Cheesy White Pizza Casserole
I made this white pizza casserole years ago, and I remember how impressed I was at how you can make something so indulgent and comforting using simple ingredients. Whether you are on a budget or not, this casserole with creamy white sauce, pasta, cheese, and pepperoni is a must-try. It will revolutionize your dinner menu, with just 15 minutes of active prep and only 30 minutes finishing it in the oven.
Casserole recipes are a staple in my household. They are easy to make, and I usually have enough leftovers to not worry about cooking dinner the next day. My other favorites are Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole and Chicken Spaghetti Casserole. This white pizza casserole, made with just seven ingredients and a few herbs, redefines cooking at home, making homemade comfort food easy, accessible, and stress-free.
Table of contents
This is a casserole you can be proud to show off. It’s ideal for a low-key dinner with the family and impressive enough to take to potlucks. I suggest making a double batch the first time you make it, even if you think it would be too much. It stores easily in the fridge for up to five days, and you can freeze it for several months. This is the type of home-cooked dinner that makes you feel like a culinary genius, even on those busy weeknights.
Why you will love this recipe
- Comfort food: This meal is the epitome of comfort food: perfectly cooked pasta coated in a cheesy white pizza sauce, topped with pepperoni, and baked to perfection. The top gets crispy and bubbly, while the interior stays creamy!
- Feeds a crown: As much as I love cooking, sometimes it gets tiring. This meal is easy to prepare and can feed a family of four or six! Just add a fresh salad on the side, and dinner is ready!
- It has only a few ingredients: Cheese, pasta, pepperoni, cream, and seasoning. I always rely on budget-friendly meals during weeknights, and it’s especially easy when the recipe requires basic ingredients that I usually have on hand.
- Make-ahead: This casserole is ideal for meal planning. I like to double the ingredients and make two. I freeze one for later, knowing I can rely on it when busy or too tired to cook.
What you will need
- Main ingredients: Penne pasta cooked al dente per package directions and pepperoni slices.
- Mozzarella cheese: I shred it myself for the best flavor and meltability.
- The sauce: I saute the onion and garlic in unsalted butter, then use all-purpose flour to make the roux and heavy cream to make the sauce velvety smooth. I add freshly grated parmesan to make it extra creamy and cheesy.
- Seasoning: Fresh thyme adds a minty, sweet taste with a hint of peppery flavor. Freshly chopped oregano leaves have a slightly bitter and pungent taste with a bold, earthy background. Plus salt and pepper to taste.
How to make
Preheat: To begin, I set the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
Saute: Then, I melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Add diced onion and cook for five minutes or until transparent. I season it with salt and pepper before adding the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Then, I sprinkle in the flour and stir. I continue stirring continuously on medium heat until a roux forms.
Make the sauce: I slowly add the warm cream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. When it reaches the consistency of gravy, I season it with oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Then, I take it off heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
Mix it up: In the meantime, I cook the pasta, drain it, and set it aside in a large bowl. I mix it with three-quarters of the pepperoni, one cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the prepared white sauce.
Bake: Then, I pour it into the prepared casserole dish, sprinkle more mozzarella on top, and add the rest of the pepperoni. I bake it for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Broil and serve: I broil it for the last five minutes to make it extra brown and crispy.
Expert tip
Choosing the right pasta for this casserole
I use penne for this casserole because of the angled ends. The sauce is drawn into the hollow opening, so you get a mouthful of sauce in every bite. But that is not all. The ridges along the outside also hold the sauce. Talk about a mouthful of flavors! Penne ziti is another excellent choice; shells are incredible, too, because they can even hold smaller pieces of pepperoni and cheese, and the outside has ridges. Cavatappi is fun corkscrew-type, hollow pasta that keeps the sauce and chunky ingredients outside.
More tips to consider:
- You will notice that I always mention that you should shred your cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with additives to prevent clumping (and melting) and preservatives to help it stay fresh longer. Freshly grated cheese tastes better, too.
- You can substitute alfredo sauce for white pizza sauce in a pinch, but I would add some extra Italian seasonings and mozzarella for flavor and thickening.
- Wait to boil the pasta just before baking it, or you will end up with mushy noodles.
- Use any pasta with this casserole, but I recommend one with a textured outside and hollow inside.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Different meat: You can use ground beef or sausage instead of (or in addition to) pepperoni.
- Lighter meat: For something lighter, try ground turkey, pork, or chicken.
- Bacon: Fry up some bacon and crumble it on your casserole for a bacon pizza casserole.
- No meat: Leave the pepperoni and add chopped mushrooms, spinach, and sundried tomatoes.
- Cheese: You can toss some shredded cheese like cheddar or pepper jack.
- Veggies: Add a mix of your favorite veggies to make it more nutritious. I like chopped bell peppers and broccoli.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta and gluten-free flour when making the roux.
Serving suggestions:
Anytime I serve pasta for dinner, I need to have my favorite homemade breadsticks on the side or a slice of this easy yeast bread. This dinner is comforting and delicious when accompanied by a creamy tomato soup or light and simple vegetable soup.
Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc wine pairs well with this casserole’s buttery, creamy flavor. If you are a spicy sauce fan like I am, I highly recommend drizzling some Sriracha or buffalo sauce on top. My family enjoys this cheesy casserole with a large strawberry spinach salad. The flavors pair well together. I recommend a light dessert after such a rich casserole, which I usually serve with a refreshing lemon or strawberry sorbet.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Leftovers will last for three to four days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Place them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container to keep them longer. They will last up to three months in the freezer.
- Defrost: Remove the frozen leftovers from the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the fridge for the best results.
- Reheating: To reheat thawed leftovers, put them in the oven for 10 minutes or in the microwave for one to two minutes.
Frequently asked questions
It is possible that you boiled it too long. When you first boil it, cook it under al dente. It usually takes about 11 minutes to cook to al dente penne. If the package says 11 minutes, I would cook it for 10 minutes. But, if the package says 10 minutes, I would cook it for nine minutes simply because the pasta will continue to cook in the oven while the casserole cooks. If you boil it to or past al dente, you end up with soggy or mushy pasta.
Even though this is a casserole and not a pizza, it is nice to know what people would put on a white pizza. This helps with ideas of what would go well in this casserole. One of my favorites is chicken. It’s like chicken alfredo—and shrimp, lobster, or clams. Bacon would also be delicious. Any mushrooms or spinach. Like cream of mushroom or spinach soups. Artichokes are another great veggie that would work on white pizza. Almost any kind of vegetable would be great on white pizza.
Yes, but in that case, I recommend boiling the pasta a bit shy of al dente. Otherwise, it will become soggy. Another option is to make the cheese sauce and store it in a casserole dish; boil the pasta and combine it with the cheese sauce when ready to cook dinner. If the cheese causa has thickened in the fridge, add 1/4 cup of boiled pasta water to make it thinner.
More casserole recipes:
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White Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups dry penne pasta cook based on package directions
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6 oz pepperoni’s
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy cream warm
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme diced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped leaves only
- 1/2 cup parmesan grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook penne pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet or saucepan over low heat, let the butter and add diced onion. Cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and stir to distribute flour. Increase heat to medium and cook for a minute or two, stirring continuously.
- Slowly stir in warmed cream in a slow drizzle and stir constantly to avoid lumps.
- Bring the cream mixture to a very slight simmer and cook until it thickens slightly.
- When the sauce is the consistency of gravy, season it with fresh thyme, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Please remove it from the heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
- Add cooked pasta, 3/4 of the pepperoni, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and the white pizza sauce to a large bowl and gently toss to combine.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9×13'' pan. Sprinkle 1 1/s cup of mozzarella cheese on top (you can use more or less cheese), and top with remaining pepperoni pieces.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling.
- For a golden brown top, broil for the last minutes of baking. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Choosing the right pasta for this casserole
I use penne for this casserole because of the angled ends. The sauce is drawn into the hollow opening, so you get a mouthful of sauce in every bite. But that is not all. The ridges along the outside also hold the sauce. Talk about a mouthful of flavors! Penne ziti is another excellent choice; shells are incredible, too, because they can even hold smaller pieces of pepperoni and cheese, and the outside has ridges. Cavatappi is fun corkscrew-type, hollow pasta that keeps the sauce and chunky ingredients outside.More tips to consider:
- You will notice that I always mention that you should shred your cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with additives to prevent clumping (and melting) and preservatives to help it stay fresh longer. Freshly grated cheese tastes better, too.
- You can substitute alfredo sauce for white pizza sauce in a pinch, but I would add some extra Italian seasonings and mozzarella for flavor and thickening.
- Wait to boil the pasta just before baking it, or you will end up with mushy noodles.
- Use any pasta with this casserole, but I recommend one with a textured outside and hollow inside.