Pizza Pasta Bake (Print Version)
Hearty pasta bake with bacon, Italian sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, bell peppers, and onions in marinara sauce, topped with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
# Ingredients:
→ For the Meat and Vegetables
01 -
6 slices bacon, chopped
02 -
1 lb Italian sausage
03 -
1 green bell pepper, diced
04 -
1/2 cup red onion, diced
05 -
4 cloves garlic, minced
06 -
1 oz pepperoni slices (plus a few extra for topping)
07 -
6 oz Canadian bacon, divided in half
08 -
Black olives (optional)
→ For the Sauce and Pasta
09 -
24 oz jar marinara or pizza sauce
10 -
1/4 cup water (to rinse the jar)
11 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
12 -
1/2 teaspoon salt
13 -
1 lb penne pasta, cooked just under al dente (or any short pasta)
→ For the Cheese
14 -
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
15 -
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
16 -
Red pepper flakes (optional)
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
02 -
Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Set aside and drain the grease from the pan.
03 -
In the same skillet, brown the Italian sausage with the diced bell pepper and onion. Reserve a spoonful of this mixture for topping later.
04 -
Stir in the minced garlic, pepperoni, half of the Canadian bacon, and olives if using. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
05 -
Add the marinara sauce, water (use it to rinse out the jar and get all the sauce), Italian seasoning, and salt. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 -
Stir in the cooked pasta and half of the cooked bacon. Transfer everything to a large baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top, then add 2 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese.
07 -
Add the reserved sausage mixture, the remaining Canadian bacon, remaining bacon, and the rest of the mozzarella cheese on top. Add extra pepperoni slices if you like, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
08 -
Serve hot and enjoy this amazing pizza-pasta mashup!
# Notes:
01 -
Cook the pasta just under al dente - it will finish cooking in the oven with the sauce.
02 -
You can use any short pasta shape - penne, rigatoni, rotini, ziti, or shells all work great.
03 -
Customize the toppings just like you would a pizza - mushrooms, jalapeños, banana peppers, or even pineapple!
04 -
Use the water to rinse out the marinara jar and get every bit of sauce - waste not, want not!
05 -
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.