PIZZA HOTDISH

Looking for a new hotdish recipe? Then you’re in for a treat. Today I’m sharing a recipe for pizza hotdish.

That’s pretty much combining the two best things ever (pizza and hotdish), in one cheesy dish.

This recipe combines pizza toppings, lots and lots of cheese, pasta, and a zesty red sauce to bring it all together.
Hotdish (also called casserole in many areas outside of the midwest) is great for feeding a crowd. Growing up in Minnesota, my mom made hotdish at least once a week.
Pizza hotdish wasn’t in our typical rotation. It was more of a special occasion hotdish.

TOPPING OPTIONS

This recipe is adaptable. If you don’t like pepperoni, black olives, red onions, and tomatoes, you can substitute your favorite pizza toppings:

Sausage
Canadian bacon
Bacon
Chicken
Green or red bell pepper
Mushrooms
Green olives
Sliced garlic

The sky is the limit when it comes to the toppings you use. To save money, scour your fridge, freezer or pantry for potential pizza toppings.

HOW TO MAKE PIZZA HOTDISH

Cook pasta to al dente: You don’t want to overcook the pasta at this point, because it will continue to cook when the hotdish is baked.
Mix pasta with pizza sauce: The recipe calls for some extra spices to up the flavor of the dish.
Layer ingredients: Start with a layer of pasta + sauce, and layer on additional toppings. End with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
Bake : until the cheese is bubbly and serve!

See full recipe, below.

MORE HOTDISH RECIPES

If you’re looking for more midwestern hotdish recipes to feed your family, I have you covered. These are some of my family’s favorite hotdish recipes:

Chicken broccoli hotdish
Tuna noodle hotdish
Chow mein noodle hotdish
Three-bean hotdish
Ring bologna hotdish
Cheesy corn hotdish
Crab rangoon hotdish

This hotdish can be assembled ahead of time and baked at a later time. You can make it the day before, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, and bake the following day. Or you can assemble the dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap or tin foil, and freezer for up to 2 months.

INGREDIENTS

16-ounce box dry shell macaroni
2 cups pizza sauce
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Pepperoni (as much as you'd like!)
1 cup sliced black olives
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Do not overcook! Drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Mix pasta with pizza sauce, parsley, and garlic powder. Place a layer of the pasta with sauce at the bottom of a casserole dish or glass ovenproof bowl. Add a layer of pepperoni, black olives, onion, tomatoes, and cheese. Repeat with the pasta and remaining toppings. Finish with a layer of cheese.
Bake at 375F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.

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