Pizza Pasta Bake: When Two Comfort Foods Collide in the Best Way

By Tyla | Last modified on Jun 9, 2025

Featured in: Dinner

What the heck is this?

Ever been staring at your fridge on a Tuesday night, torn between wanting pizza and craving pasta? Well, stop torturing yourself because we’ve got the answer. This is what happens when your favorite pizza and your go-to pasta dish have a beautiful, cheesy love child that’s somehow better than both parents combined. We’re talking tender pasta shells loaded with all your favorite pizza toppings – pepperoni, sausage, bell peppers, mushrooms – all swimming in a rich marinara sauce and buried under enough melted mozzarella to make you question your life choices (in the best way). It’s like pizza night and pasta night had a baby, and that baby grew up to be the most popular kid in school.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Satisfies both pizza AND pasta cravings in one glorious dish
Kid-approved, adult-obsessed comfort food
Perfect for feeding a crowd or meal prepping
Customizable with whatever toppings you’re feeling
Way easier than making actual pizza but just as satisfying
Leftovers actually get better (if there are any)
Makes your house smell like an Italian restaurant

The Good Stuff You’ll Need

The Pasta Foundation:

1 lb penne or rigatoni pasta (something with ridges to hold the sauce)
Salt for the pasta water

The Pizza Sauce Situation:

2 cups marinara sauce (good quality stuff, not the watery nonsense)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)

The Meat Party:

1/2 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
4 oz pepperoni, sliced (or diced if you’re feeling fancy)
Optional: 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey

The Veggie Squad:

1 bell pepper, diced (any color you want)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil

The Cheese Extravaganza:

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
4 oz cream cheese, cubed (trust me on this)

The Finishing Touches:

Extra pepperoni for the top
Fresh basil leaves
More parmesan for sprinkling
Red pepper flakes for the brave souls

Let’s Do This

Step 1: Get That Pasta Going Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, but stop 2 minutes before it’s done (it’ll finish cooking in the oven). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.

Step 2: The Meat Situation In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. This should take about 6-8 minutes.

Add the pepperoni and cook for another 2-3 minutes until it starts to crisp up. Remove meat and set aside.

Step 3: Veggie Time In the same skillet (don’t clean it – those fond bits are flavor gold), add olive oil if needed.

Sauté the bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 4: Sauce It Up Add the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the veggie mixture.

Let it simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5: The Big Mix In your prepared baking dish, combine the cooked pasta, meat mixture, and sauce.

Dollop the ricotta cheese throughout (don’t try to mix it in perfectly – those pockets of creamy goodness are the point).

Add the cubed cream cheese and half the mozzarella. Gently fold everything together.

If it looks dry, add some of that reserved pasta water.

Step 6: Top It Off Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the top.

Arrange extra pepperoni slices on top because presentation matters.

Step 7: Bake It Till You Make It Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden on top.

Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving (the cheese will be molten lava hot).

Step 8: Serve and Bask in the Glory Garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra parmesan.

Serve with garlic bread if you really want to go all out.

Serving Suggestions

This is basically a complete meal, but if you want to round it out:

Simple Caesar salad to cut through the richness
Garlic bread for carb-on-carb action
A glass of red wine because you’re fancy like that

Switch It Up

Veggie Supreme: Load it up with zucchini, spinach, artichoke hearts, and olives Meat Lovers: Add bacon, ham, and ground beef to the mix White Pizza Style: Use alfredo sauce instead of marinara and add chicken Spicy Kick: Use hot Italian sausage and add jalapeños Hawaiian Vibes: Add ham and pineapple (don’t @ me, pineapple pizza people)

Make-Ahead Magic

Assemble the whole thing up to the baking step, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Add 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time if cooking from cold.

You can freeze it too! Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before baking.

Pro Tips That Actually Matter

Don’t overcook the pasta initially – it’ll turn to mush in the oven
Drain your diced tomatoes or the dish will be watery
Let it rest after baking – patience is a virtue here
If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil

Questions People Actually Ask

Q: Can I use different pasta shapes? A: Absolutely! Just use something chunky that holds sauce well. Rotini, shells, or ziti all work great.

Q: Can I make this vegetarian? A: For sure! Skip the meat and load up on veggies. Maybe add some plant-based sausage if you’re feeling it.

Q: How do I know when it’s done? A: The cheese should be melted and bubbly, and a knife inserted in the center should come out hot.

Q: Can I prep this ahead for a party? A: Yes! It’s actually better when the flavors have time to meld. Just don’t add the final cheese topping until you’re ready to bake.