pizza casserole

pizza casserole
If you love a good pizza and you love pasta, this is the casserole to make this fall. With pepperoni, bell pepper, mushroom, and more, it’s almost like a supreme pizza, all in one tasty dish!

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz fusilli pasta
• 1 lb bulk Italian sausage (sweet or hot)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 3 15-oz cans strained tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup (about 4 oz) sliced pepperoni

INSTRUCTIONS

• Prepare the pasta: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside.

• Cook the sausage: While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it into small bite-sized pieces, 6-8 minutes.

• Cook the vegetables: Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook until the onion is soft, 4-6 minutes. Add the salt, red pepper flakes, dried basil, and dried oregano. Stir together, then finish with the strained tomatoes. Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer, 3-4 minutes. Then, remove from the heat.

• Assemble: Pour the meat sauce onto the cooked noodles, add half of the pepperoni, and mix. Pour half of the noodles into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Add the remaining noodles. Finish with the remaining cheese and top with the remaining pepperoni.

• Bake: Cover and bake 25 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes.