Air Fryer Pizza Casserole + Oven Version

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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

More Recipes To Try

• Chicken Broccoli Casserole.
• Air Fryer Leftover Ham Casserole.
• Easy Tater Tot Casserole.
• Easy Sweet Potato Casserole.
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas Casserole.

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.

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