Pizza Pasta
My easy pizza pasta is full of ground beef, spicy pepperoni and melty. This family favorite only requires one pot and comes together in less than 20 minutes.
I love easy pasta diners like my skillet chicken bruschetta pasta, skillet lasagna, and one pot Italian sausage pasta. This pizza pasta is another one I cook often. It is filling, cheap to make, and kid friendly too. Just like my pizza grilled cheese and my pizza burgers this has all the flavors of your favorite pizza. Bonus: Only one pan to wash!
Why This Recipe Works: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- Natural Thickener: Cooking pasta directly in the sauce releases starch to thicken it up.
- Crispy Pepperoni: This adds great texture and the rendered fat infuses the spicy flavor into every bite!
- Use Broth Not Water: This adds so much flavor to the pasta!
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Ground Beef: I used 90% lean. If you use fattier beef, I suggest draining it before adding the remaining ingredients. You could also use ground sausage. Sometimes I use beef and sausage when I make this for meat man!
- Bell Pepper: Green adds a fun color contrast, but red and yellow peppers are often sweeter.
- Broth: I used low sodium since we already have a lot of salty ingredients. You could also use water in a pinch.
- Pasta: I love a big hearty noodle like rigatoni. You could also use rotini, ziti, or cavatappi. Look for noodles with ridges to hold the sauce.
- Marinara Sauce: I like Rao's 4 cheese pasta sauce the best. Avoid pizza sauce which tends to be thinner and sweeter.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible. Pre-shredded varieties contain anticaking ingredients that won't melt smoothly.
Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets
- Stir Frequently: Stir pasta every few minutes to keep it submerged in the liquid and to prevent it from sticking.
- Don't Overcook Your Pasta: Pull it just shy of al dente. It will continue to cook in the hot pan as you stir in the cheeses.
- Turn Heat Off Before Adding Cheese: This will help it melt smoothly and prevents it from being grainy.
More Easy Pasta Dinners
Cajun Alfredo with Shrimp and Sausage
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Pepperoni Pizza Pasta
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Ingredients
- 24 Slices Pepperoni
- 1 Pound Ground Beef Lean
- 1 Bell Pepper Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Onion Diced
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Box Rigatoni Pasta
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 Jar Marinara Sauce
- 1 ½ Cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese Shredded and Divided
- ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese Shredded
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven cook pepperoni for a few minutes per side or until crispy.
- In the same skillet, brown ground beef, onion, and pepper until no pink remains.
- Add garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Pour in broth and scrape the bottom of the pan. Then add pasta, marinara, and tomato paste. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer for ~15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Remove from heat. Stir in pepperoni, parmesan, and 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Add additional cheese on top, and garnish with additional pepperoni if desired.
Nutrition
This pizza pasta is amazing! Such a yummy recipe.
This pizza pasta is amazing! Such a great recipe.
This pepperoni pizza pasta is amazing! Such a yummy recipe.
This pepperoni pizza pasta is amazing! Such a great recipe.
This one was a hit!! The whole family enjoyed this and I actually enjoyed making it! Thanks for a great recipe!
This Pizza Pasta is such a comforting mash-up. All the flavors of pizza rolled into a cheesy, saucy pasta that comes together in under 30 minutes.
This casserole looks like the ultimate family comfort meal. I like how it combines the best of pizza and pasta into one dish. Definitely something everyone would enjoy around the table.
This pizza pasta was such a hit with my family! All the cheesy, pepperoni goodness of pizza in a comforting pasta dish! Definitely a new weeknight favorite.
This pizza casserole is amazing! My son is a picky eater so I just did pepperoni on his side but added diced bell peppers on ours. Will make again!
Great family meal! Everyone enjoyed your recipe - taste just like pizza!
This is the best of all possible worlds, and I love it so much. We devoured this!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
This is exactly what my kid would eat! Thanks for sharing!