Description
This Pizza Casserole is a hearty, comforting dish combining classic Italian flavors of sausage, pepperoni, and mozzarella with tender fusilli pasta baked in a rich tomato sauce. Perfect for family dinners and easy meal prep, this casserole layers flavorful meat sauce and gooey cheese for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz fusilli pasta
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb bulk Italian sausage (sweet or hot)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered
Seasonings and Sauce
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- 3 15-oz cans strained tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
Cheese and Toppings
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup (about 4 oz) sliced pepperoni
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the fusilli pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Cook the sausage: While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bulk Italian sausage, breaking it into small bite-sized pieces, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the diced onion, minced garlic, chopped green bell pepper, and quartered cremini mushrooms to the skillet with the sausage. Cook until the onion is soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in the kosher salt, red pepper flakes, dried basil, and dried oregano, mixing well. Pour in the strained tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Assemble the casserole: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the meat sauce and half of the sliced pepperoni, mixing gently. Pour half of this pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the noodles. Add the remaining pasta mixture on top, then finish by sprinkling the remaining mozzarella cheese and topping with the remaining pepperoni slices.
- Bake the casserole: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 15-20 minutes more.
Notes
- Use sweet or hot Italian sausage depending on your spice preference.
- Strained tomatoes can be substituted with an equal amount of crushed tomatoes or a thick tomato sauce if preferred.
- For a milder dish, reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.
- The casserole can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking to enhance the flavors.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
