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Pizza Pasta combines all the flavors of your favorite pizza with hearty pasta for a quick, cheesy, family-friendly dinner. It is made on the stovetop in about 20 minutes, for an easy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
Some nights you want pizza. Other nights you want pasta. And then there are those nights when you want both, but without the wait time or the delivery fee. That’s exactly where this Pizza Pasta recipe comes in. It combines everything you love about a classic slice of pizza with the cozy, comforting feel of a big bowl of pasta.
This is one of those easy dinner recipes that checks all the boxes: quick, customizable, and guaranteed to make the whole family happy. It is loaded with melty cheese, Italian sausage, and pizza sauce, and topped with pepperoni. Pizza Pasta is perfect for busy weeknights when comfort food is calling your name.
Ingredients You’ll Need
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- Italian Sausage – I use bulk ground sausage, you can use mild, sweet or hot. I like hot for more flavor and spice, but use whatever you like!
- Onion
- Garlic
- Pepperoni
- Pizza Sauce – whatever your favorite brand is
- Uncooked Pasta – you want anything that is short cut (rotini, penne, bowtie etc)
- Chicken Broth – I like to use low sodium to cut back on the salt
- Mozzarella Cheese
Pizza Pasta Skillet
Ingredients
- 12 oz Italian sausage
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 oz pizza sauce
- 8 oz dried short cut pasta
- 1 ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup pepperoni
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage and onions, breaking apart the sausage. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until cooked.12 oz Italian sausage, 1/2 onion
- Add garlic, stir and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.2 cloves garlic
- Stir in pizza sauce, dried pasta, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked.14 oz pizza sauce, 8 oz dried short cut pasta, 1 ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- Sprinkle cheese over the cooked pasta and arrange sliced pepperoni on the top. Cover and heat until melted.1 cup Mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup pepperoni
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Pizza Pasta
- Cook Sausage – brown Italian sausage, and onions together until the sausage is cooked and the onions are tender. Be sure to drain any fat left in the pan. Add the garlic and let it cook for a minute until you can start to smell it.
- Cook Pasta – add the pasta with the pizza sauce and chicken broth to the pan. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
- Top with Cheese – After the pasta is cooked top with cheese and arrange slices of pepperoni over the top, cover until melted.
Pizza Mix-In Ideas
You can customize this pizza pasta with your favorite pizza toppings. I used pepperoni and sausage for this, but there are so many possibilities! Pretty much whatever your favorite pizza topping is goes.
- Mushrooms
- Bell Peppers
- Black Olives
- Ham
- Chicken
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- If you want to lighten this up you can use turkey sausage or even skip the meat. All veggies would be great! I like to use hot Italian sausage because we like things spicy, but use what you enjoy.
- Any short cut pasta will work. I used mini bowtie pasta in this recipe, but rotini, penne or just about anything works well.
- You can use prepared marinara sauce in place of the pizza sauce if that is what you have. If you have a favorite pizza sauce recipe, you can use that as well.
- Make sure the cover the pan as the pasta boils in the sauce. It will absorb the liquid as it cooks.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until it is warmed through.
Freezing
This is great for meal prep, and freezes really well. I like to freeze in individual portions so I can take it out and let it thaw for a quick lunch. It will last for about 3 months in the freezer.
Serving Suggestions
These Olive Garden Breadsticks or Garlic Knots would be great to serve with this. If you add veggies into your pasta, you could even say it is a complete meal on its own. But I like to serve with a Tossed Salad, Caesar Salad or even Roasted Asparagus on the side.
This is going to be a family fave at my house! Pasta and pizza make a perfect combo!
YUM! This pizza pasta sounds amazing! The perfect weeknight meal!
I loved it! Such an easy meal for weeknights!
What a delicious pasta recipe! This combines both of my loves pasta and pizza.
Great recipe, my family loves pizza and love being able to whip them up such a delicious recipe!
Oh my word my kids would absolutely love this skillet. I would love to make it for them!