Description
Crock Pot Pizza Casserole is a hearty and delicious slow-cooked pasta dish featuring rigatoni, seasoned ground beef and Italian sausage, pepperoni, rich pizza sauce, and gooey melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal, this casserole combines all your favorite pizza flavors into a fuss-free, warming dinner cooked entirely in the slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni
Meat & Vegetables
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 3.5 ounce package pepperoni
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce & Cheese
- 3 (14 ounce) jars pizza sauce
- 16 ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Spray a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Cook Pasta: Cook the rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Cook Meats and Onion: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking them up into crumbles. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and meat is no longer pink.
- Add Pepperoni and Garlic: Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the pepperoni and minced garlic, cooking for an additional 5 minutes while stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
- Drain and Mix with Sauce: Drain the meat mixture well to remove excess fat, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the jars of pizza sauce and stir to combine completely.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce Mixture: Add the cooked rigatoni to the meat sauce mixture and stir thoroughly to coat all the pasta evenly.
- Layer in Slow Cooker: Spoon half of the pasta mixture into the prepared slow cooker. Top with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Add Remaining Layers: Place the rest of the pasta mixture on top of the first layer, and then add the remaining cheese evenly over the top.
- Cook: Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours until warmed through and cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Serve the casserole warm, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Be sure to drain the meat mixture well to reduce excess grease in the casserole.
- Cooking times may vary depending on your slow cooker model.
- You can substitute rigatoni with other sturdy pasta shapes like penne or ziti.
- For a spicier version, use spicy Italian sausage and add crushed red pepper flakes.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 3.5 hrs
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Crock pot pizza casserole, slow cooker pasta, easy casserole, Italian sausage pasta, comfort food, mozzarella cheese casserole, family dinner recipe
