Crockpot Pizza Casserole

5 from 6 votes
5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.

Crockpot Pizza Casserole has all the flavors of your favorite pizza pie with the ease of using a slow cooker. Cheesy, meaty, oh so tasty!

A spoon take a scoop out of crockpot pizza casserole
Featured with this Recipe
  1. Ingredients in Crockpot Pizza Casserole
  2. Suggestions for Crockpot Pizza Bake
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
  4. More Crockpot Dinner Recipes
  5. How to Make Crockpot Pizza Casserole
  6. Crockpot Pizza Casserole Recipe

This Crockpot Pizza Casserole recipe has all of the favorite flavors of pizza in a hearty pasta dish. I love the convenience of being able to make it ahead of time on busy weeknights. It doesn’t cook that long in the Crockpot, just two or three hours. Toss all the ingredients in the crockpot just before picking the kids up from school. This frees up that hectic dinner time rush to spend on homework or running errands, or maybe even relaxing for a little while with a good book – wouldn’t that be nice!

Ingredients in Crockpot Pizza Casserole

  • Ground Italian Sausage – you can also use ground beef or ground turkey.
  • Onion
  • Oregano
  • Garlic Powder
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Pizza Sauce – we like Rao’s pizza sauce, but you can use any brand.
  • Rigatoni
  • Mozzarella Cheese – sometimes I add a little bit of Parmesan cheese as well.
  • Pepperoni
  • Additional Pizza Toppings
  • Parmesan Cheese, Fresh Basil, and Red Pepper Flakes for serving
A plate with a scoop of crockpot pizza casserole on it


Suggestions for Crockpot Pizza Bake

  • This recipe is very adaptable to your favorite toppings. You can omit or add any pizza toppings to make it personal to your family. We’ve also added green bell peppers, olives, mushrooms, Canadian bacon, diced tomatoes, pineapple, bacon, red onion, just about any toppings you like!
  • If your slow cooker has a hot spot and tends to burn casserole type dishes, layer and fold sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil until you have a six-layer foil rectangle. Press the rectangle into the “hot spot” side of the slow cooker insert. The food will help hold the foil in place during cooking. You could also line the entire Crockpot with foil, which makes clean-up a breeze.   
  • You can use your preferred type of pasta for this Crockpot Pizza, but keep in mind that thicker pastas work best in the slow cooker. I prefer using Rigatoni in this dish because it holds its shape and firmness well. You can also use ziti or penne.
Noodle layer in crockpot pizza casserole

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put dry pasta in slow cooker?

For this pizza casserole recipe it is best to partly boil the pasta before adding it to the crockpot. Dry pasta won’t cook fast enough before the sauce and cheese burn.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Use within 3-5 days.

Can you substitute pizza sauce with pasta sauce?

Yes, you can use marinara or tomato sauce instead of pizza sauce if that is what you have on hand.

Read Next:35+ Quick and Easy To Follow Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Surely Love

More Crockpot Dinner Recipes

Winter, spring, summer or fall, my slow cooker always gets a good workout! Try a few of our most treasured Crockpot recipes and enjoy the ease of dinner preparation!

How to Make Crockpot Pizza Casserole

A spoon take a scoop out of crockpot pizza casserole

Crockpot Pizza Casserole

5 from 6 votes
Crockpot Pizza Casserole has all the flavors of your favorite pie with the ease of using a slow cooker. Cheesy, meaty, oh so tasty!
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Coat crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of the crockpot.
    Pizza sauce in the bottom of a crockpot
  • Boil pasta according to package directions, but only cook for 5 minutes then drain. The pasta will finish cooking in the crockpot.
    pasta draining in a blue colander
  • In a large skillet, crumble and cook sausage until it is browned on the outside. Add onion and mushrooms. Continue to cook until sausage is no longer pink in the middle.
    Browned sausage and onions in a skillet
  • Layer ingredients in the following order: ⅓ of sausage/onion mixture, 1 cup sauce, ⅓ of cooked pasta, 1 cup cheese, ⅓ of pepperoni slices.
    Cheese and pepperoni layer in crockpot pizza casserole
  • Repeat layers until ingredients are all used. On the 3rd layer, use 2 cups of cheese. This makes the top extra cheesy and it will look like the top of a pizza.
    Crockpot Pizza Casserole unbaked
  • Place lid on crockpot and cook on low for 2-3 hours.
    Cooked crockpot pizza casserole

Notes

  • This recipe is very adaptable to your favorite toppings. You can omit or add any pizza toppings to make it personal to your family. We’ve also added green bell peppers, olives, Canadian bacon, diced tomatoes, pineapple, bacon, red onion, just about any toppings you like!
  • If adding veggies like mushrooms or bell peppers, saute them with the sausage and onions before adding to the crockpot. 
  • To Bake in the Oven: Layer ingredients in a deep dish pan or large casserole dish, omitting the last layer of cheese and pepperoni. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle on the last layer of cheese and pepperoni. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 739kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 34gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 2545mgPotassium: 876mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1100IUVitamin C: 11.5mgCalcium: 351mgIron: 3.5mg

Love this recipe?

We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.

Rate and Review



Share This With the World

PinYummly

About the author

Echo Blickenstaff

Echo lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah with her husband, Todd, who works in advertising, and her four kids: two girls and two boys. She deploys her accounting degree as the blog’s resident problem solver. In her time outside the kitchen, Echo loves to get away from the phones and busy schedules and spend quality time with the family. Anywhere’s great – but getting out into nature in the mountains or on the beach – is the best kind of getaway.

More about Echo Blickenstaff

Similar Recipes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




Comments