Shop
My
Custom
My 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
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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!
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOW
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)
By
My pizza casserole recipe is an easy, 5-ingredient, one-pan dinner with melty cheese, marinara sauce, pepperoni, and roasted veggies.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
-
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.
-
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.)
-
Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place pepperoni slices on top.
-
Place the casserole back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
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.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Pizza Casserole
179 Comments
Janet
0Tried this recipe tonight & I was very pleased with the results. I will be making this again, Thank you for sharing!!!!!!
Casey
0Cauliflower pizza casserole? I mean, CAULIFLOWER!! I love cauliflower but I was SUPER skeptical about how the texture would turn out. And I was worried my wife would not like it because she is a total “texture person.” We were both blown away at how it turned out. It was scrumdiddlyumptious! It was so easy, I mean, I did it and I’m not much of a cook. But I am with your recipes!
Thank you so much for all you do, you are amazing!
Anne E Fitzgerald
0LOVED THIS! I used fresh mozarella and I think it made a little watery, but we just used a slotted spoon, no biggie. I also used tomato and moz chicken sausage cut on the bias. I grilled it first and then threw it on the top when it came out of the oven to keep the sausage warm. Will try with ground italian pork sausage next.
This is legit. Like, so easy, will be in a two week rotation for me.
Sandi
0I am not what you would call a cauliflower lover. I have, being on Keto, learned to tolerate it, but this recipe is making me LOVE it!!! I love pizza. This gives me all the flavors of pizza. It’s really, really good!
Thank you for sharing this! This will be a recipe I use over and over. So simple!
Tammy
0Threw it together quickly. Made my own marinara sauce, added bacon instead of pepperoni, jalapeños, cheddar bacon sausage. Can’t wait to let tim cool off enough so I can eat it! May even add some sour cream!
Jenny Uhlar
0I made this tonight! My husband absolutely loved it. We will make this again. Thank you for the wonderful low carb recipe.
Jennifer M Bauer
0Most delicious!! Looking forward to checking out your other recipes!
Pam
0Great recipe. Tastes delicious, and it’s easy to make.
Marcy K
0Made this for a potluck and everyone complimented it and wanted the recipe!! Yaaaaaaay!!
Donna
0Easy to follow, tasty recipe. Definately a keeper for those days when you don’t have a clue, or much time to rustle up some chow for 4 grown adults.
Coco
0This was great! I added 1/3 cup of fresh mushrooms on top as well. After the 10 min bake, I switched to broil and watched carefully to make it just right.
Marcy J
0I made this delicious dish tonight. I made my own marinara sauce. This is now a staple in my home.
Lori
0Have you (or has anyone) tried freezing the leftovers? I live alone, and will be starting a 7-day Egg Fast tomorrow, but I am making this for football Sunday today.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lori, Yes, you can freeze leftovers.
Rabia
0Can I use Bolognese sauce instead of marinara?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sure, you can if you’d like!
Amanda Grant
0I made this and it was so yummy! Thank you for posting this easy recipe.
Trish
0I made this tonight because it’s raining and I wanted some comfort food. Delicious!! I added a few jalapeño strips, crumbled cooked sausage crumbles and garlic. This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the casserole, Trish! Thank you!
Erika
0Woot woot it turned out great! Soooo good. I just stared keto and this is just perfect. I added some mushrooms and green pepper to the cauliflower. And low carb pizza sauce instead of marinara. Thank you for this quick amazing recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Erika! Please come back soon!
Christina
0Amazing! So good. Highly recommend it!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the casserole, Christina! Have a great day!
Doreen Aery
0Hi. I love this recipe. However, because of digestive issues, I cannot use cauliflower. Is there another veggie instead? Thanks for all you do.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Doreen, Sure, feel free to use any veggies you like!
Robin
0This is a fantastic idea because we love pizza at our house, too. I must cut the carbs for my family, though! This isn’t really a question about the recipe but cauliflower in general, and I’m hoping this will be a great platform for an answer.
I don’t like cauliflower. I don’t love the texture, taste, or smell. To be fair, I’ve only ever tried to eat it raw and in a store-bought, freezer steamed “mashed potato” form (yuck). So many people are using it for healthy recipes. Have a misjudged cauliflower? Is is some magical unicorn that tastes different roasted and hidden behind sauce and cheese? Any other advice for making myself love it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Robin, I definitely recommend trying cauliflower roasted. The flavor is pretty different versus steaming, and there isn’t much of a smell that way. Let me know what you think if you try it!