Crock Pot Pizza

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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 Time15

Cook Time4 15

Total Time4 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1½ cups each

Calories: 808kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

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

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.

Tips:

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!

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