Everything you love is packed in this Baked Pasta With Pepperoni! Spicy smoked pepperoni, cheese, and pasta baked to perfection in delicious red sauce.
This dish is often requested for Potlucks and we love to make it because it requires almost minimal to no effort at all. It takes up to 30 minutes to bake and can be easily made ahead and reheated later.
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It is one of my favorite pepperoni recipes so far! Pepperoni is so good on its own but in pasta? Whole another level!
If you love easy one-pot recipes, you should try these next: Cabbage Roll Soup, Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie, Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta.
Why we love this
- Cheap and easy to make!
- This one-pot pepperoni pasta wins the award of being the fastest busy weeknight dinner ever!
- Easy to make ahead as well - cook the pasta day before, chop the pepperoni and use in the next 2-3 days.
Ingredients
Italian sausage such as pepperoni is the best sausage to use in pasta and pizzas. Especially if we are talking about cheese and lots of it!
However, to make it a tiny bit healthier, substitute pepperoni with cooked and browned lean ground beef and pork mix, ground chicken, or turkey.
Hot sauce - any of your favorite brands such as Frank’s hot sauce for example. Drizzle over pepperoni island pasta before baking or serve as condiments later instead.
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. You want to cook it al dente as it will continue to cook in the oven later.
Drain the cooked pasta and place in a large bowl, pour over the bolognese sauce, stir to combine.
Add pepperoni and mozzarella, stir once again and transfer to an ovenproof skillet or cast-iron skillet (sprinkle with cooking spray prior).
Sprinkle with more mozzarella cheese on top and layout the whole slices of pepperoni on top and bake for 15 minutes at 350F.
Tips and Add ons
- Freezes well however after thawing and reheating you’ll need to add extra sauce, warm water to thin it out.
- This one-pot pepperoni pasta is straightforward, budget-friendly, and very easy to make. And you can use it as a simple pasta bake base, next time try some variations by implementing some of the tips below.
- Make it more healthy(-ish!). Spinach, grated or chopped carrots, medium diced zucchini or zucchini spirals for a wholesome meal. For spinach simply mix it in the pasta right after adding the sauce. Saute zucchini and carrots separately before adding to the sauce.
- Black or green olives - for that salty flavor! Add the olives cut in half on top of the cheese right before baking!
- If you love mushrooms, saute them prior in butter and add to the sauce later.
- Grilled cocktail or cherry tomatoes on top!
- Saute 2 cloves of garlic along with finely diced small to medium brown onion and add to the sauce.
- We like to serve this soup with Smoked Chicken and Beet Salad, delicious Roasted Pesto Potato Salad, and for a more fulfilling meal Hawaiian Macaroni Salad.
Easy One Pot and Casserole Recipes
Easy Dinner Recipes
Did you make this One-Pot Pepperoni Pasta? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below. Thank you!
One-Pot Pepperoni Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz pasta of choice such as spaghetti, rotini
- 19 oz of bolognese or any pasta sauce
- 3 cups of mozzarella freshly grated
- Dried oregano and basil for serving
- 7 oz pepperoni chopped + leave whole slices for garnish on top
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. You want to cook it al dente as it will continue to cook in the oven later.
- Drain the cooked pasta and place in a large bowl, pour over the bolognese sauce, stir t combine.
- Add pepperoni and mozzarella, stir once again and transfer to an ovenproof skillet or cast iron (sprinkle with cooking spray prior). Sprinkle with more mozzarella cheese on top and layout the whole slices of pepperoni on top and bake for 15 minutes at 350F.
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