Pizza Pasta Bake

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You can make this pizza pasta bake with just 4 store-bought ingredients! It’s the perfect quick and easy comfort food dinner for busy weeknights.

A baking dish of pepperoni pizza pasta.

If you’re a fan of both pizza and pasta, you’re going to love this easy pizza pasta bake recipe! This fun twist on pasta night is made with just 4 store-bought ingredients and bakes in the oven for a simple, hands-free weeknight dinner.

This recipe is definitely one of the most untraditional pasta recipes we’ve made. It tastes just like pepperoni pizza – cheesy, gooey, savory, and just a tad greasy. It’s definitely not the healthiest meal, but when you’re craving some comfort food and a big bowl of cheese, this pizza pasta bake fits the bill.

What This Recipe Entails

This recipe is a super easy hands off dinner that takes only 5 minutes of work. 

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
Pepperoni pizza pasta bake in a serving dish with a spoon.

Pizza Pasta Bake Ingredients

You only need 4 ingredients to make this easy pizza pasta bake:

  • Cavatappi – We love cavatappi for saucy cheesy pastas because it holds onto everything so well. It makes this dish a slightly more unique version of our baked penne.
  • Roasted garlic pasta sauce – We love the Classico brand of pasta sauce for recipes like this pizza pasta bake – especially since their roasted garlic sauce is reminiscent of pizza sauce.
  • Shredded Italian blend cheese – Keep this recipe no hassle with a bag of shredded cheese. An Italian blend should have at least mozzarella and provolone in it.
  • Pepperoni – Hormel is our go to brand. Boar’s Head is also a great option.

How To Make A Pepperoni Pasta Bake

Making a pizza pasta bake is almost like making a pizza, except the dough is pasta. And some of your toppings get mixed into the pasta. So, not really like making a pizza, but almost 🙂

  1. Boil the pasta – Boil pasta until al dente. 
  2. Add the sauce and cheese – Add the pasta sauce, about two-thirds of the cheese, and three-quarters of the pepperoni to the pasta. Stir to combine thoroughly, then transfer to a baking dish.
  3. Top the pasta – Top the pasta with the remaining shredded cheese and chopped pepperoni.
  4. Bake – Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve hot.

Make sure to reserve some of the cheese and pepperoni for topping the pasta once it’s in the baking dish. This makes the pasta bake actually look like pizza – and makes it taste extra gooey and delicious!

A serving dish of pizza pasta bake.

Serving Suggestions

Pepperoni pizza pasta bake is a cheesy, savory, comfort food dinner you can make when you’re craving something extra indulgent – or when you need a change from regular old pasta (or pizza).

We recommend serving pizza pasta bake with a side salad, garlic bread, or Italian bread and dipping oils. You can never go wrong pairing pasta with even more carbs, in our opinion.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

You can store leftover pepperoni pasta bake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes per serving, stirring halfway through.

So that’s it! With just 4 ingredients, you can make a tasty pizza pasta bake with pepperoni in under an hour. Simple, easy, and delicious – what more could you ask for?

Try our pizza pasta bake recipe and let us know what you think by leaving a rating and comment below. Don’t forget to share if you love it, and check out all our best pasta recipes here.

Pizza pasta bake in a serving dish topped with pepperoni.

Love this recipe? You may enjoy these other baked pasta recipes, too:

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A baking dish of pepperoni pizza pasta.

Pizza Pasta Bake

Nicole Langdon
You can make this easy pizza pasta bake with just 4 store-bought ingredients! It's the perfect kid-friendly dinner for busy weeknights.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 508 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ pound cavatappi
  • 12 ounces roasted garlic pasta sauce
  • cups shredded Italian blend cheese
  • 4 ounces pepperoni chopped

Instructions
 

  • First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Once the water is boiling, stir in the cavatappi. Boil until al dente, about 10 minutes or so, then strain and return cooked pasta to the pot. Remove from heat.
  • Next, add the pasta sauce, two-thirds of the cheese, and three-quarters of the pepperoni to the cooked pasta. Stir to combine, then transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the pasta, then top with the remaining pepperoni.
  • Finally, bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Ingredients: This is a no-frills, easy weeknight dinner that uses store-bought ingredients for convenience. We love the Classico brand of pasta sauce, especially for this recipe since their roasted garlic flavor tastes like pizza sauce!
Cheese & pepperoni: Remember to reserve some of the cheese and pepperoni for topping the pasta bake before it goes in the oven. If you accidentally mix it all into the pasta, don’t be afraid to grab some extra cheese & pepperoni from the fridge and add it on top still 🙂
Serving suggestions: Pizza pasta goes well with a side of salad, garlic bread, or Italian bread and dipping oils.
Storing & reheating leftovers: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes per serving, stirring halfway through.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 24gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 934mgPotassium: 457mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 368IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 2mg
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Keyword cavatappi, Italian blend cheese, oven baked, pasta sauce, pepperoni

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5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    Sometimes we just need an easy pasta bake that can make for a comforting dinner and lots of leftover lunches. This recipe is perfect for that. And the added pepperoni and cavatappi make for a fun twist on a classic baked ziti.