Easy Pizza Casserole

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We all have nights where we just want something quick and easy for dinner but don’t want to spend a lot of time or money.  This Easy Pizza Pasta Bake is ideal for saving money, satisfying a crowd and throwing together in minutes.  My favorite part about this meal is how flexible it is for individual family taste buds.  We use basic ingredients for our kids that prefer fewer veggies and traditional “pizza” taste of cheese and pepperoni but we also split it and make half with just those ingredients and the other half chock full of bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and even zucchini for the adults who want something more substantial.  Using easy to pick up on sale with coupon items it typically becomes a $5 dinner for us that feeds everyone and has leftovers for the next day! Enjoy….

Easy Pizza Casserole

(Print recipe below)

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound Pasta (we like the veggie spirals)
• 1 Jar Favorite Pasta Sauce
• 1 Package Turkey Pepperoni
• 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning Mix (1 Teaspoon Oregano, 1 Teaspoon Marjorim, 1 Teaspoon Basil)
• 2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
• 1 ½ Cups Shredded Low Fat Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Optional (for toppings):

• Bell Pepper
• Black Olive
• Onions
• Diced Tomatoes
• Diced Zucchini
• Cooked Italian Sausage
• Cooked Italian Seasoned Hamburger or Ground Turkey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray
3. Cook Pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside
4. If using Italian sausage or ground meat cook, drain and set aside.  Do the same with any vegetables like onions or peppers that need to be cooked to tenderize prior to eating.
5. In large bowl mix together cooked pasta, pasta sauce turkey pepperoni and half of cheese.
6. If using other ingredients mix in with pasta until distributed evenly
7. Pour into casserole and top with remaining cheese
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until cheese is melted, bubbling and browned slightly on top.
9. Serve alone or with a side salad.

This Easy Pizza Pasta Bake is a hit with kids because it’s so much like their favorites (spaghetti & pizza) but also a hit with mom and dad since you can easily hide extra veggies in this dish that they won’t even notice. 😉 I’ve even shredded squash, zucchini and carrots and tossed in with the pasta for an extra veggie serving they won’t notice.  Take advantage of those great coupon deals where pasta, sauce and even things like pepperoni and cheese are on sale and stock up your pantry so this can always be a last minute throw together choice for under $5 to feed your entire family in under 30 minutes.