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GET IT NOWMy Pizza Casserole Is The Easiest Kind Of Pizza
Here at the Wholesome Yum house, we absolutely love pizza night. In fact, we have it for dinner in some form almost every week! I’m not going to pretend this pizza casserole can always replace actual pizza (sometimes you just want the crust and all), but it’s definitely one of the easiest options and still hits that pizza craving. Here’s why I keep it on rotation:
- It’s the best parts of a pizza – I think the best part of pizza is the melty cheese and toppings, so my pizza casserole recipe focuses on that! I picked a simple base and my family’s favorite topping (pepperoni, naturally), but you can customize it to your heart’s content. I’ll explain how!
- So much easier than a crust – This 5-ingredient recipe involves no kneading, no rolling, and it comes together as a one-pan meal. It’s a lot like my pizza bowl and crustless pizza, but even easier in casserole form.
- Better for you – Unlike regular pizza (and even many pizza casserole recipes I’ve seen that use pasta), my version is packed with veggies, naturally gluten-free, and mainly protein and fiber instead of simple carbs. It’s lightened up comfort food at its best.
- Family friendly – Despite the veggies, my kids still enjoy this. You can easily customize it with a base and toppings that your family likes.
If you’re down for a lighter, easier (but still super cheesy) kind of pizza night, this pizza casserole is here for it. Make it with me!
Reader Review
“I made this tonight for the first time and it was a hit! I appreciate the versatility of this recipe and added a few veggies on top. The family wants this to be a regular.” –Jan
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy pizza casserole recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Base – I used roasted cauliflower as a healthy base in my pizza casserole recipe. I know, I know… everyone is always trying to get this veggie to be everything. (I’m looking at you, cauliflower mac and cheese and cauliflower potato salad.) But honestly, its neutral flavor works incredibly well here. If you’re not a fan, you can use:
- Other veggies – I’ve also made this dish using riced cauliflower and roasted zucchini (similar to the base of my Big Mac casserole). If you prefer more classic pizza vibes, I recommend roasting a mixture of mushrooms, onions, green bell peppers, and black olives for your base.
- Cooked meats – Try crumbled ground beef or Italian sausage, or shredded chicken.
- Sauce – My favorite here is this marinara sauce recipe. You can also use sugar-free pizza sauce (I recommend using less because it’s more intense), grab your favorite store-bought brand, or even choose white pizza vibes using my Alfredo sauce.
- Cheese – I almost always use classic mozzarella.
- Toppings – I kept it simple with just pepperoni slices. You can also use veggies or even cooked meats as toppings.
- Oil & Seasonings – I use olive oil, Italian seasoning (optional), sea salt, and black pepper for roasting the cauliflower. Garlic powder can be a nice addition, too!
How To Make Pizza Casserole
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Cook your base. In a casserole dish, stir the cauliflower with olive oil, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Roast in the oven until tender and lightly browned, tossing halfway through. (If you go with cooked meat as your base like I suggested above, just cook it in a large skillet instead, then transfer to the baking dish.)
- Layer on the sauce, cheese, and toppings. I pour on the marinara sauce first, so it coats the base, then top with shredded cheese and pepperoni.
- Bake until melty. Return pepperoni pizza casserole to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and golden. I sprinkled fresh parsley on top for garnish this time, but other pizza garnishes (like fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, or grated parmesan cheese) also taste great here!
My Recipe Tips
- To avoid a watery casserole, your base has to be completely precooked. If you don’t roast your cauliflower long enough, it’ll release more water during the second bake and water down your sauce. And if you use a meat base without cooking it, you’ll end up with a greasy mess. Trust me!
- Thicker sauces work best in this pizza casserole. I’ve found that thinner ones can yield a watery dish overall, even if the veggies are precooked.
- For more browning and faster cook time, roast the cauliflower on a sheet pan instead. I just used the same baking dish to save on washing dishes, but the cauliflower does roast faster and caramelize more if you use a baking sheet!
- Can you cook the base another way? Sure! You can boil or steam the vegetables, and just drain before assembling the casserole. I just prefer the flavor of roasting.
- Most of your favorite pizza toppings can work as a base or a topping in this recipe. I usually put all my “pizza toppings” on top when I do the cauliflower base, but when I’m tired of that, I do cooked meats or more traditional “pizza veggies” as the base itself. Anything works as long as it’s all precooked!
Pizza Casserole (5 Ingredients)
My pizza casserole recipe is an easy, 5-ingredient, one-pan dinner with melty cheese, marinara sauce, pepperoni, and roasted veggies.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
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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.
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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.)
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Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place pepperoni slices on top.
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Place the casserole back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup, or 1/6 of entire casserole
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you avoid a watery result, plus my shortcut when I want to make this faster.
- Storage: If I have a lot left, I keep leftovers right in the baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. They keep for 2-3 days that way. When I have just a little bit or want meal prep portions, I transfer them to an airtight container, which gets an extra 1-2 days out of them.
- Meal prep: This pizza casserole is perfect for meal prep! I often assemble it in advance, and either keep in the refrigerator or freeze.
- Reheat: Microwave pieces individually, or warm the whole thing in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- Freeze: You can freeze the entire baking dish (which I recommend thawing before heating), or divide into portions and wrap individually for easy lunches (that I heat right from the freezer). They’re best within 3-6 months.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle, Keto Ebook Bundle, and Winter Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Pizza Casserole
179 Comments
John
0Can you cauliflower rice instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi John, Yes, you can! If you still “roast” it, you’d need to reduce the time quite a lot since the pieces are much smaller. Otherwise you could steam or stir fry it before making the casserole with it. Squeeze out extra moisture first if you steam it.
Kathy
0Tried it loved it; will make again
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Kathy!
Stevie
0Just made this recipe, very excited to try it! Only thing I did differently was steam the cauliflower before roasting it, and by adding a layer of cheese between the sauce and veggies. I was afraid to roast it before steaming since I discovered I’m sensitive to texture and flavor of food, and can get overwhelmed by the flavor of cauliflower. Is the cauliflower less intense after roasting?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Stevie! Please let me know what you thought of it. I actually prefer to roast without steaming. I much prefer the taste of cauliflower when roasted than steamed. It doesn’t get that smell or mushy texture.
Tabitha
0This recipe called for too much salt and pepper. Otherwise it would have been delicious.
Tabitha
0I guess I got confused because the salt and pepper follow the 2 tbsp of olive oil so I took it as the salt and pepper needed that amount as well. My bad.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’ve done that before, Tabitha! I hope you try it again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tabitha, The recipe did not specify the amount of salt and pepper. Are you thinking of a different one? The salt and pepper are listed without an amount because you can just sprinkle as much as you’d like.
Monica Scherzer
0Do you use low-fat or regular mozzarella?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Monica, I use regular, but you can use either one for this recipe.
Brian
0My wife and I have enjoyed our adventures in a new way of cooking. Everything has been so tasty, right down to the desserts we’ve made. Thank you so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Brian! I am so happy you are enjoying my recipes!
Rachel
0I made this last night ..it was delicious!! I didn’t even miss the crust. I added tomatoes and mushrooms with the cauliflower then put spinach, artichokes, olives, and garlic on top with cheese at end. Soo good !
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Rachel! That sounds amazing!
Barbara
0Too much salt, pepper, and sauce.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barbara! The amount of salt and pepper you put in is up to you depending on your taste, that’s why I don’t list the amounts for those ingredients on the recipe card. You can definitely make it using less sauce as well. 🙂
Penny
0How much sodium does it have?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Penny, unfortunately my recipe card doesn’t show that information. You can try putting the ingredients into an online nutrition calculator. Hope this helps!
Aneah
0Love this idea – I’m thinking of modifying it – slightly – to fit into a frozen food quickie version. I make zucchini lasagna in individual size portions where I put wax paper into the single serve baking dish, layer it all out and freeze for later baking for individual servings. This sounds like it would be perfect for that as well. Along with some thinly sliced bell pepper and black olives to go along. Thanks for the idea!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That is an awesome idea, love it!
Ellen Richardson
0Can you use riced cauliflower?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ellen, I haven’t tried that but you definitely can! It will take a lot less time to cook upfront before adding the toppings.
Lauri
0This looks delicious, but according to my calculations only 60% of the calories come from fat, so how can it be keto?
John Hryniw
0Oh, Lauri, really??
Maya, seems like a great recipe. Keep up the great work.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, John!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lauri, It’s impossible for every individual food to be the perfect macro ratio. With 7g net carbs per serving, this casserole can definitely fit into a keto diet. The goal is for your day (or meals, if you prefer) to be keto overall. If you prefer more fat in your meal with this, you can add more butter to the cauliflower, or more cheese overall. Hope this helps.