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Cheesy pizza casserole combines rich tomato sauce, savory garlic, melted cheese, ham, sausage, and pepperoni. It has all the classic pizza flavors you love in a comforting casserole. It’s a hearty, satisfying meal that’s sure to hit the spot!
Casseroles are the best comfort food! Not only are they simple to make, but they taste so good! Here are some easy casserole dinner ideas that I know you’ll love! Million-dollar chicken casserole, poppyseed chicken casserole, and this stuffed pepper casserole are all amazing.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make Ahead: This is a great recipe to make ahead of time and pop in the oven on busy weeknights.
- Simple: This comes together quickly and uses simple ready-made ingredients. Your kids will love helping you add all of the layers.
- Kid-Friendly: The blend of marinara sauce, noodles, and cheesy pizza goodness brings together all your kid’s favorite flavors in one delicious dish.
Ingredients for Cheesy Pizza Casserole
I love how simple these ingredients are. With most of them being ready to go, this is a great recipe for your kids to help with. The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Farfalle Pasta: The pasta is the base for this cheesy, saucy dish.
- Mild Pork Sausage: Italian sausage adds a savory meaty flavor and a hint of spice.
- Minced Garlic: Italian food and garlic go hand in hand. It gives this dish a depth of flavor.
- Diced onion: Adds sweetness and a slightly crunchy texture.
- Dried Oregano: This herb is essential in any Italian recipe, especially pizza.
- Spaghetti Sauce: This tomato-based sauce provides moisture and ties all of the ingredients together.
- Cubed Ham: Provides a salty, meaty texture and smoky flavor.
- Pepperoni: Adds a hint of spice and more meaty goodness.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella is the perfect cheese to melt into all of the other ingredients and give it that classic pizza flavor.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Adds a sharp nutty flavor that enhances the overall cheese flavor of the dish.
How to Make This Easy Cheesy Pizza Casserole Recipe
Once you get your pasta and meat cooked, you’ll be able to layer all of your ingredients together. Dinner will be ready in no time! This recipe is great to make ahead of time so dinner time isn’t stressful!
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with pan spray. Set aside.
- Pasta: Cook the pasta until al dente according to the instructions on the package.
- Sautee: Cook the sausage, garlic, onion, and oregano in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and the onions are translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.
- First Layer: To start, add just enough spaghetti sauce to thinly coat the bottom of the baking dish. Next, layer ⅓ of the pasta, ⅓ of the spaghetti sauce, 8 ounces (about 2 cups) of mozzarella, two tablespoons of parmesan, and the sausage mixture.
- Second Layer: Then, for the second layer, add ½ of the remaining pasta, ½ of the remaining sauce, another 8 ounces of mozzarella, two tablespoons of parmesan cheese, and the cubed ham.
- Third Layer: Finally, for the third and final layer, add the remaining pasta, the rest of the sauce, the last of the mozzarella, and the parmesan. Top with as much pepperoni as you’d like.
- Bake: Bake the casserole for 40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is browning. Allow the cheesy pizza casserole to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Cheesy Pizza Casserole Substitutions and Variations
The best part about this recipe is how easily you can customize it to match your tastes. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
- Vegetables: Try adding veggies in addition to or in place of the meat. Classic veggies for pizza toppings include red onions, sliced mushrooms, black olives, and diced green bell peppers.
- Protein: If there’s a meat you don’t like, leave it out or swap it for another one you enjoy.
- Slow Cooker: Spray the inside of the slow cooker with pan spray and assemble the casserole layers in it. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until heated through and the cheese is melty. Do not cook this on high, it will lead to burned edges.
Storing Leftovers and Prep Ahead Instructions
Having leftovers for my kids to heat up for an after-school snack is a win-win. Plus, it’s great to have something ready to pop in the oven for a quick dinner on busy weeknights. This recipe delivers on both counts!
- Storing Leftovers: You can refrigerate leftover cheesy pizza casserole in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to eat it, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave.
- Prep Ahead: To make ahead of time, assemble the casserole as directed, but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, when you’re ready to eat it, bake straight from the fridge for 45-50 minutes or from the freezer for 65-75 minutes (covered with foil). In both cases, bake until the center reaches 165°F, the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is browning.
- Reheating a Fully Baked Casserole: If the casserole is pre-baked and refrigerated, it can be reheated at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. If frozen, it should be baked at 350°F for 45-50 minutes with foil, then covered and baked for an additional 10 minutes until the center reaches 165°F and the sauce and cheese are bubbling and browning.
More Recipes With Different Takes on Pizza
If you’re as crazy about pizza as I am, then you know there’s nothing like that perfect marinara and cheese combo. That’s why these recipes are all about bringing those flavors to life—and trust me, you’re going to love them!
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Cheesy Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild pork sausage
- 1 pound cubed ham
- ½-1 pound pepperoni
- 1 pound farfalle pasta
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced, about 1 ½ cups
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 (26-ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
- 3 (8 ounce) bags shredded mozzarella cheese, 24 ounces
- 6 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with pan spray. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to the instructions on the package.
- Meanwhile, cook the sausage, garlic, onion, and oregano in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and the onions are translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.
- Add just enough spaghetti sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish to thinly coat the bottom. For the first layer of the casserole add ⅓ of the pasta, ⅓ of the spaghetti sauce, 8 ounces (about 2 cups) of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of parmesan, and the sausage mixture.
- For the second layer, add ½ of the remaining pasta, ½ of the remaining sauce, 8 ounces of mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, and the cubed ham.
- For the third and final layer, add the remaining pasta, the remaining sauce, the remaining mozzarella, the remaining parmesan, and top with as much pepperoni as you’d like.
- Bake the casserole for 40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is browning. Allow the casserole to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was wonderful. My family loves pizza and pasta. This was a great way to get both. I used spicy Italian sausage. Everything else exactly as written. I wasn’t to sure about the ham, but it ended up being my favorite bite when I would get some ham. My son said it is “ridiculously good”
Looks really good!! Do you cook the bow tie pasta before you layer it in?
Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the images on this blog
loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
My mom makes this. She uses elbow macaroni, pizza sauce, beef/chicken.
Hello everyone, it’s my first pay a visit at this site, and paragraph is actually fruitful for me, keep up posting such articles.
I’m not sure how I reached your blog, but I am so glad I did! What a wonderful concept; LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact the you test and rate them! And your pictures are heavenly. Ooooooh…. I just spotted Hershey’s Cheesecake Brownies in your sidebar. I need to check those out. I’m clicking to follow you!!! Please come and do the same, although you won’t see many recipes from me… not when there are people like YOU to do the work for me! Have a wonderful weekend, Jules from blesid thrifter
Hey newest follower here.. Thank you so much for following my blog! After I seen your recipes I knew your blog was a perfect one for me to follow too! We just had an italian casserole last night for dinner too.. you can never go wrong with italian around here!
This looks yummy. Following you back 🙂 although my waistline is in danger 😉
My middle son would go crazy for this! Must try it! Am following now! X
Hello,
I’m your newest follower. Your recipe looks really good and I can’t wait to try it:)
Thanks,
Carissa
Yummy! I make a Pizza Casserole too … So Good! Yours looks Awesome! Pinning & Sharing 🙂