Description
Hearty Italian-inspired meat lovers pizza casserole combines classic pizza flavors with comforting casserole textures. Melted cheese, savory meats, and rich marinara sauce create a satisfying meal that will delight hungry diners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) lean ground beef
- 1 lb (454 g) pork sausage
- 1 cup chopped pepperoni
- 26 oz (737 g) tomato basil pasta sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 tbsps grated parmesan cheese
- 13.8 oz (391 g) refrigerated pizza crust dough
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tsps Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 425ºF and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Meat Sauté: In a skillet, brown ground beef and sausage over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Drain excess fat, then return meat to pan and mix in chopped pepperoni, flour, and Italian seasoning.
- Sauce Development: Incorporate tomato basil pasta sauce into the meat mixture, stirring thoroughly until well combined. Transfer the savory blend to the prepared baking dish.
- Cheese Layer: Spread mozzarella cheese evenly across the meat foundation, creating a rich, melty base.
- Crust Application: Gently stretch refrigerated pizza crust over the cheese layer. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle remaining mozzarella, parmesan, and a touch of Italian seasoning.
- Baking Finale: Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the crust achieves a golden, crispy texture and cheese bubbles enticingly.
Notes
- Meat Preparation Tip: Brown meat thoroughly to eliminate excess fat and ensure food safety, draining grease completely prevents soggy texture.
- Cheese Distribution Strategy: Layer mozzarella generously and evenly to create a consistent melted coverage across the entire dish.
- Crust Handling Technique: Stretch refrigerated pizza dough gently to avoid tearing and ensure complete coverage of the meat and cheese base.
- Baking Precision: Watch closely during final 5 minutes of cooking to prevent over-browning and achieve perfect golden-crisp crust without burning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 to 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 1020 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg