We love all things pizza in my house, including pizza stuffed chicken, pizza dip and pizza muffins. This pizza pasta is our new favorite dinner recipe, the kids request it every week and I’m happy to oblige because it’s so simple to make. My kids would eat pizza every day if I let them. But there’s only so many times you can have pizza before you get tired of it, am I right? This pizza pasta is a fun twist on a classic with hearty pasta cooked in a savory sauce, plenty of cheese, and our favorite pizza toppings.
Pizza Pasta Ingredients
To make this pizza pasta bake, you will need olive oil, Italian sausage, onion, mini pepperoni, garlic, marinara sauce, water, salt, black pepper, pasta, mozzarella cheese and parsley.
How Do You Make Pizza Pasta?
Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the sausage and break it up with a spatula as it cooks. Next add the onion to the pan and cook until it is soft. Stir in some of the pepperoni and garlic and cook for one more minute. Pour the marinara sauce into the pot along with water, salt, pepper and the pasta. Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer until the pasta is tender – no need to drain! Sprinkle the cheese and remaining pepperoni on top of the pasta. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted. Add a sprinkle of parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For Pizza Pasta
You can use turkey or pork Italian sausage. I use mild sausage, but feel free to use hot if you like spice. While the pizza pasta primarily cooks on the stove top, you will need to turn on the oven to melt the cheese at the end. Be sure to use an oven safe pan so that you can easily transfer your pan from stove to oven. Make sure you use a large pan for this recipe, as the pasta will expand considerably as it cooks and you want to make sure you have enough room for it all! Choose your favorite brand of marinara sauce for this recipe. I typically use Rao’s or Newman’s Own.
Flavor Variations
While this dish is delicious as written, you can absolutely customize the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Protein: Swap out the sausage and pepperoni for other protein options such as ham, ground beef, salami, chicken, bacon or linguica. Pasta: I typically use rotini noodles, but other types of short pasta will work including penne, fusilli, gemelli, cavatappi or farfalle. Vegetables: Feel free to add some extra cooked veggies to the mix. My favorites include bell peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, olives, spinach or zucchini. Cheese: Swap out the mozzarella for another type of cheese. Some great choices are provolone or fontina. You can also add some freshly grated parmesan cheese.
This pizza pasta makes for great leftovers, my kids always ask to take it for lunch the next day. This dish is hearty enough to serve on its own, but if you’re looking for side dish ideas, I’d recommend my garlic knots, parmesan roasted broccoli or candied carrots. Pizza pasta has it all. It’s quick, doesn’t dirty up a ton of dishes, and has flavors that both kids and adults adore. Make it for dinner tonight and watch the rave reviews come in!
Pizza Pasta Video
