Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole – Who doesn’t love pizza? Turn it into a pasta casserole you can make in your crock pot. Dinner the whole family will love!
Like most American families, mine can’t get enough pizza. From week to week, the standard delivery pie can get overdone. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to keep the weekly pizza meal fresh and exciting.
At our house, we indulge in Pepperoni Pizza Burgers, Pizza Quesadillas, and One Pan Pizza Chicken. Of course, I always keep some easy No Knead Pizza Dough in the freezer for when a regular pie will hit the spot. But truthfully, sometimes we’ll make a no-brainer Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese and call it a night.
No matter how I serve up combinations of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and pepperoni, there are hardly ever leftovers to pack away. My current favorite iteration is this Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole. It’s one of the most effortless and hands-off recipes I know of.
This week, ditch the takeout menus and try this Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole.
Why This Recipe Works
- Utilize your slow cooker for mostly hands-off cooking.
- It’s all the flavors of pizza in an easy-to-serve casserole.
- Sausage, pepperoni, pasta, and cheese make this recipe super filling.
- The pasta cooks in the slow cooker, so it’ll have time to soak up all those irresistible flavors.
What You’ll Need
- Italian Sausage – You can use mild or spicy, depending on your preference.
- Onion
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves will have the best flavor.
- Pasta – Use any short-cut pasta with a hollow center. This way, all the ingredients will evenly distribute throughout the casserole, and the pasta can hold onto all that meat, cheese, and sauce. Penne, ziti, or rigatoni are excellent options.
- Pizza Sauce
- Pepperoni – You can buy the pre-packaged kind or splurge on some from the deli. I like to use turkey pepperoni to keep this recipe light.
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Water
How To Make Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole
- If your sausage comes with a casing, remove it, and crumble the sausage into a large skillet. Brown the sausage, onion, and garlic until fully cooked and fragrant.
- Pour in ⅓ of the uncooked, dry pasta into your slow cooker. Cover with a jar of pizza sauce, ⅓ of the meat mixture, ⅓ of the cheese, and ⅓ of the pepperoni.
- Repeat the layering process until all ingredients are used. Next, pour the water into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until the pasta is cooked. The casserole should be hot, with the cheese melted throughout.
Recipe Tips
- To save time, you can brown the sausage, onion, and garlic the day before you make this recipe. Then, store it in the fridge so all your ingredients are ready to go.
- If your slow cooker is particularly fast, you don’t have to let the casserole cook for the entire 4 hours. The sausage will already be thoroughly cooked before entering the slow cooker. Then, once the pasta is cooked and the cheese is fully melted, you’re good to go.
- Feel free to add your favorite pizza toppings to the casserole or garnish once it’s finished. Olives, red pepper flakes, and bell pepper are delicious add-ins.
I recommend a 6-quart slow cooker to fit all of the ingredients. However, you can halve this recipe if you’re cooking for a smaller crowd or have a smaller slow cooker.
To cut the carbs in this recipe, you can use vegetable pasta or skip it altogether. This is a very forgiving recipe, so you can omit the pasta and bulk up on extra veggies. Try adding diced tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes, and olives!
How To Serve Pizza Casserole
This casserole is very filling on its own, but it’s easy to pull together a couple of simple sides to round out the meal.
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread – This garlic bread is done in minutes. Plus, it’s perfect for scooping up all the leftover sauce on your plate.
- Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots – Many pizza nights aren’t complete without an order of garlic knots. Make them yourself for a fun weeknight dinner that can rival the weekend.
- Simple Tossed Salad – Sometimes, dinner just has to get onto the table. You can’t go wrong with a simple and nutritious salad when you’re in a pinch.
- Grilled Zucchini – This casserole is stuffed with meat and cheese. Lighten up the meal with simple grilled veggies like zucchini or eggplant.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for 2-3 days. The best way to reheat this recipe is to move it to a baking dish and heat it in the oven. Once all the meat is heated, and the cheese is re-melted and bubbly, you can dig in.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Crock Pot Potato Soup
- Beef and Noodles Soup
- Slow Cooker Pork Chops
- Pork Carnitas
- Crockpot Hashbrown Casserole
Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole
Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole - Who doesn't love pizza? Turn it into a pasta casserole you can make in your crock pot. Dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian Sausage
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound dried uncooked pasta
- 3 (14 oz) jars pizza sauce
- 1 (5 oz) package pepperoni
- 2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 2/3 cup water
Instructions
- In a large skillet brown Italian sausage, onion, and garlic together.
- In slow cooker pour in 1/3 of the pasta. Top with 1 jar of pizza sauce, 1/3 of meat mixture, 1/3 of the cheese, and 1/3 of the pepperoni. Repeat with the rest o the ingredients.
- Pour 2/3 water over the casserole.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. My slow cooker is very fast, and it was done at 3 hours.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 575Total Fat 33gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 107mgSodium 870mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 37g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.
I created a fun group on Facebook, and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)! If you’d like to check it out, you can request to join HERE.
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Did you know there is a Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts SHOP? Check out all of my E-books as well as branded merchandise HERE! Or you can buy me a coffee to say thanks!
- Beef Stroganoff - March 24, 2023
- Homemade Ravioli - March 22, 2023
- Chocolate Pizza - March 20, 2023
Holly Smith says
do you cook the noodles first before adding to the slow cooker?
Erin S says
Nope, you add the pasta uncooked. In the text above I talk about adding it uncooked, and how I wanted a recipe that you didn’t have to cook them first. Enjoy!
Jean says
What size slow cooker did you use? What size range would work?
Erin S says
Jean, sorry for the slow reply, I have been traveling. I used a 5 qt slow cooker. But I think anything from 4-7 qts would work. Enjoy!
Beth says
That is such a fantastic recipe! I have to wonder if I could make pizza dough balls and cook them in there like dumplings instead of the noodles.
Amanda says
Love this recipe! I will be making it this weekend!
Catalina says
All the flavors I love in one dish! Will be my new favorite!
Juliane says
This is SOOOO good! This will surely satisfy my cravings!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
I will be making this for the next family get together! It looks fantastic!