Comforting casserole with pasta, melted cheese, meats, and favorite pizza toppings for easy dinners.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz rotini or penne pasta
→ Meat & Protein
02 - 8 oz Italian sausage, casings removed
03 - 4 oz sliced pepperoni
04 - ½ cup diced cooked ham (optional)
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 small onion, diced
06 - 1 bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
09 - 3 cups marinara or pizza sauce
→ Dairy
10 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Toppings (optional)
12 - ¼ cup sliced black olives
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1 tsp dried basil
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil salted water and cook pasta until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook Italian sausage, breaking it apart until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Add diced onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in marinara or pizza sauce and simmer for 2 minutes to combine flavors.
06 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, sausage and vegetable sauce mixture, half the pepperoni, ham if using, and half the mozzarella cheese until evenly combined.
07 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top evenly with remaining mozzarella, pepperoni, Parmesan cheese, and optional olives, oregano, and basil.
08 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
09 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving to let flavors meld.
