½ cup sliced pepperoni over the first layer.
- Add the remaining pasta-meat mixture as a second layer across the dish.
- Top the casserole with the final 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining ½ cup pepperoni slices.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts completely and edges turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle.
Notes
- Make extra sauce to keep the casserole moist and prevent drying out during baking.
- Choose high-quality pepperoni and mozzarella for the best flavor and melting texture.
- For a lighter version, swap ground beef and sausage with ground turkey or chicken.
- Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to help it set and make serving easier.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 to 6
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg