Pizza Casserole

Pizza casserole is a combination of noodles (spaghetti, macaroni, egg noodles, or any other type of noodles) and several toppings which are normally used on pizza. It makes a perfect meal to be served as the main dish for a family dinner. It can also be served as an appetizer. Its main ingredients include noodles, ground beef, onions, green bell pepper, pepperoni sausage, and pizza sauce. However, anything that an individual thinks can be used as pizza topping can be included in this casserole. It is best served hot after garnished with mozzarella cheese. The casserole is often baked  anoven; however, a few recipes suggest baking it on Crockpot or slow cooker.

Commonly Used Ingredients and Preparation Overview of Pizza Casseroles

The basic pizza casserole recipe suggests the use of egg noodles, ground beef, chopped onions, minced garlic, chopped bell peppers, pepperoni sausage (American-Italian dry sausage often prepared from beef and cured pork), pizza sauce, milk, and mozzarella cheese.  

Cooked noodles, pizza sauce, milk, and pepperoni are combined with sautéed mix of ground beef, onions, green bell pepper, and garlic, and the entire mix is poured into a casserole saucier and baked after topping it with shredded cheese.

Pizza Casserole Recipe Variations

Some of the popular variations of pizza casserole are discussed below:

• Macaroni based variant- this casserole is prepared by mixing together browned onions and hamburger mix, cooked macaroni, pizza sauce, and spaghetti sauce in a casserole saucier, and baking it in oven after topping it with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.

• Breakfast casserole- the recipe for breakfast pizza casserole suggests layering the bottom of the casserole pan with unrolled crescent roll dough (buttery and flaky bread in rolled form); baking it for a few minutes, and then pouring cooked pork sausage in an even manner over the crescent roll crust. It is then topped with potatoes and baked after pouring well beaten eggs over potatoes, and sprinkling shredded cheese on the top.

• Crock pot pizza casserole- this casserole is prepared in crock pot. Cooked noodles, cooked beef mix (a combination of beef, onions, mushroom and its juice, green peppers, spaghetti sauce, and pizza sauce), pepperoni, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese are arranged in layered form in Crockpot and cooked on low flame.