Description
This Pizza Pasta Casserole combines delicious pasta, zesty marinara, and pepperoni for a flavor-packed meal that’s simple to prepare and perfect for busy weeknights. With gooey cheese topping and a satisfying texture, it’s a comforting dish everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow pasta (or rotini, penne, or similar shape)
- 3 cups marinara sauce (or pizza sauce)
- 3 cups water
- 1 (5 ounce) package mini pepperoni, divided (or regular/turkey pepperoni, chopped)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or italian cheese blend
- optional garnish: grated parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the prepared baking dish, combine the uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water, about ¾ of the pepperoni, and salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Take it out of the oven and stir. The pasta should be almost done but still slightly firm. If it’s too hard, cover and bake 5 more minutes.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top and add the remaining pepperoni on top of the cheese.
- Return to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the pasta is tender.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
You can use any similar shaped pasta for this dish.
For added flavor, use turkey pepperoni as a lighter option.
Feel free to top with extra cheese or your favorite pizza toppings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 40mg