CasserolesMain DishRecipesSlow Cooker and Instant Pot

Instant Pot Pizza Casserole

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Every time I might complain about how much time it takes to make dinner, my husband usually replies saying something along the lines of, “Well, just do something easy–like pizza casserole.” Honestly, until a few weeks ago, I had MAYBE made this for my family just once or twice. Apparently, it really made an impression on Neil, because this many years later, he still asks for it. Well, here ya go. This Pizza Casserole is actually quite delightful. While it may not take any less time than my other meals, it is one I can make all in one pot (the InstantPot) and leave it for a few hours until dinner. Make-ahead meals are my saving grace these days with all the directions our busy family is going after school. Serve this with a green salad like my Mediterranean Vegetable Salad, or my Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette to round out the meal. I hope you enjoy this cheesy, saucy, meaty pasta dish as much as my crew does.

Instant Pot Pizza Casserole

make-ahead casserole
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author Megan

Ingredients

  • 56 ounces marinara sauce see notes
  • 1/2 pound ground beef cooked and drained
  • 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage cooked and drained
  • 1 pound corkscrew pasta cooked and drained
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 medium zucchini chopped
  • 6 ounces sliced pepperoni
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

  • On the "Saute" setting, cook the ground beef and sausage until no longer pink. Remove from pot and drain, if necessary.
  • Meanwhile, boil the pasta just before it is al dente. Do not over cook the pasta, or it will turn to mush later.
  • Combine all ingredients in the Instant Pot. Change the setting to "Slow Cook" and set the timer for 2 to 4 hours.
  • Serve hot with a fresh, green salad.

Notes

I often have homemade marinara sauce, “Mom’s Sugo” stowed away in the freezer for recipes like this one. If that sounds appealing to you, replace both the marinara sauce and ground beef with about 7 1/2 cups of Mom’s Sugo. If I don’t have that on hand, my favorite canned marinara sauce is Hunt’s Garlic and Herb Tomato Sauce.
To add more fiber to this dish, substitute half or all of the corkscrew pasta with whole wheat penne pasta.

Instant Pot

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