Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
Crock Pot Pizza Casserole will become your new favorite easy dinner recipe. This dish combines two of the best things, pizza and pasta, into one simple and foolproof dinner that everyone is guaranteed to love. With just 10 ingredients and 30 minutes of prep time, it's truly a dinner made for success.
Servings: 15 servings
Calories: 369kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta penne, ziti, or rigatoni
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound breakfast or Italian sausage mild, medium or hot
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3.5 ounces pepperoni chopped
- 1 cup diced onion about 1 small onion
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper about 1 pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 42 ounces pizza sauce
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- Garnish options: parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, sliced fresh basil
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water 2-3 minutes less than the package calls for al dente (tender) pasta. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble ground beef and sausage until browned and cooked through. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and pepperoni to the skillet. Sauté 2 minutes. Season the meat mixture with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the garlic powder. Drain off any excess grease.
- In a large bowl mix together the cooked and drained pasta, cooked meat mixture, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, and remaining garlic powder.
- Coat the inside of a crockpot with oil or non-stick spray. Spreading in even layers, add half of the meat mixture, followed by half of the mozzarella cheese. Add the remaining meat mixture, followed by the remaining cheese. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. If cooked longer than 4 hours or on HIGH it may burn.
- Serve warm garnished as desired.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips for Success
- Pre-cook the sausage and beef. You will want to cook both of these fully on the stovetop before placing into the slow cooker. This ensures they are fully cooked through and just infuse the sauce with their flavor over time.
- Par-cook the pasta. You will want to cook your pasta noodles 2 to 3 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. The noodles will continue cooking in the slow cooker until they are perfect.
- Mozzarella Varieties. Most pre-shredded bags of mozzarella have a coating on it that prevents the cheese from melting as nicely. Ideally, shred a fresh block of mozzarella. Alternatively, use a high-quality pre-shredded bag of cheese.
- Sauce Options: Pizza sauce is part of what gives this dish its classic pizza flavor. However, you can also use marinara sauce, if desired.
Storage and Freezing
For the fridge: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For the freezer: Again place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat according to the instructions below. Reheating instructions: Place in the microwave for a few minutes or until warmed through. Alternatively, you can place in a baking dish in the oven at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes until bubbling and warm.Nutrition
Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 1.04mg | Potassium: 547mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 2mg
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