Crock Pot Pizza Casserole

If your family loves pizza night, this Crock Pot Pizza Casserole is an easy way to enjoy those classic flavors in a hearty, comforting meal. Tender pasta cooks right in a rich tomato sauce with seasoned ground beef or Italian sausage, onions, peppers, garlic, herbs, and plenty of melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

Course Entrees, Slow Cooker

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot casserole, pizza casserole, slow cooker casserole

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 535kcal

Author Wendie Williams

Equipment

1 Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or ground italian sausage
1 each small yellow onion diced
1 each green pepper diced
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta uncooked
2 jars marinara sauce 24oz
One 8 oz can of plain tomato sauce
One 14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
25 slices pizza pepperoni xx slices
½ cup parmesan cheese shredded plus for garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet cook the ground beef or sausage together until browned. Drain any excess fat. Add the onion, pepper and garlic to the cooked meat mixture and cook for about 3 minutes until the onions and peppers start to soften.
Pour this mixture into the crock pot then add the uncooked pasta, marinara, canned tomato sauce, petite tomatoes, dried basil and oregano and mix well to combine.
Be sure to make sure the pasta is covered in the sauce mixture. Cook covered for 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours on high, checking the pasta after 1 hour, then every 15 minutes after that. It should be cooked to Al dente by 1 ½ hours total cooking time.
Once cooked gently stir again to combine. Top with the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and the sliced pepperoni. Cover and melt for an additional 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve with extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Check the pasta early: Begin checking the pasta early, after 60-65 minutes, then continue checking every 15 minutes as directed. Slow cookers can vary in temperature, so cooking times may differ slightly.
Serve Immediately: This casserole is at its best shortly after the cheese has melted, when the sauce is creamy and the pasta is perfectly tender.

Nutrition