My Supreme Pizza Pasta Casserole will soon become a favorite dinner recipe. It is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or tastes great to have for company. It is easy to make and doesn’t take much time.
There’s nothing more comforting than a casserole dish, am I right? Casserole dishes are perfect to bring to someone who could use something to brighten their day. It is perfect for someone who is recovering from surgery or for someone who just had a baby.
How do you make a pizza pasta casserole in the oven?
While some of this pasta casserole is made on the stove top, like browning the meat and boiling the noodles, the rest is created in the oven. Once the dish is assembled, it is baked in the oven to bring all of the flavors together and melt the cheese. This brings the dish together.
Can you make a baked pasta casserole ahead of time?
Yes. You can make baked pasta casserole ahead of time and then reheat it later. If you want to make Pizza pasta casserole for a freezer meal, I recommend that you do not bake it. I would assemble it to the point right before baking, and then wrap it with plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. You can freeze this recipe for up to three months.
Variations to Supreme Pizza Pasta Casserole
When it comes to making a pasta casserole anything goes. Casserole dishes are easy to change up to meet your personal tastes. When creating this pasta casserole, try these variations:
- using fresh basil, basil goes with anything tomato related!
- adding in chorizo or ground sausage to the dish will add a slightly different flavor to this dish.
- adding in hot peppers will give this dish some heat. Since you are in control of how many peppers you add, you can decide how much heat to add.
- hide in spinach by cooking it down in pasta sauce on the stove while the noodles are boiling.
If you enjoy my recipe for Supreme Pizza Pasta Casserole, you should try out two of my other favorite easy to make and lightened-up casserole recipes, my Stuffed Pepper Casserole, and Tex-Mex Casserole with Beef and Pasta.
Can you put uncooked pasta in the oven?
I have put uncooked pasta in the oven. It increases the cook time and you will need additional sauce. It can also change the texture of the noodles. I do not recommend using uncooked pasta in this recipe.
Ingredients to make Supreme Pizza Pasta Casserole at home
- whole wheat rotini pasta
- lean ground beef
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic
- onion
- green bell peppers
- baby bella (cremini) mushrooms
- Prego® Light Smart® Traditional Pasta Sauce
- Italian seasoning
- shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
- turkey pepperoni
How to Make Supreme Pizza Pasta Casserole
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, 7 to 8 minutes.
Use a wooden spoon to break the beef up as it cooks. Transfer the beef to a plate and drain any excess fat from the skillet. Add the olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish or a 14-inch round baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Return the cooked ground beef back to the skillet and mix with the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low. Pour the pasta sauce into skillet. Add the Italian seasoning and mix well. Stir the cooked pasta into the skillet, making sure to evenly coat the pasta.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and pepperoni. Bake uncovered until the cheese has melted, 20 to 25 minutes.
Supreme Pizza Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta dry (I like Barilla®)
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 green bell peppers diced
- 1 8-ounce container baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 23.25-ounce jar Prego® Light Smart® Traditional Pasta Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese I like Sargento®
- 17 slices turkey pepperoni
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, 7 to 8 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break the beef up as it cooks. Transfer the beef to a plate and drain any excess fat from the skillet.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish or a 14-inch round baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Return the cooked ground beef back to the skillet and mix with the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low. Pour the pasta sauce into skillet. Add the Italian seasoning and mix well. Stir the cooked pasta into the skillet, making sure to evenly coat the pasta.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and pepperoni. Bake uncovered until the cheese has melted, 20 to 25 minutes.
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