Pizza Pasta Bake with Pepperoni and Sausage

Pizza pasta bake is an easy casserole recipe with layers of pepperoni, sausage and lots of gooey cheese baked in tomato sauce. A family favorite dinner!

Baked Pizza Pasta

Enjoy delicious comfort food with this cheesy casserole loaded with pepperoni and sausage. This easy recipe is perfect for a family dinner or a potluck dish. It’s an easy weeknight meal that comes together quickly and gives you plenty of leftovers for later.

My family loves pizza, and we all love pasta, so believe me, nobody had any complaints about this easy dinner! Even the picky eaters love it! Pepperoni pizza casserole is loaded with tons of ooey-gooey cheese, Italian sausage, tangy sauce, spicy pepperoni and, of course, pasta. This pasta bake is similar to manicotti, but easier! Try my pepperoni pizza dip or this Instant Pot version or one pan version of this pizza casserole recipe next.

Ingredients

Here’s a quick overview of what you need to make this cheesy baked pasta recipe. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.

• Penne pasta — or any longer pasta shapes like ziti, rotini pasta or cellentani (cork screw pasta) work best.
• Italian sausage — either in casings, which you will remove, or ground. You can use chicken or turkey sausage or sub ground beef if you prefer, but the flavor will be different.
• Marinara sauce — I use a large jar of pasta sauce, but use your favorite tomato sauce or pizza sauce.
• Seasonings — Italian seasoning and garlic powder for extra flavor
• Cheese — a combo of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. I sometimes use Provolone cheese for extra cheesiness.
• Pepperoni slices — for topping

How to Make Pizza Pasta Bake

First, cook the pasta until just al dente. You don’t want to cook it too much as it will longer in the oven. Drain in a colander, and set aside. To prevent the pasta from sticking, you can drizzle it with olive oil or rinse it with cold water — your choice. Next, you’ll cook the sausage and stir in the marinara sauce.

Mix about half of the sausage mixture with the pasta. You can do this right in the baking dish. Spread the rest of the meat mixture over the pasta layer.

Finally, top the pasta with shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. Then, add sliced pepperoni on top of the cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted, and dinner is ready!

Serving Suggestions

My favorite part about serving this dish was watching the kids’ eyes get wide as they watched the strings of melted cheese stretch farther and farther. Because this is such a hearty casserole, you only need a green salad as a side dish. Sometimes, we like to add homemade garlic bread on the side.

Storage

Store leftover pizza pasta in an airtight container in your fridge for 4-5 days. You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. This casserole reheats well in the microwave. Just add a little more sauce and cheese if it’s a little dry.

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