Description
A hearty, cheesy casserole loaded with beef, Italian sausage, bacon, and pepperoni tossed in zesty pizza sauce.
Ingredients
12 oz rotini or penne pasta
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup pepperoni slices
3 cups pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray or olive oil.
Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente; drain and set aside.
Step 3: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage until fully browned, breaking them into small pieces with a spoon.
Step 4: Drain the excess grease from the skillet, then stir in the pizza sauce, crumbled bacon, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Step 5: Combine the cooked pasta with the meat sauce mixture in the skillet (or a large bowl) and toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
Step 6: Spread half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of cheddar, and half of the pepperoni slices.
Step 7: Top with the remaining pasta mixture, followed by the remaining mozzarella, cheddar, and the rest of the pepperoni slices.
Step 8: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
To make it even cheesier, add a layer of ricotta cheese in the middle. Always use a high-quality pizza sauce for the best flavor results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 545 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1250mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg