Pizza Casserole

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This pepperoni pizza casserole recipe, sometimes called a pizza bake, is one of the easiest no crust pizza options you can make. Loads of pepperoni, marinara, Italian seasonings, and melty mozzarella cheese layer over roasted cauliflower and cook in under an hour, including prep! It’s similar to my crustless pizza recipe in a cast iron skillet, but with the ease of a casserole.

Here at the Wholesome Yum house, we absolutely love pizza night. In fact, we have it for dinner in some form almost every week! Of course, this isn’t to say that keto pizza casserole actually replaces real pizza for us all the time. When we really want a true pizza – with the crust and everything – my keto pizza recipe is our absolute favorite. We alternate that one with a cauliflower pizza crust, portobello mushroom pizza, and chaffle pizza.

What Is Pizza Casserole?

Pizza casserole is a one-pan dish that with your favorite pizza toppings baked in! Variations of this casserole replace the usual crust with cooked pasta or vegetables.

This dish uses roasted cauliflower as the crust substitute — and just like with cauliflower mac and cheese and cauliflower potato salad, it makes a perfect starch replacement!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for pizza casserole, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Cauliflower – I used cauliflower as a healthy base in this keto pizza casserole recipe. It works well since it has a neutral flavor, but you can get other ideas for the base in the Recipe Variations section below. Use fresh or frozen cauliflower florets, cut into bite-sized pieces. Riced cauliflower also works!
• Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil works well for this Italian recipe, but use any neutral cooking oil you like. Avoid butter because it can scorch before the cauliflower is cooked through.
• Italian Seasoning – I prefer to make my own homemade Italian seasoning, but store bought seasoning mixes work fine.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – For seasoning cauliflower.
• Marinara Sauce – Any kind of marinara will do, but I always use no or low sugar varieties, either store-bought or this sugar-free marinara sauce recipe. You can also use sugar-free pizza sauce.
• Mozzarella Cheese – Shred it yourself or get it pre-shredded to save time.
• Pepperoni Slices – Regular pepperoni or turkey pepperoni both work well. You can also do other pizza toppings either on top or inside the casserole — see the Recipe Variations section below for ideas.

How To Make Pizza Casserole

This section shows how to make baked pizza casserole, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Toss. In a casserole dish, toss the cauliflower with olive oil, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Arrange in a single layer.

TIP: Roasting on a sheet pan also works!

To save on washing dishes, I used the baking dish that’s later used for the casserole, but the cauliflower does roast faster if you use a baking sheet.

2. Roast. Cook cauliflower until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through.

3. Top. Evenly pour marinara sauce over the cauliflower mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Top with pepperoni.
4. Bake. Return pepperoni pizza casserole to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and golden. Let the pizza casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Variations

There’s more than one way to make this delicious pizza. Try these variations!

• Crockpot Pizza Casserole – Layer cauliflower florets in a slow cooker and pour in the marinara sauce. Cook on high for 2 hours. Add the cheese and pepperoni slices during the last 15 minutes.
• Zucchini Pizza Casserole – Use 1 lb of sliced zucchini instead of cauliflower. Brush slices with oil and season with salt, then roast on a sheet pan at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes. Pat dry, transfer to a casserole dish, and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
• Pizza Pasta Casserole – Trade cauliflower with your cooked pasta of choice (I use keto egg noodles). Transfer pasta with sauce to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F, then remove from oven and top with shredded cheese and pepperoni slices. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
• Use other veggies – Swap out some (or all) cauliflower for broccoli, mushrooms, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, or black olives. Cut into even pieces (so they roast at the same rate) and fold them into the cauliflower (the base layer of the pizza bake), or use them as toppings instead of pepperoni.
• Try other meats – I made a pepperoni pizza casserole since it’s the most popular flavor, but you can also make this dish with Canadian bacon, cooked ground beef (or ground turkey), Italian sausage, shredded chicken, or baked bacon.
• Add toppings – I used fresh parsley as a garnish, but you can also try fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, or grated parmesan cheese.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftover cauliflower pizza casserole in an airtight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
• Meal prep: Assemble ahead, cover in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to bake. Or, freeze the assembled casserole and bake straight from the freezer. This method takes longer, but allows for more long term storage. It will last at least 3 months frozen.
• Reheat: Reheat portions in the microwave, or reheat the entire casserole in a warm oven at 350 degrees F.
• Freeze: Wrap fully cooled portions of keto pizza casserole in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months.

What To Serve With Pizza Casserole

This easy pizza casserole recipe stands on its own, but for heartier appetites or if company’s coming, here are some extras to go with it:

• Easy veggies – Share oven space with tasty sides like roasted brussels sprouts, roasted green beans, and balsamic roasted mushrooms.
• Salads – Pair a pizza bake with a Caprese salad, Greek salad, or cucumber tomato avocado salad.
• Soups – Try this dish with chicken florentine soup, vegetable soup, or sausage kale soup.

More Easy Casserole Recipes

Casseroles are among the most common dishes I make for dinner. Making a meal is so much faster and easier when you only have to make one thing! Here are more of my favorites:

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Pesto Chicken Cauliflower Casserole

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

4.93 from 67 votes

Pizza Casserole (Easy, 5 Ingredients!)

This pepperoni pizza casserole recipe is an easy dinner in one dish, featuring tomato sauce, melty cheese & zesty pepperoni. 10 minutes prep!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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• 1 large head Cauliflower (cut into small florets, about 3/4 to 1 inch in size) ▢
• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional) ▢
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 1 1/2 cup Marinara sauce ▢
• 2 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded) ▢
• 2 oz Pepperoni slices ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).

2. In a 9×13 in (23×33 cm) white stoneware casserole dish, toss the cauliflower with olive oil, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Arrange evenly in a single layer.

3. Roast cauliflower in the oven for about 25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and a little golden. (Leave oven on afterward — you will need to use it again.)

4. Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place pepperoni slices on top.

5. Place the casserole back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup, or 1/6 of entire casserole

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 254

Fat 16.7g

Protein 14.6g

Total Carbs 13g

Net Carbs 9g

Fiber 4g

Sugar 5.7g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keywords: pepperoni pizza casserole, pizza casserole, pizza casserole recipe

Calories: 254 kcal

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