Crock-Pot Pizza Casserole

Okay, so confession time: I’m obsessed with this Crock-Pot Pizza Casserole. It’s basically comfort food perfected. I stumbled on this recipe when I was cleaning out my pantry and realized I had a random assortment of things that needed to be used up – ground beef, some sad-looking mushrooms, and about a pound of cheese. Desperation breeds innovation, right?

What makes this so awesome? It’s easy, it’s cheesy, and it’s pizza but in casserole form – which, let’s be honest, is sometimes even better. It’s also a total lifesaver on busy weeknights. Just dump everything in the crock-pot and walk away. Seriously, minimal effort for maximum flavor.

Plus, you can totally customize it with whatever random toppings you have on hand. Honestly, store-bought sauce works fine here, and I usually skip the fancy mushrooms.

What You’ll Need

• 12 ounces wide egg noodles
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 28 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
• 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 ounces pepperoni, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Steps

1. Coat a 6-quart (or larger) crock with non-stick cooking spray or a liner. This is key for easy cleanup later.
2. Cook noodles according to the package instructions and drain. Don’t overcook them, they’ll continue cooking in the crock-pot.
3. Brown ground beef and drain. Add Italian seasoning, onion, and mushrooms, and cook until tender.
4. Stir spaghetti sauce into the meat mixture.
5. Layer 1/3 of the noodles, meat sauce, pepperoni, and cheese in the crock-pot. Repeat layers twice until all ingredients are used. Get that cheese evenly distributed!
6. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until heated through and the cheese is melty and gooey.

Substitutions That Actually Work

• Ground turkey or sausage: Instead of ground beef for a slightly different flavor.
• Different veggies: Bell peppers, spinach, olives – throw in whatever you like!
• Jarred Alfredo sauce: Mix it with the spaghetti sauce for a creamy, cheesy twist.

Making It Diabetes-Friendly

• Use whole wheat noodles and reduce the amount of cheese.
• Add more vegetables to bulk it up and add fiber.
• Watch the sodium content of the spaghetti sauce.

Tips & Storage

• Leftovers are great! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
• If you’re short on time, you can use pre-cooked noodles.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment with different cheeses. A little Parmesan on top is always a good idea.