Description
Pizza lovers rejoice as Loaded Meat Lovers Pizza Casserole brings classic Italian-American comfort to dinner tables. Hearty layers of savory meats, melted cheese, and zesty sauce create a mouthwatering meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Ingredients:
- 1 pound (454 grams) lean ground beef
- 1 pound (454 grams) pork sausage, crumbled
- 1 cup (150 grams) chopped pepperoni
Cheese and Dairy Ingredients:
- 2 cups (226 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 tablespoons (15 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
Other Ingredients:
- 1 (26-ounce/737 grams) jar tomato basil pasta sauce
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (13.8-ounce/391 grams) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 375°F (190°C) and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef and sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, thoroughly draining excess fat.
- Incorporate pepperoni, Italian seasoning, and flour into the meat mixture, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Introduce tomato basil pasta sauce to the meat, allowing the mixture to simmer briefly before removing from heat.
- Create the first layer by spreading half the meat sauce across the prepared baking dish, then generously sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the meat.
- Deconstruct the pizza crust into irregular strips or chunks, arranging them strategically atop the cheese and meat layer.
- Cover the crust with remaining meat sauce, then embellish with the rest of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and a final dusting of Italian seasoning.
- Drizzle olive oil across the surface and bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust transforms to a golden hue and cheese becomes gloriously melted and effervescent.
- Allow the casserole to rest for several minutes before slicing, enabling the ingredients to settle and enhance flavor cohesion.
Notes
- Mix ground beef with turkey or chicken for a leaner protein option that keeps the rich flavor profile intact.
- Add red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños to increase heat and give the casserole a zesty kick for spice lovers.
- Replace meat with plant-based alternatives like crumbled tofu, mushrooms, or vegetarian sausage to create a meatless version that maintains the dish’s hearty texture.
- Substitute regular pizza crust with gluten-free dough and use cornstarch instead of flour to make the recipe celiac-friendly without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 540 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 870 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg