If you’re on the hunt for the best slow cooker recipes for those busy days, try this easy Crock Pot Pizza Casserole next time. Hearty, cheesy, and easy to put together!
This will quickly become your favorite casserole because, not only is it delicious, it’s the perfect recipe for making a large batch to serve the whole family dinner tonight.
Crockpot Pizza Casserole Recipe
This easy crockpot recipe is about to become a family favorite! With layers of pasta, cheesy goodness, and all of your favorite toppings, the pizza flavors really stand out in this pasta casserole, making it both delicious and hearty.
Your entire family will love it, and it’ll become one of your favorite recipes for making an easy weeknight dinner.
If you love Italian food, especially Italian casseroles, check out my dump meatball casserole, lasagna casserole, garlic bread casserole, and my extra cheesy baked spaghetti casserole recipe.
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Ingredients Needed
- Pasta – Usually this recipe calls for penne pasta, but you can use any type of pasta.
- Italian sausage – Choose ground sausage or replace with ground beef.
- Ground beef – Lean ground beef, but you can use ground turkey as well.
- Pepperoni – I personally love using mini pepperoni slices for this recipe, but you can also try turkey pepperoni for a healthier option.
- Onion – Choose a small to medium sized onion, depending on how much you want. Swap for onion powder if necessary.
- Pizza sauce – This can be switched with spaghetti sauce or, if you don’t like tomatoes, try alfredo sauce.
- Italian seasoning – If you can’t find Italian seasoning at the store, you can also make it at home.
- Garlic – Minced garlic is preferred, but swap with garlic powder or garlic salt if you don’t have minced.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – If you don’t like mozzarella, try using cheddar or parmesan cheese.
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How to Make Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
- In a large pot, add dry pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage and ground beef. Drain and set aside as well.
- Add meat mixture to pasta, along with sauce, diced onion, Italian seasoning, and garlic, stirring to combine.
- Spray bowl of a 4-6 quart crockpot with cooking spray.
- Layer a little bit of the pasta and ground beef mixture in the instant pot. Top with cheese. Repeat two more times, and cover final layer with lots of cheese on top.
- Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until cheese melts. Turn off heat and enjoy!
For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Serving Suggestions
Since this simple recipe leans more towards the comfort food category, it’s a good idea to serve it with some lighter sides.
I like to go with a green salad topped with carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and red peppers or a crusty Italian bread.
How long does it last?
If you want to make this easy dinner recipe ahead and store it for serving the next day, the best way is to bake according to the directions before placing it in an airtight container.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, but it also makes a great freezer meal, where it can be kept for 4 months.
When reheating, take a serving out of the fridge or freezer and bake in a pressure cooker on a warm setting based on the cook time in the recipe. Make sure it’s heated through before eating.
Tips for the Best Casserole
- For this pasta casserole, you can add any of your favorite pizza toppings and customize it for your family’s taste!
- That means topping it with pepperoni, sausage, veggies like bell peppers, or even pineapple (for my Hawaiian pizza lovers out there). I also recommend serving with red pepper flakes or parmesan cheese, which are traditional staples for pizza.
- Use a crockpot liner for easier clean up.
- To really mix it up, you can make this recipe breakfast pizza style! Top with scrambled eggs, bacon, and spinach.
- Another fun recipe to make that is kid-friendly is my Beanie Weenie Casserole. Didn’t you eat these as a kid too?
If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!
This slow cooker pizza casserole recipe is so much fun to make, because it’s something that my entire family loves!
Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta Rotini is best
- 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed
- 8 ounces ground beef
- 8 ounces sliced pepperoni
- ½ medium onion diced fine
- 42 ounces pizza sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package directions. Under cook by 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the sausage and ground beef until no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
- To the pasta, add the cooked meat, sauce, diced onion, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Spray the bowl of a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Layer ⅓ of the pasta mixture in the bottom. Top with ⅓ of the cheese.
- Repeat two more times, ending with cheese on top.
- Cover and cook on low 2-3 hours or until melty and cheesy.
- Serve with crusty bread and a salad!
Notes
Nutrition
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