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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Dishes

    Pizza Pasta Bake

    Published: Jun 21, 2023 by Elizabeth · Leave a Comment

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    The finished baked dish with a blue and white graphic with the title underneath.

    This sausage pepperoni pizza pasta bake is an easy and fun recipe that’s perfect as a midweek meal. In this recipe ziti pasta is combined with an Italian sausage red sauce then it’s topped with pepperoni and lots of cheese.

    The finished pizza pasta bake in a white casserole dish set on a blue table with a white linen.

    This pizza pasta casserole is made with a combination of fresh and convenience ingredients cutting down on prep and cooking time. Jarred pasta sauce and canned diced tomatoes are cooked with fresh Italian sausage making a sauce that’s simple and full of flavor.

    Pasta casseroles are great when you need to feed a crowd. Add a salad and homemade garlic bread as sides to make a hearty meal. If you like this pizza pasta, try this baked spaghetti, that’s just as easy to make, and a sausage baked ziti that’s always a crowd-pleaser!

    This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients

    The ingredients for the dish arranged in glass bowls and set on a white table, with each one labeled in small black letters.
    • Meat – This pizza pasta is made with pepperoni and sausage. For the sausage we use mild Italian. Use hot to add a little kick. Italian sausage is a great ingredient for weeknight dinners check these Italian sausage recipes for more dinner ideas.
    • Pantry – Diced tomatoes and a meatless variety jarred pasta sauce are used to make the sauce and panko breadcrumbs are used to make the breadcrumb topping.
    • Pasta – Use a short pasta. This dish is made with ziti, but penne, fusilli, and rigatoni will also work well.
    • Seasoning – The sauce is simply seasoned with Italian seasoning. We also need salt for the pasta water.
    • Dairy/refrigerated – Butter is used to make the breadcrumb topping and mozzarella cheese is a pizza must!
    • You will also need an extra-large baking dish or baking pan (ours is 9×13 inch).
    • See recipe card for quantities and preparation method.

    Instructions

    Bulk sausage added to a large white and blue pot.

    Add the sausage to a large pot and place it over medium-high. Stir while breaking up any large pieces. Cook for 4-6 minutes until browned (see recipe tips).

    Pasta sauce being added to diced tomatoes and browned sausage in a large white and blue pot.

    Add the tomatoes, pasta sauce, and Italian seasoning. Stir well. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower heat to medium-low and cover.

    Cook the sauce for 30 minutes to finish cooking the sausage and let the flavors come together. Keep it at a simmer. If it starts boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit. Stir occasionally.

    While the sauce cooks make the breadcrumb topping and cook the pasta.

    Pasta cooking in a large pot with boiling water.

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta following the package directions for al dente. Remember to salt the water. When the pasta is done drain it well.

    Panko breadcrumbs and butter combined in a non-stick skillet with a blue silicone spatula.

    Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs. Stir until coated with the butter. Take the skillet off the heat and reserve for later.

    Build the pizza pasta casserole

    Preheat the oven to 350°F

    Cook ziti combined with the sausage pasta sauce in a large baking dish.

    Combine the pasta and sausage pasta sauce. Add half of the pasta mixture to a large baking dish.

    Shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni arranged on the pasta in a large baking dish.

    Top with about half the mozzarella cheese. Arrange half the pepperoni slices on top. Space them so that every serving will include pepperoni.

    The prepared pizza pasta casserole without the breadcrumbs on top.

    Repeat the steps in the same order: pasta, cheese, pepperoni but reserve ¼-⅓ cup of the mozzarella to sprinkle over the pepperoni.

    The prepared casserole before baking.

    Finally, sprinkle the top evenly with the prepared breadcrumbs.

    Bake the pizza pasta for 30 minutes until the breadcrumb topping is golden and the edges are bubbly. Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving.

    The finished pizza pasta bake in a large casserole dish set on a blue table.

    Recipe Tips

    • If the sausage renders a lot of oil drain some of it, if desired. An easy way to do this is to take the pot off the heat. Mound the sausage on one side of the pot and gently tip it so that the excess oil pools on the other side of the sausage. Use a ladle or a large spoon to scoop out the excess oil.
    • Do not overcook the pasta so it holds up to stirring with the sauce and baking.
    • Hold the extra salt. The pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, sausage, pepperoni, and cheese all contain salt already. Other than salting the pasta water we don’t add extra. If you are sensitive to salt substitute some (or all) of the ingredients with reduced sodium varieties.

    Storing and reheating

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

    Reheat the pasta in the microwave in a suitable container until hot all the way through. To reheat in the oven, place the pasta in an oven-safe baking dish and cover with foil. Bake on 350°F until hot. Leftovers need to be reheated to at least 165°F.

    Thaw the frozen pizza pasta in the refrigerator before reheating.

    For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.

    A portion of the pizza pasta bake held up by a serving spoon over the baking dish.

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    The finished pizza pasta bake in a white casserole dish set on a blue table with a white linen.
    Print Recipe
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    Pizza Pasta Bake

    This sausage pepperoni pizza pasta bake is an easy and fun recipe that’s perfect as a midweek meal.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Build casserole15 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: casseroles, pasta dinner
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 655kcal
    Author: Elizabeth

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound Mild Italian Sausage casings removed and torn into small pieces or use bulk sausage
    • 28 ounce canned Diced Tomatoes undrained
    • 24 ounce Jar Meatless Pasta Sauce use your favorite brand and variety
    • ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
    • 12 ounces Pasta cooked to package directions for al dente and drained (use a short pasta – we used ziti)
    • 1-2 tablespoons Salt for the pasta water (we use kosher salt)
    • ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
    • 2 tablespoons Butter
    • 16 ounces Mozzarella Cheese shredded (about 4 cups)
    • 3-4 ounces Sliced Pepperoni approximately 40 pieces

    Instructions

    Make the sausage pasta sauce

    • Add the sausage to a large pot and place it over medium-high. Stir the sausage while breaking up any large pieces using a wooden spoon or a spatula. Cook for 4-6 minutes until browned. (see note below)
    • Add the tomatoes, pasta sauce, and Italian seasoning. Stir well. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower heat to medium-low and cover.
    • Cook the sauce for 30 minutes to finish cooking the sausage and let the flavors come together. Keep it at a simmer. If it starts boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit. Stir occasionally.
    • While the sauce cooks make the breadcrumb topping and cook the pasta.
    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta following the package directions for al dente. Remember to salt the water. When the pasta is done drain it well.
    • Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs. Stir until coated with the butter. Take the skillet off the heat and reserve for later.

    Build the pizza pasta casserole

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F
    • Combine the pasta and sausage pasta sauce.
    • Add half of the pasta mixture to a large baking dish.
    • Top with about half the mozzarella cheese.
    • Arrange half the pepperoni slices on top. Space them so that every serving will include pepperoni.
    • Repeat the steps in the same order: pasta, cheese, pepperoni but reserve ¼-⅓ cup of the mozzarella to sprinkle over the pepperoni.
    • Finally, sprinkle the top evenly with the prepared breadcrumbs.
    • Bake the pizza pasta for 30 minutes until the breadcrumb topping is golden and the edges are bubbly.
    • Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving.

    Notes

    • If the sausage renders a lot of oil drain some of it, if desired. An easy way to do this is to take the pot off the heat. Mound the sausage on one side of the pot and gently tip it so that the excess oil pools on the other side of the sausage. Use a ladle or a large spoon to scoop out the excess oil.
    • Examples of short pasta include ziti, penne, fusilli, rigatoni, to name a few.
    • Use an extra-large baking dish or baking pan, ours is 9×13 inch.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 655kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1608mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 957IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 360mg | Iron: 4mg
    The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.

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    Hi, I’m Elizabeth! welcome to Cook2eatwell. Food is my favorite subject; I like to cook food, talk about food, write about food, and most importantly, eat food. Lucky for me, my husband Eddie feels the same way. 

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