I have been craving pizza lately, but didn’t want to fuss with making a gluten-free crust. So this recipe for Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Casserole is the perfect alternative. All the flavors of your favorite pizza combined with pasta in a hot and cheesy casserole. So good!
Warming and filling, this is a great dinner for any night of the week. This casserole appeals to kids and adults alike, everyone enjoying their meal and cleaning their plates.
Before and After Baking
Chopping part of the pepperoni slices and stirring them into the pasta mixture gives you a light spiciness throughout the casserole. All the best pepperoni pizza goodness in every single bite!
You are welcome to add more vegetables to the mix if you want to bump up the health quotient. You can also leave out the ground meats and replace them with chopped mushrooms for a similar texture. This is a great way to get more veggies into your kid’s diets in a way they will love.
Do you want to make this even faster and easier? You can make the sauce a day or two in advance, letting you assemble the dish easily and quickly on serving day. Or even easier, buy a store-bought jar of pizza sauce – just be sure it is gluten-free if needed.
For those who don’t like chopping vegetables, you can hit the salad bar at your local grocers, selecting the pre-sliced and chopped vegetables you like. Many stores also now offer pre-cut onions, carrots, and celery (called mirepoix) to speed up the cooking prep even more.
I used Barilla brand gluten-free penne pasta to make this for my family because it holds up well to cooking and baking. You can use your favorite brand of pasta or whatever you have on hand – just adjust the cook time to be sure the pasta is al dente because it is going to finish cooking in the oven.
If you want a crowd-pleasing meal, just put this Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Casserole on the menu. Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you back here for Chocolate Monday!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Casserole:
- Pizza Sauce: oil, onion, garlic, chicken broth, chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, basil
- Casserole: pasta, ground pork or beef, onion, bell peppers, pepperoni slices, oregano, pizza sauce (from above), shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, Parmesan, green onions
PRO Tip:
You can use any shape of pasta you have available and like, but try to find one that is designed to capture the sauce and hold it. Penne, fusilli, rotini, etc. would all work well.
How to make Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Casserole:
- Make the Pizza Sauce: Sauté the oil, onions, and garlic then stir in the chicken broth, whisking to release any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add in the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, and rosemary. Simmer to blend flavors then puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in fresh basil. Can be made a day or two ahead; reheat when ready to assemble the casserole.
- Prepare the Casserole: Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, rinse with cool water and pour into a large mixing bowl. Toss with a little of the pizza sauce so it won’t stick together.
- Brown the ground meat with the onions and bell peppers breaking up clumps. Mix in the chopped pepperoni and oregano. Add this mixture to the pasta. Add 2 cups (456g) of the pizza sauce tossing to coat everything evenly. Add more sauce if desired.
- Pour the pasta mixture into an oiled 9×13-inch (22x33cm) baking dish, cover with the cheeses, and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Scatter the whole pepperoni pieces over the top.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Let rest 10 minutes before scooping out servings and sprinkling the tops with sliced green onions.
PRO Tip:
There are quite a few pizza sauces available on the market these days. My favorite is Rao’s but always be sure to check the label carefully if you are gluten free and need to avoid gluten containing ingredients!
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Kitchen scale
- Chef’s knife
- Saucepan
- Immersion blender
- Stockpot or Dutch oven
- Large mixing bowl
- Large, deep skillet or Dutch oven (see link above)
- Box grater
Gluten-Free Tips:
Some prepared pizza sauces contain gluten ingredients and aren’t safe for us to eat. Making your own from scratch not only tastes better but guarantees you know exactly what is in it and can make smart choices for your family. Watch everything that is in a can, bottle, or package for possible contamination with gluten ingredients.
* My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s or another brand you will not need as much because they are saltier.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Casserole (GF)
I have been craving pizza lately, but didn't want to fuss with making a gluten-free crust. So this recipe for Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Casserole is the perfect alternative. All the flavors of your favorite pizza combined with pasta in a hot and cheesy casserole. So good!
Ingredients
Pizza Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped finely
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup (151g) gluten-free chicken broth
- 28 oz (794g) crushed or finely chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Kosher salt* and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary or 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 to 6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
Casserole
- 12 oz (340g) penne pasta or other shape (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 lb (454g) ground pork or beef (sausage may contain gluten)
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 4 oz (113g) pepperoni slices, coarsely chopped (gluten-free if needed)
- About 20 whole slices pepperoni (for the top of the casserole)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 to 3 cups (456g to 684g) pizza sauce (from above or a gluten-free brand)
- 3 cups (339g) shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup (50g) shredded or grated Parmesan
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
1. Make the Pizza Sauce: Place the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cooking until softened, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the chicken broth, whisking to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the sugar plus the salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the oregano and rosemary. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the fresh basil and let sit for a few minutes to infuse the flavors.
3. The sauce can be made a day or two in advance and reheated when you are ready to assemble the casserole. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
4. Prepare the Casserole: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Oil or butter a 9x13-inch (23x33cm) baking dish.
5. While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in well-salted water according to package directions until just al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and pour into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with a little of the pizza sauce to avoid the pasta from sticking together. Toss until evenly coated.
6. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, brown the ground meat with the onions and bell peppers, breaking up clumps. When cooked through, mix in the chopped pepperoni and oregano. Reserve the whole slices of pepperoni for the topping separately. Pour the meat and vegetables over the pasta in the bowl. Add 2 cups (456g) of the pizza sauce and toss all the ingredients together until thoroughly mixed. Add more pizza sauce if desired. You want all the pasta coated with the sauce.
7. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover the top with the shredded cheeses and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Scatter the whole pepperoni slices around the top of the casserole.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven, cool 10 minutes then scoop servings into bowls, sprinkle the tops with sliced green onions, and serve hot.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
Many prepared pizza sauces contain gluten ingredients and aren't safe for us to eat. Making your own from scratch not only tastes better but guarantees you know exactly what is in it and can make smart choices for your family.
* My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s or another brand you will not need as much because they are saltier.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Adapted from a recipe from Building Our Story
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 584Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 1129mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 9gProtein: 37g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in Jan 2013. The article was updated in 2026.
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