Air Fryer Pizza Casserole

Jump to Recipe

Air Fryer Pizza Casserole is a quick, easy dinner that’s sure to please the entire family! Just 4 ingredients are needed to make this pizza casserole recipe that combines everything you love about pepperoni pizza with a cozy and comforting casserole.

Post includes Weight Watchers points.

top down view of the air fryer pizza casserole

Need a quick, fuss-free, and easy dinner idea the whole family will love? Then look no further than this 4-ingredient easy Pizza Casserole Bake.

Just think pasta, marinara sauce with gooey cheese, and all topped off with delicious pepperoni slices (cut into mini heart shapes to show the family some love or to serve for Valentine’s Day). Yeap, it’s all the classic ingredients of pizza in a cheesy Pizza Pasta Bake form.

Like with this Air Fryer Ham Casserole, the everyday home cook will love this recipe with its minimal prep time and pantry staple ingredients. And if you love casseroles, you might want to check out this easy Tater Tot Casserole too.

top down view of a spoon removing a portion of air fryer pizza casserole from baking dish

Why Make This Recipe

  • Budget friendly – made with affordable pantry staples.
  • Easy – so easy the kids can make this by themselves.
  • Versatile – easy to adapt with your favorite pizza toppings like veggies and meats.
  • Delicious – even picky eaters will devour this meal.
  • Leftovers – a great way to use up leftovers.

Ingredient Notes

  • Pasta – use whichever pasta shape you like. I used rotini but penne and butterfly pasta work too.
  • Pasta sauce – go ahead and use your favorite spaghetti sauce.
  • Cheese – this recipe calls for shredded mozzarella cheese. Try and shred cheese yourself for the best result
  • Pepperoni – you can use pepperoni as is, or cut into mini heart shapes for a fun Valentine’s celebration or a romantic dinner for 2.
close up view of the top of the finished air fryer pizza casserole.

How To Make Air Fryer Pizza Casserole

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

  • Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
  • Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
  • When done, drain pasta then mix in marinara sauce and half the pepperoni slices.
  • Transfer the pasta mixture into a casserole dish (choose one that fits inside your air fryer) and spread out evenly.
  • Top with mozzarella cheese place the dish inside the air fryer and cook for 6-7 minutes.
  • Open the air fryer, top casserole with remaining pepperoni and air fry for another 2 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and bubbling.

Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting with less cook time, checking for doneness, then adding more time as needed.

image collage showing the steps for making air fryer pizza casserole

Make This In The Oven

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C / gas 6 and spray casserole dish with some cooking spray.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook pasta until al dente.
  3. When done drain pasta and mix in marinara sauce and half the pepperoni slices.
  4. Transfer the pasta mixture into a baking dish and spread out.
  5. Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining pepperoni and bake uncovered for about 18-20 minutes until cheese melts and it is golden brown and bubbly.
  6. If you want you can broil for a few minutes until the pepperoni crisps up and the top of the cheese is golden brown.

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure to use the best quality pepperoni and best quality pasta sauce you can find.
  • Make sure to cook the pasta just to al dente, as it will cook a little more during baking.
one portion of air fryer pizza casserole being removed from the baking dish.

Delicious Variations

This Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Casserole is good as is, but you can add in some extras to make it even better.

  • Veggies – throw in some cooked veggies like green pepper, onions and mushrooms. Add black olives towards the end of cooking time.
  • Vary the meat – throw in some crumbled Italian sausage or cooked chicken or turkey or ground beef. Also add more pepperoni to your taste.
  • Vary the cheese – Mixing some shredded Parmesan Cheese for extra flavor.
  • Add herbs and spices – garlic powder, Italian seasoning, oregano etc all make great additions.
  • Add heat – crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne or jalapenos add a spicy kick.

FAQs

Can I Use Pizza Sauce In This?

Yes, you absolutely can use your favorite pizza sauce for this pizza pasta casserole. However, you will need to dilute the pizza sauce with some broth or a little bit of water.

How Much Pasta Do I need?

You need 2 cups of uncooked pasta or 4 cups of cooked pasta for this recipe.

a serving spoon inserted into the completed air fryer pizza casserole

More Recipes To Try

Serving suggestions

Serve with a side salad, some delicious Air Fryer Green Beans, some steamed broccoli and Air Fryer Frozen Garlic Bread.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 9 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my Air Fryer Pizza Casserole Recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Get The Pizza Casserole Recipe:

Don’t forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Air Fryer Pizza Casserole! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I’d love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

top down view of the air fryer pizza casserole
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Pizza Casserole

All the flavor of pepperoni pizza in a delicious pasta casserole!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American, Western
Servings: 4
Calories: 257kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (200g) uncooked pasta
  • 1 ½ cups (337g) marinara sauce
  • 1 cup (118g) shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 16 pepperoni slices optional: create pepperoni hearts using mini cookie cutters

Instructions

Air Fryer Method

  • Cook pasta until just al dente, following package instructions.
  • Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C.
  • Mix pasta, marinara sauce, and half of the pepperoni slices and then spread into a casserole dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.
  • Place in the air fryer and cook for 6-7 minutes, until cheese is starting to melt.
  • Remove casserole dish and place the remaining pepperoni on top. Air fry for an additional 2 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Oven Method

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C / gas 6 and spray casserole dish with some cooking spray.
  • Cook pasta until just al dente, following package instructions.
  • Mix pasta, marinara sauce, and half of the pepperoni slices and then spread into a casserole dish.
  • Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining pepperoni, then and bake uncovered for about 18-20 minutes until cheese melts and it is golden brown and bubbly.
  • If you want you can broil for a few minutes until the pepperoni crisps up and the top of the cheese is golden brown.
**EASY AIR FRYER RECIPE EBOOK**Get the easy Air Fryer Recipe Binder which includes 40 quick and easy recipes all under 30 minutes cook time.
** INSTANT POT DUMP AND DASH RECIPE EBOOK**Get the Instant Pot Dump And Dash Recipes Ebook with easy recipes for busy lives.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 800mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 587IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




One Comment