This Crock Pot Pizza recipe turns your favorite pizza dough crust into a deep dish casserole! Create a cheesy, meaty masterpiece using pasta for the pizza crust and layering it with any topping you love. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it dinner that’s as delicious as it is easy.
Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
Crock Pot pizza is a homemade hero when you’re craving pepperoni pizza but don’t have time to cook. Just 15 fast minutes to prep, then set it and forget it while the slow cooker does the work. No fuss, no babysitting—just a delicious slow-cooker pizza casserole dinner that’s perfect for busy schedules.
Ingredients for Crock Pot Pizza
- Rotini pasta: I recommend using rotini or penne noodles for this recipe, however, you could also use rigatoni or ziti if that’s all you have on hand. Even macaroni noodles or shells will work well.
- Sweet mild Italian sausage: You can substitute ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken for the sweet mild italian sausage.
- Green bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Sweet yellow onion
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Minced garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Spaghetti sauce: Any kind of store-bought tomato sauce, pizza sauce or marinara sauce will work! Or make your own sauce from scratch if you have a recipe you love.
- Water
- Mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni: Turkey pepperoni can be substituted for regular sliced pepperoni if you are watching your salt and fat intake.
- Fresh parsley
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Do You Need to Cook Pasta First for Crock Pot Pizza?
Yes, you should cook the pasta first just until al dente before adding it to the Crock Pot. This ensures it doesn’t get too soft or mushy while slow-cooking.
How to Make Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
- Prepare The Pasta: Add the pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook over medium high heat to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Saute On The Stovetop: Cook the sausage, peppers, onion, mushrooms, and garlic in a large skillet until the veggies are softened and the sausage is cooked through.
- Simmer In Sauce: Stir the Italian seasoning into the meat mixture then add the spaghetti sauce. Pour ¼ cup of water into the sauce jar, shake, then pour it into the skillet and stir. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring often.
- Add The Rotini: Remove from the heat. Add the cooked noodles into the skillet and stir to coat in sauce.
- Assemble: Layer half of the pasta and meat mixture in the crockpot. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese and top with pepperoni slices. Repeat the layers.
- Cover And Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 3 ½ hours.
- Add More Mozzarella: After 3 ½ hours, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the pepperoni. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with a side salad and a slice of garlic bread. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Stop Sogginess: To keep the crust from getting soggy, make sure to layer the pasta and sauce mixture evenly and don’t overfill the Crock Pot. The steam can make it too wet if there’s too much liquid.
- Layer Right for Even Cooking: Start with a layer of pasta, then meat mixture, cheese, and toppings for even cooking and better texture.
- For Hassle-Free Cleanup: Grease the inside of your Crock Pot with nonstick cooking spray before layering the ingredients to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze!
- Save Time: To save yourself some time, prep the pasta and sauté the veggies and sausage ahead of time. Store them in the fridge, then cook the crockpot pizza casserole when you’re ready for dinner!
Variations
- Personalize Your Crock Pot Pizza: Make your Crock Pot Pizza uniquely yours by adding or removing any toppings you love! Try red onion, black olives, spinach, broccoli, Canadian bacon, ham, pineapple, or anything you like.
- Change The Cheese: While mozzarella gives that classic pizza taste, you can switch it up with provolone, Italian blend, parmesan cheese, or even cheddar cheese for a fun twist on flavor.
- Swap The Sauce: For traditional pizza flavor, go with a tomato-based sauce, but don’t be afraid to get creative! Try using alfredo sauce, BBQ sauce, or even a pesto base to give your pizza casserole in crock pot a personal spin.
- Cut The Carbs: Skip the pasta and use zucchini slices, riced cauliflower, or thinly sliced eggplant as a keto-friendly, low-carb crust alternative. Check out my crustless pizza and pizza zucchini boats for more lower carb pizza meals.
More Crockpot Recipes
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Crock Pot Pizza
Serves — 6
Crock Pot Pizza cooks your pizza and pasta together as one delicious, cheesy deep-dish casserole. The perfect fusion of pizza flavors and pasta comfort in one easy, slow-cooked meal.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry rotini pasta
- 1 pound sweet mild italian sausage
- 1 cup green pepper seeded and sliced into strips
- 4 ounces fresh sliced button mushrooms
- ½ cup diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 24 ounce jarred spaghetti sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 16 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese 4 cups, Divided 1 ½ cups for 1st layer, 1 1 ½ cups for 2nd layer and 1 cup for topping
- 6 ounce package sliced pepperoni
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Bring a 5 to 6 quart pan of water to boil over medium high heat. Add the dry pasta and cook al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well and set aside.3 cups dry rotini pasta
- In a deep 10 inch skillet over medium heat, add the sausage, green peppers, onion, sliced fresh mushrooms, minced garlic and olive oil. Stir often to break the sausage up as it cooks for about 5 to 7 minutes until the onions, peppers and mushrooms are softened and the sausage is cooked through.1 pound sweet mild italian sausage, 1 cup green pepper, 4 ounces fresh sliced button mushrooms, ½ cup diced sweet yellow onion, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Lower the heat to medium low. Add the Italian seasoning to the meat mixture and stir.2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Add the spaghetti sauce to the sausage and vegetables. Pour ¼ cup of water into the sauce jar and shake.. Pour the remaining sauce into the skillet and stir. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat.24 ounce jarred spaghetti sauce, ¼ cup water
- Next, add the cooked rotini to the sauce and stir to completely coat the pasta.
- Spray a 6 to 7 quart crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.
- Layer half of the pasta and sauce into the crockpot. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of mozzarella over the pasta, and arrange ½ of the sliced pepperoni over the cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, 1 ½ cup cheese and remaining sliced pepperoni. Cover with the crock pot lid and cook on low for 3 ½ hours.16 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese, 6 ounce package sliced pepperoni
- At the 3 ½ hour mark, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the top of the pepperoni. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Just before you’re ready to serve, garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve while hot.2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Jenn’s Notes
Storage :
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Freeze the cooked dish for up to 1 month in either individual freezer safe containers, or in a larger container.
- To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. The texture of the pasta may change during the thawing process.
- To keep the crust from getting soggy, make sure to layer the pasta and sauce mixture evenly and don’t overfill the Crock Pot. The steam can make it too wet if there’s too much liquid.
- Start with a layer of pasta, then meat mixture, cheese, and toppings for even cooking and better texture.
- Grease the inside of your Crock Pot with nonstick cooking spray before layering the ingredients to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze!
- To save yourself some time, prep the pasta and sauté the veggies and sausage ahead of time. Store them in the fridge, then cook the crockpot pizza casserole when you’re ready for dinner!
Nutrition Info
Calories: 808kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 2018mg | Potassium: 863mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1108IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 442mg | Iron: 4mg
