Pizzaiolo Pasta (Pizza Pasta Bake)

This pizzaiolo pasta is what happens when pizza and pasta decide to become one dish. All the flavors you love from a great pizza night - rich tomato sauce, melty mozzarella, crispy pepperoni - layered with pasta and baked until bubbly and golden. It's the kind of pizza pasta bake that makes people ask for seconds before they've finished their first plate.

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• 🍕 What is pizzaiolo pasta?
• 🧾 Ingredients
• ⭐ Ingredient notes
• 🥣 How to make pizzaiolo pasta (pizza pasta bake)
• 💫 Variations
• 🍽️ Serving suggestions
• 🧺 Storage
• 👩‍🍳 Pro tips
• ❓ FAQ
• 📝 Recipe

This pizza pasta bake comes together in about an hour and is hearty enough to feed a crowd. You can use ground beef, Italian sausage, or a mix of both, and the layering method means you get melty cheese and crispy pepperoni in every single bite.

Everything cooks in one pan before it goes into the oven, so cleanup is pretty minimal for a dish that tastes like you put in a lot more effort than you did. And if you want to skip the oven entirely, there's a stovetop option too.

If you love comfort food with big, bold flavors, you're in the right place. Our pepperoni roll has all the same cheesy, pepperoni-packed goodness in a completely different form, so definitely check that out too. For more baked pasta nights, our baked ziti with ricotta and Italian sausage is always a hit, and if you're in the mood for something with a little heat, give our Carbone's spicy rigatoni vodka a try.

🍕 What is pizzaiolo pasta?

Pizzaiolo is the Italian word for pizza maker. The idea behind this dish is simple: take all your favorite pizza toppings and combine them with pasta instead of a crust. When Italian immigrants came to America, they brought their food traditions with them and made them their own - bolder flavors, more cheese, built for feeding a crowd. Italian-American cooking is its own thing, and this dish is a perfect example. Pizza and pasta are already two of the greatest things in the world, so putting them together in one baked casserole feels less like a recipe and more like an obvious conclusion.

🧾 Ingredients

• Short pasta
• Ground beef and/or Italian sausage
• Pepperoni slices
• Onion
• Garlic
• Canned plum tomatoes
• Fresh mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Italian seasoning
• Fresh basil
• Fresh parsley
• Salt
• Pepper
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

⭐ Ingredient notes

• Short pasta - Campanelle is what I used and it works really well because the ruffled edges hold onto the sauce. Penne, rigatoni, or ziti are all great options too.
• Ground beef and/or Italian sausage - I used half of each and it's a great combo. The beef adds heartiness and the sausage adds a ton of flavor. Use all of one or the other if that's what you have handy.
• Pepperoni - Regular sliced pepperoni works great. Mini pepperoni are fun too if you can find them.
• Canned plum tomatoes - San Marzano tomatoes are worth it here if you can find them.
• Fresh mozzarella - Fresh mozzarella melts completely differently than pre-shredded. It gets gooey and stretchy in a way that bagged shredded just doesn't, because pre-shredded has added starch to keep it from clumping. Go fresh if you can.
• Parmesan - Freshly grated is always better, but use what you have.
• Red pepper flakes - Optional, but a little heat really works in this dish.

See the recipe card below for full ingredients and measurements.

🥣 How to make pizzaiolo pasta (pizza pasta bake)

Start by cooking your pasta in a large pot of well-salted water. Drain the pasta a couple minutes before it's fully done - it'll finish cooking in the oven.

While the pasta is cooking, preheat your oven to 375°F.

Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the pepperoni slices. Cook for a few minutes until they crisp up and release some of their fat, then remove them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. (If you'd rather do this in the oven, spread the pepperoni on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for about 8-10 minutes until crispy.)

In the same pan, sauté the onion over medium heat for a few minutes until it turns translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, then remove the onion and garlic from the pan and set aside.

Brown the ground beef and/or sausage in the same pan, breaking it up as it cooks.

Once the meat is browned, add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes if using, and the sautéed onion and garlic. Break up the plum tomatoes with tongs as everything simmers together. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce right in the pot.

Now for the fun part! In a casserole dish, layer half the pasta, then half the mozzarella, then half the Parmesan, then half the basil, parsley, and pepperoni. Repeat with the remaining half of everything so you end up with two layers.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving - it'll be easier to scoop and a lot less likely to burn the roof of your mouth. Enjoy!

💫 Variations

• 🍖 Change up the meat - All ground beef, all Italian sausage, or half and half like I did here. You can also use ground turkey if you want to lighten it up a bit.
• 🧀 Change up the cheese - Fresh mozzarella is the move here, but shredded works in a pinch. Add some provolone or fontina for extra meltiness.
• 🌶️ Make it spicier - Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild, or add extra red pepper flakes. Or both.
• 🍄 Add more toppings - Think of this like building a pizza. Mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, or whatever your favorite pizza toppings are would all work great here.
• 🥦 Add some veggies - Toss in some spinach, zucchini, or broccoli with the sauce for extra veg.
• 🍳 Make it on the stovetop - Skip the oven entirely and just toss everything together in the pan once the sauce is done. Cover and let it sit on low heat for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Not quite the same as the baked version, but still really good.

🍽️ Serving suggestions

This pizza pasta bake is hearty enough to stand on its own, but it's even better with a side of crusty garlic bread to soak up the sauce. A simple green salad on the side is nice too. And if you're feeding a crowd, both are easy to throw together while the pasta is in the oven.

🧺 Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a covered pan on the stovetop over low heat for a few minutes. This one also freezes well - just seal it up tight and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

👩‍🍳 Pro tips

• 🍝 Don't skip undercooking the pasta. It finishes cooking in the oven and if it goes in fully cooked, the pasta will end up overcooked.
• 🧀 Go with fresh mozzarella if you can. It melts completely differently than pre-shredded and makes a big difference in the final dish.
• 🍅 Break up those plum tomatoes really well while the sauce simmers. Tongs work great for this.
• 🫙 San Marzano tomatoes are worth it here if you can find them. They're sweeter and less acidic than regular canned tomatoes.
• 🔥 Don't skip crisping the pepperoni. It takes a few extra minutes but adds a lot of texture and flavor to the finished dish.
• 🍳 Make it ahead - this dish reheats beautifully, so it's a great one to make the night before.

❓ FAQ

Do you love fun, easy recipes as much as I do? Check out a few more of our delicious recipes:

• Pepperoni Roll / Pepperoni Bread
• Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Italian Sausage
• Carbone's Spicy Rigatoni Vodka
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Rigatoni al Forno
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

📝 Recipe