Mom's Updated Pizza Casserole
Gourmet spin on a mom's midwest pizza casserole! Equals ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni noodles
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb hot italian ground sausage or sweet if like it mild
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 8 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt/pepper
- 6 oz pepperoni slices
- 2 cans mushroom soup make homemade version
- 1 can tomato soup make homemade version
- 16 oz. pizza or marinara sauce
- 8 oz. fresh mozzerella cheese
- 8 oz. fresh ricotta cheese
- basil, chiffoned optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook rigatoni noodles until al dente as directed and set aside.
- Saute onions and mushrooms together over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Add salt/pepper, garlic, and seasonings. Add in sausage/beef mixture and cook until browned. Set aside.
- Mix soups/marinara sauce together reserving 2-3 tbsp. of marinara. Mix together with rigatoni and meat mixture.
- Pour the reserved marinara sauce in 9X13 baking dish. Layer with pepperoni then the pasta mixture then half of the mozzerella and repeat until you finish with pepperoni and top it with remaining mozzerella, ricotta and basil (if using). Bake for 60 minutes.
Notes
- Can make the homemade tomato and mushroom soups ahead of time.
- Can freeze until ready to bake.
- The dish can be made one day ahead of time.