Fast and Filling Pizza Casserole
With the extracurricular activities of fall in full swing and the holidays quickly approaching, life gets busy. It can be difficult to maintain family dinner time in the midst of the hustle. That’s why every family should have a few go-to recipes that are tasty, quick, and filling. This delicious pizza casserole is sure to make your list of go-to quick and hearty meals. Not only does it come together quickly, it’s also inexpensive, delicious, and hearty enough to satisfy everyone.
To make this yummy Italian-inspired dish, you’ll start by boiling some Rotini noodles. If you need to make this dish gluten free, the only thing you need to do differently for this recipe is use gluten free Rotini noodles.
When the noodles have cooked all the way, strain them and run them under cold water. Then set them aside. You’ll also want to cook your ground Italian sausage in a hot skillet. The Italian sausage sets this dish apart from many other pasta casseroles, giving the dish a more complex taste as well as the extra fat and protein that makes it so filling.
Note: If you’re looking to make dinner even faster, you can definitely do these two steps ahead of time!
Before you start putting your casserole together, go ahead and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Then put the cooked noodles and sausage together in a large bowl.
Next, add a jar of your favorite pasta sauce.
Mix well, being careful not to mash the pasta too much (especially if it’s gluten free pasta, which breaks down more easily). Pour the mixture into a casserole dish.
Cover the whole thing with mozzarella cheese! (Because who doesn’t love mozzarella cheese?)
Lastly, place your pepperoni on top of the casserole. This, of course, gives this dish its pizza-like appearance (and name). Use as few or as many as you like!
Once you are done with this step, simply pop your pizza casserole in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and deliciously gooey.
All that’s left is to serve and enjoy! Though I haven’t personally tried freezing this dish, I feel pretty confident that it would freeze and heat-over really well. (I love dishes that I can make duplicates of to store freezer for another night.)
What are some of your quick, family-approved recipes? Do you plan to put this pizza casserole on this week’s rotation?
Fast and Filling Pizza Casserole
Description
This delicious pizza casserole is super satisfying, quick and inexpensive! Make it once and it will become a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 16oz Box Noodles
- 1lb Italian sausage
- 1 Jar Three Cheese Pasta Sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Boil noodles & cook sausage.
- Place cooked noodles into a large bowl.
- Add the sausage.
- Pour in the jar of sauce.
- Mix well.
- Pour into a casserole dish.
- Cover with mozzarella cheese.
- Place pepperoni on top of the cheese.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve & enjoy!
