Pepperoni And Mushroom Pizza Pasta Recipe

Pasta meets pizza meets casserole in this ultra-cheesy, meaty, and comforting dish that's brought to us by recipe developer Milena Manolova. This pepperoni and mushroom pizza pasta is the ultimate weeknight dinner, offering up a guaranteed hit with kids and adults alike — and, thanks to the recipe's (mostly) one-pan nature, clean-up should be a breeze. Now, at first glance, this may look like a pretty standard pasta dish, but as Manolova explains, "Generous slices of pepperoni and mushrooms give the pasta that irresistible pizza vibe." 

Many of the elements that go into the pasta itself (not just on top) also hone in on that pizza vibe while still remaining true to a classic, tomatoey pasta dish. Penne pasta serves as the base, whereas the pizza-like tomato sauce boasts two types of meat — a beef and pork mixture — along with onion, garlic, bell pepper, and plenty of herbs. "I season the tomato sauce with fragrant dry oregano and fresh parsley, making each bite burst with flavor," Manolova says. Needless to say, this pizza-pasta fusion certainly isn't skimping on any flavor or heartiness, so serve it alongside a simple Caesar salad for an easy and sure-to-be-loved weeknight meal.

The base of this casserole-like pasta dish starts with penne, and you'll also need some staples ingredients to begin building the sauce: vegetable oil for sauteing, chopped onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and mushrooms. The meatiness of the sauce comes into play by way of a ground beef and pork mixture, and then you'll need salt, pepper, dried oregano, and fresh parsley for seasoning. And, of course, you'll need actual tomato sauce, either from a jar, from a can, or homemade.

The pizza aspect of this pasta dish especially comes into play thanks to the toppings. Once you have the pasta ready to go in the baking dish, you'll top the whole thing off with a layer of mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices, and some more sliced mushrooms.

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the vegetable oil.

Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add red bell pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes.

Mix in 10 ounces of sliced mushrooms and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground meat and mix it with the veggies. Cook until brown, 2–3 minutes.

Season with the salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon oregano. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.

Pour in the tomato sauce and add the chopped parsley. Stir everything, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes on low to medium heat.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Drain the penne and place it in a 9x12-inch baking dish.

Pour over the sauce and mix it well with the pasta.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

Add pepperoni slices and the remaining mushrooms and oregano on top.

Bake on the middle rack for 20–25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown on top.

Serve right away.

Penne is a classic pasta choice, offering up a ridged tube shape that sauce simply loves clinging to. While you really can't go wrong with penne, that doesn't mean that you're limited to such a pasta shape, especially if you don't have it on hand or simply want to switch things up. Ziti, spaghetti, or cavatappi would all work well here. Realistically, most types of pasta will work in this recipe (even certain obscure shapes), but try to avoid super small or particularly delicate kinds. For example, angel hair would be too bogged down by all of the meaty, cheesy toppings, and something like tiny orzo would quite literally get lost in the chunky sauce.

Aside from pasta, there's room for switching up other aspects of this pepperoni pizza pasta. Not a fan of the ground beef and pork blend? Simply opt for one or the other, or consider poultry options, such as ground turkey or chicken. Add a spicy flair to the sauce by incorporating jalapeños at the same time that you'd add the bell pepper, or get creative with the cheese on top and opt for pepper jack, sharp cheddar, or anything that will melt well. Finally, either switch out or add to the pepperoni and mushroom garnishes by incorporating classic pizza toppings, such as onion, tomatoes, banana peppers, or black olives.

One of the best aspects of this pepperoni pizza pasta recipe is that it yields a nice, large serving amount. Depending on your family's appetite and how big you portion out servings, this dish could stretch to upwards of 10 total servings. As such, there's a good chance that you might strategically plan to save the abundance of leftovers for another dinner, or perhaps you'd like to make the dish ahead to stretch it out over a longer period of time.

Fortunately, pasta bakes are good candidates for freezing, so should you go that route, wait for any portions to cool down completely. Store the pasta in an airtight container and freeze it for up to three months, but try to enjoy it before then to avoid the potential for freezer burn. 

Alternatively, you could prep aspects of the dish a day or two ahead of time with the intention of then serving it right away. The meat sauce will keep well in the fridge for two to three days, so you could make that ahead of time and combine it with freshly cooked pasta when you're ready to serve. Otherwise, any leftovers will keep well in the fridge for three or four days, so you could easily make two separate dinners out of one dish.