Pizza Pasta Bake Recipe
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Easy Meal Kids Love
Make this family favorite dinner for your own…a pizza pasta bake! We never have any leftovers because everyone goes back for more helpings.
What is needed to make Pizza Pasta Bake?
- Supplies:
o 9×13 baking dish
o Frying pan - Ingredients:
o 16 ounces uncooked ziti pasta – You can use any pasta! Some of my favorites for this
recipe are penne, bowtie/farfalle, rigatoni, and rotini.
o 16 ounces mild Italian sausage, ground – I’ve tried this recipe with sweet Italian sausage and it was also very good! I like to use mild because it’s a good middle ground.
o 1 cup (3.5 ounces) pepperoni – I used regular pre-sliced pepperoni; I like to quarter the
pepperonis that are going inside to pasta to make it bite size. But you can swap it for a
pepperoni stick and cut thicker chunks, or use mini pepperonis according to preference
and availability.
o 4 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella – I grated my own cheese for this recipe, and I
used whole milk mozzarella.
o 3 cups (24 ounces) marinara sauce – I love Victoria brand marinara sauce!
o Parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)
o Basil fresh to garnish (optional)
What to serve with Pizza Pasta Bake? - Side salad: Italian or Caesar are great options!
- Roasted vegetables
- Ratatouille
- Garlic bread
- Bruschetta
How to store Pizza Pasta Bake?
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- This recipe freezes well! Store in a freezer safe airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat in the oven or store in individual portions and microwave for 3-5 minutes.
What substitutions / add-ins can I make?
- For a gluten free option, use gluten free pasta.
- Swap pepperoni for salami
- Swap Italian sausage for ground beef, chicken sausage, or ground chicken or turkey.
- Add any of your favorite pizza toppings! Such as bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, bacon, ham, pineapple, and spinach.
Can I make Pizza Pasta Bake ahead of time? - Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time! Follow steps 1-3, then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling slightly.
Notes - You can broil for a couple minutes at the end of baking to brown the top and make the cheese more bubbly on top. I usually don’t do this because I don’t want to risk overbaking the cheese!
Pizza Pasta Bake
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 16 ounces uncooked ziti pasta
- 16 ounces mild Italian sausage ground
- 1 cup 3.5 ounces pepperoni, divided (reserve 12-15 pepperonis to put on top!)
- 3 cups 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 4 cups 12 ounces shredded mozzarella, divided in half
- Parmesan cheese to garnish optional
- Basil fresh to garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- Over medium heat, cook Italian sausage in a frying pan until no longer pink (about 5 minutes) and break into small pieces.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, add cooked and drained pasta, cooked Italian sausage, pepperoni (reserve 12-15 pepperonis to put on top), marinara sauce, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Top with the remaining mozzarella and pepperoni.
- Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to bubble. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
