Description
Baked Pizza Pasta combines the comforting flavors of pizza with hearty rotini pasta, ground beef, and melted mozzarella cheese. This easy, family-friendly casserole is perfect for a weeknight dinner, featuring a savory tomato sauce blended with Italian seasoning, tender pasta, and topped with pepperoni for a classic pizza taste baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Other Ingredients
- 14 ounce jar pizza sauce
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 cups rotini pasta (measured before cooking)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided use
- 36 slices pepperoni, divided use
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil 3 cups of rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Brown the Meat and Aromatics: In a skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef along with diced onion, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning over medium heat. Once cooked, drain off any excess grease and remove from heat.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the pasta casserole.
- Mix Sauce and Pasta: In a large bowl, combine the jar of pizza sauce with 3/4 cup water. Add the cooked pasta, 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, the cooked ground beef mixture, and 20 sliced pepperoni (cut halves). Stir thoroughly to evenly coat everything with sauce.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spray a 9×9-inch or 11×7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the pasta mixture evenly into the dish.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the top of the pasta mixture. Arrange the remaining pepperoni slices on top for an appealing finish.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
Notes
- This baked Pizza Pasta recipe is a family favorite, combining flavorful pizza sauce with rotini noodles and classic pizza toppings for a quick, delicious meal.
- You can substitute Italian sausage for ground beef for a spicier variation.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and pepperoni and add more vegetables like bell peppers and mushrooms.
- Use part-skim mozzarella to reduce fat content if desired.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 497 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 846 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
