Alright, let me tell you about tackling this meat lovers pizza casserole thing the other day. Felt like pizza, but also kinda wanted something hearty, you know? Like proper comfort food. So, I figured, why not combine them?
Getting Started – The Meats
First things first, had to deal with the meat. That’s the “lovers” part, right? I grabbed about a pound of ground beef and maybe half a pound of Italian sausage. Got my trusty big skillet, threw the beef in, medium-high heat. Started breaking it up with a wooden spoon, letting it brown nicely. Once it was cooked through, I drained off all that extra fat. Super important step, otherwise, you get a greasy mess later.
Next, I tossed the Italian sausage into the same skillet. Did the same thing, browned it up, crumbled it. The kitchen was already starting to smell pretty darn good. While that was going, I chopped up some pepperoni and a few slices of Canadian bacon I had lingering in the fridge. Didn’t measure precisely, just eyeballed it until it looked like a good amount. Mixed all the cooked meats together in a bowl. That was my meat base, ready to go.
Building the Casserole
Okay, assembly time. I’d cooked some pasta earlier – just some rotini, cooked al dente like the package said. You definitely don’t want mushy pasta. I grabbed my big rectangular casserole dish.
Here’s how I layered it:
- Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on the bottom of the dish. Just enough to coat it.
- Dumped in about half of the cooked rotini.
- Spoon over half of that meaty mixture I made.
- Sprinkled a generous layer of mozzarella cheese. Can’t skimp on the cheese.
- Added another layer of pizza sauce.
- Repeated with the rest of the pasta, the remaining meat mixture, more sauce.
- Finished it all off with a thick layer of mozzarella and sprinkled some dried oregano on top for that pizza smell. Maybe a little parmesan too, because why not?
Baking and the Big Reveal
Covered the dish with foil – helps it cook through without the top burning too fast. Popped it into a preheated oven, think it was around 375°F (about 190°C). Let it bake for maybe 20 minutes covered.
Then, the crucial part: took the foil off. Let it bake for another 15-20 minutes. You want that cheese on top all melted, bubbly, and starting to get golden brown spots. The smell filling the house at this point was just fantastic. Seriously makes waiting hard.
Pulled it out of the oven. Looked pretty awesome, gotta say. All bubbly and cheesy. Let it sit on the counter for a good 10 minutes. This is key – lets it set up a bit so it doesn’t just fall apart into a sloppy pile when you serve it.
The Verdict
Scooped out a big portion onto a plate. It was exactly what I hoped for. Cheesy, super meaty, with those pasta spirals catching all the sauce. Total comfort food, hit the spot perfectly. It’s basically like a deconstructed pizza you eat with a fork. Cleanup wasn’t too bad either, mostly just the one skillet and the casserole dish. Definitely making this again when that pizza craving hits but I want something a bit more substantial. It’s a solid, hearty meal.
