This Crock Pot Pizza Casserole is an easy comfort food recipe, perfect for a busy weeknight. If your family loves pizza and pasta ... and you love convenience, give this crockpot pizza pasta recipe a whirl. After all, who doesn't love pizza?
This easy to make crockpot pizza casserole recipe will soon be a family favorite. It's an amazing slow cooker dish that takes just 15 minutes to prep and the entire family will love this delicious meal!
Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
While most pizza casserole recipes are made in the oven, here we've harnessed the convenience of the slow cooker. No need to keep checking on a casserole in the oven, and if you properly prep your Crock pot as noted... easy clean up. Of course, it is far easier to keep your dinner warm this way too. With busy families, that can be a big help.
This slow cooker recipe would pair fabulously with my Italian eggplant casserole or Instant Pot Tuscan chicken.
Making the Casserole in the Slow Cooker
Now let's get down to how to make this crockpot pizza casserole.
The recipe makes 8 servings.
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 90 mins-1 hour on high or cook on low for 3-4 hours
What you need to make the crock pot recipe:
- 1 pound pasta I used fusilli, but rigatoni, ziti or penne are other great choices.
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, turkey, pork or chicken Feel free to substitute ground Italian sausage or spicy chorizo instead of ground beef if you prefer the taste.
- 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chopped onions (about 1 small onion)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 small cans pizza sauce ( or 14 ounce jars) Yes, you can use a standard size jar of spaghetti sauce instead if you like.
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- sliced pepperoni ***optional to top the casserole with
Instructions: Starting Prep
- Parboil your pasta. You should cook the pasta a little firmer than standard al dente.
- Brown your meat. Season it with the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, while cooking. Drain off the excess grease.
- Prep your slow cooker by inserting a liner or greasing the inside. Either will make for much easier clean-up later.
Assemble the Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
Now let's put it all together!
Start with the drained cooked pasta.
Add the pizza sauce and cream of mushroom soup.
Now dump in the drained browned ground beef or Italian sausage.
Add about half of each of your cheeses.
Stir to mix, then dump this sauce mixture into your prepared crock pot. (Yes you can mix it in crockpot if you prefer.)
Sprinkle the rest of your shredded cheese on top. Feel free to toss on some pepperoni slices or your other favorite pizza toppings.
Cover and cook the pasta casserole on high for 90 minutes to 2 hours OR cook on low for about three hours, up to four..
Now it is ready to serve. Reduce the slow cooker to the warm setting until the whole family is done eating.
Top each serving of pizza pasta with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or some freshly sliced basil.
Variations
Pretty much any meat you would put on a pizza you could add to this slow cooker pizza casserole. Sliced pepperoni is of course a popular choice, as is chopped ham or Canadian bacon. You can also add veggies such as; green pepper slices, onions, olives, mushrooms... pretty much any pizza topping. I would not start adding pineapple though...lol.
Some also prefer to swap jarred alfredo sauce for the can of soup in their crockpot pizza casserole version.
If you have leftovers, store them in a sealed airtight container. The leftover casserole will be good for 1-3 days, if put away within a couple hours of cooling off. After that discard.
Crock Pot Pizza Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef or ground Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup onions, chopped about 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans pizza sauce 14-15oz
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded mild cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
- Par-cook pasta until just under al dente.
- In a medium pan over medium heat, warm oil and add ground sausage. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking the sausage as you go until it has been browned on all sides and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients together except for half of each cheese.
- Insert liner in slow cooker or grease the inside, then pour in the mixed ingredients.
- Top with remaining cheeses.
- Cover with lid and cook on high for 1 ½-2 hours or low for 3-4 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Crock Pot Recipes
Here are a few more slow cooker recipes you may enjoy.
Clara P says
We did add the pepperoni on top and the kids loved it. Will make again and again!
JENN says
Great recipe for families on a tight budget. This one is going to be a weekly meal for us.