All the tasty flavour of a Pepperoni Pizza in a quick and family-friendly pasta bake. Ready in 30 minutes with a delicious cheesy pepperoni topping, this pasta bake is a weeknight winner.
Pizza Pasta Bake
Pepperoni Pizza is my weakness. There’s not much better on a Friday night than a slice of pizza dripping with cheese and crispy pepperoni. When I get a craving for a pepperoni pizza midweek, chances are I will be making this delicious pasta bake.
All the flavour of my favourite pizza – crispy pepperoni, gooey mozzarella cheese and rich tomato sauce, but lightened up a bit.
Serving
I love my pizza pasta bake with a side of green salad. Garlic bread is also a winner with any pasta dish.
The best pasta for this bake is a short shape like spirali, fusilli or penne, but use whatever you like.
I use the Denby 30cm Shallow Casserole Dish* to cook and bake my Pepperoni Pasta Bake.
Variations
You can customise this pizza flavoured pasta bake almost endlessly. I love it with black olives and peppers but you can easily leave those out if you’re not a fan.
Replace the pepperoni with smoked sausage or cooked ham (and add some pineapple if that’s your thing).
Add extra vegetables for some balance – courgette or mushrooms work really well.
Use wholewheat pasta for added fibre.
Add some jalapenos or chilli flakes if you like some spice.
Make this pizza pasta bake vegetarian by swapping the pepperoni for a plant-based alternative or leave it out altogether.
Storage
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also assemble this pasta dish ahead of time, store covered in the fridge and bake just before serving – you may need to add an additional 10 or 15 minutes to the baking time.
Reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
To freeze this pasta bake, assemble but don’t bake in the oven. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake from frozen or defrost overnight. Bake uncovered in the oven until piping hot and the cheese is bubbling.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
More quick and easy pasta recipes:
- Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake
- Vodka Pasta with Sausage
Pepperoni Pasta Bake
Equipment
- 1 Shallow Casserole Dish or Oven Safe Frying Pan
- 1 Pot for cooking pasta
- 1 Sharp Knife
- 1 Chopping Board
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 250 grams pasta
- 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 red pepper thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves diced
- 1 tsp dried oregano plus extra to garnish
- 250 ml passata
- 1 cup black olives
- 10-15 pepperoni slices depending on size
- 175 grams shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°c/180 fan/400f/gas mark 6.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than recommended on packet instructions (the pasta will continue cooking in the oven).
- Meanwhile, in a shallow casserole dish or oven-safe pan, heat the oil over a medium heat and add the sliced onion and peppers.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften, then stir in the garlic, oregano and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the passata and black olives and bring to a simmer. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper – I recommend about ¼ tsp of each.
- Stir in the pasta then top with pepperoni slices and grated mozzarella. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Serve immediately, with an optional sprinkle of additional oregano or chilli flakes.
Nutrition
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Looks delicious. I am definitely trying this!