By Becky Hardin
Updated Apr 22, 2025
Pizza…in a casserole? Have you ever heard of anything so amazing? This pizza casserole recipe combines all the flavors and ingredients of a regular slice of pizza (cheese, sauce, dough), but adds a twist. Everything bakes together in a casserole dish and melts together into something incredibly delicious!
5-Star Review
“I made this recipe last week (minus the red pepper flakes), and it was AMAZING. Tasted delicious fresh from the oven, and even as leftovers! Definitely will make again!” -Ashley
Easy Pizza Casserole Recipe
This pizza casserole recipe is beyond tasty. Cheese, pepperoni, pizza sauce, and garlic bread pizza dough make one delicious dinner!
Casseroles always make for an easy weeknight dinner. Just layer up the ingredients and let it bake. This dish is soooooo cheesy, and it’s filled with plenty of sauce and pepperonis. Then I made a garlic bread pizza dough topping to finish it off. So if you’re craving pizza, but want something a little different, try out this pepperoni pizza casserole. It’s easy to make, and everyone will love it!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley or basil
- ▢ 4 cups shredded mozzarella divided
- ▢ 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢ ½ cup grated Parmesan divided
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ▢ ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ ¾ cup pizza sauce
- ▢ 1 package medium-size not the mini pepperoni slices
- ▢ 2 14.1 ounces packages of premade pizza dough
Video
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic, and parsley. Set aside. ¼ cup unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic,1 tablespoon chopped parsley or basil
- In a large bowl, beat together 2 cups mozzarella, cream cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper. 2 cups mozzarella,16 ounces cream cheese, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared 9×13-inch dish.
- Spread pizza sauce evenly over the cheese mixture. ¾ cup pizza sauce
- Sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella. 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Top with pepperoni. 1 package medium-size
- Divide the dough into the same number of sections as the number of pepperoni slices used. Roll the dough sections into balls and place on a each slice of pepperoni. 2 14.1 ounces packages of premade pizza dough
- Brush each ball of dough with the butter/garlic mixture.
- Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. 1/6 cup parmesan cheese
- Bake at 350°F, 35-45 minutes, or until the pizza dough is golden brown, cooked through and the pizza dip is bubbly.
- Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving and enjoy.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Garlic Bread Pepperoni Pizza Casserole Step by Step
Get the oven going and prep the baking pan: Heat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the garlic butter: Whisk together 3/4 cup of unsalted melted butter, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, and set it aside.
Combine the cheeses and seasonings: Mix 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, 16 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup of Parmesan, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Layer in the prepared pan : Transfer the cheese spread mixture into the casserole dish.
Layer on the pizza sauce : Spread 3/4 cup of pizza sauce in an even layer over the cheese mixture.
Add the cheese: Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella over the sauce.
Top with pepperoni : Top the cheese mixture with 1 package of medium-sized pepperoni slices.
Prepare the dough: Divide the 2 packages of premade pizza dough and make small dough balls (they should be roughly the same size as the pepperonis). Then place the dough on top of the pepperonis.
Brush the dough balls : Brush each ball of dough with the garlic butter, and sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake the pizza casserole: Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350°F. The pizza dough will turn golden brown, and the cheese will start to bubble.
Cool and enjoy : Let the casserole cool 10-15 minutes before serving (it will be hot!).
How to Store
Refrigerate uneaten pepperoni pizza casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven so the garlic dough crisps up again. Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
For the ultimate kid-friendly pizza night meal, serve the garlic bread pepperoni pizza casserole with this crispy Caesar salad, crunchy air fryer broccoli , and gooey chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
more easy casserole recipes
Baked Mac and Cheese
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Dorito Casserole
Chicken Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
Garlic Bread Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley or basil
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella divided
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup grated Parmesan divided
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup pizza sauce
- 1 package medium-size not the mini pepperoni slices
- 2 14.1 ounces packages of premade pizza dough
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic, and parsley. Set aside. ¼ cup unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic,1 tablespoon chopped parsley or basil
- In a large bowl, beat together 2 cups mozzarella, cream cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper. 2 cups mozzarella,16 ounces cream cheese, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared 9x13-inch dish.
- Spread pizza sauce evenly over the cheese mixture. ¾ cup pizza sauce
- Sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella. 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Top with pepperoni. 1 package medium-size
- Divide the dough into the same number of sections as the number of pepperoni slices used. Roll the dough sections into balls and place on a each slice of pepperoni. 2 14.1 ounces packages of premade pizza dough
- Brush each ball of dough with the butter/garlic mixture.
- Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. 1/6 cup parmesan cheese
- Bake at 350°F, 35-45 minutes, or until the pizza dough is golden brown, cooked through and the pizza dip is bubbly.
- Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
