Meet your new favorite weeknight dinner: a cheesy, saucy pizza casserole that’s fast to assemble and easy to customize. This crowd-pleasing one-pan dish captures the flavors of a classic pepperoni pizza in a casserole format—perfect for busy evenings. Assemble it ahead of time and bake when you’re ready for a no-fuss meal on the table in about 20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Pizza Casserole
This pizza casserole delivers oven-baked pizza flavor without the fuss of kneading dough or shaping crusts. It layers fluffy biscuit-style dough with pizza sauce, toppings, and plenty of melty cheese for an easy family dinner. Key benefits:
- Simple, satisfying layers: Savory sauce, pizza toppings, and gooey cheese sit on a tender biscuit-style base for comforting, familiar flavor.
- Fast and flexible: The dough is made from Bisquick for a quick “pizza crust” — or use refrigerated biscuit dough if you prefer. Swap toppings to match what you have on hand.
- Minimal cleanup: Everything bakes in a single 9×13-inch dish, so you spend less time washing pans and more time enjoying dinner.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble the casserole the night before and bake from the refrigerator when you’re ready.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients for a classic pepperoni pizza casserole. You can easily swap or add toppings to suit your taste.
- 3 1/3 cups Bisquick mix (or your preferred biscuit mix)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (14–15 ounce) jar pizza sauce (use your favorite)
- 6 ounces sliced pepperoni (or other toppings)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (freshly shredded melts best)
How to Make Pizza Casserole
This step-by-step assembly is quick and straightforward. The casserole bakes in roughly 20–25 minutes once assembled.
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Make the dough: In a medium bowl, stir together Bisquick, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Add water and mix until a soft dough forms. If it’s too sticky, add a tablespoon or two more Bisquick; if too dry, add a bit more water.
- Layer the base: Divide the dough in half. Drop tablespoon-sized portions of half the dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan—this won’t fully cover the pan.
- Add sauce and toppings: Drizzle half the pizza sauce over the dough, then scatter half the pepperoni and half the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers: Add the remaining dough pieces, drizzle with the remaining sauce, then top with the rest of the pepperoni and cheese. Finish with a final layer of mozzarella.
- Bake: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the cheese is bubbly and golden in spots. Let cool briefly, cut into squares, and serve warm.
Tips for Success
- Dough texture: Aim for a soft, slightly tacky dough that holds shape when dropped by the spoon. Adjust Bisquick or water as needed.
- Easy scooping: Lightly grease the tablespoon or scoop you use so the dough releases cleanly into the pan.
- Smaller batch: Halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8-inch dish if you want fewer servings.
- Cheese: Shredding mozzarella from a block gives better melt and texture than pre-shredded cheese.
Topping Ideas and Variations
One of the best things about pizza casserole is how easy it is to personalize. Try any of the combinations below or create your own.
- Vegetarian: Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and black olives.
- Hawaiian: Diced ham and pineapple for a sweet-savory twist.
- Greek: Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and crumbled feta.
- Mexican-style: Seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, and a sprinkle of cheddar.
- Buffalo chicken: Toss shredded chicken in Buffalo sauce and use ranch or blue cheese in place of pizza sauce.
- BBQ chicken: Replace pizza sauce with BBQ sauce and layer in cooked, shredded BBQ chicken.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
You can assemble this casserole a day in advance and keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator. If baking cold from the fridge, add a few extra minutes to the bake time to ensure it heats through. Leftovers store well:
- Refrigerate: Keep leftover portions airtight in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven at 375°F or in the microwave until hot and the cheese is melted.
- Freeze: Freeze portions for up to 2 months in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve pizza casserole as the main dish with a simple green salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables. A light side like bruschetta or a crisp Caesar salad pairs nicely to balance the richness of the cheese and sauce.
Printable Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups Bisquick
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (14–15 oz) jar pizza sauce
- 6 oz sliced pepperoni
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine Bisquick, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl. Add water and stir to form a soft dough. Adjust with more Bisquick or water if needed.
- Divide dough in half. Drop spoonfuls of half the dough evenly across the pan.
- Drizzle half the pizza sauce over the dough, then add half the pepperoni and half the mozzarella.
- Repeat with remaining dough, sauce, pepperoni, and cheese, finishing with a top layer of cheese.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until the dough is cooked through and the cheese is bubbly. Let cool slightly, cut into squares, and serve warm.