Pizza lasagna bake layers lasagna noodles with Italian sausage, pizza sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, pepperoni, peppers, and onions, then bakes until bubbling. It blends two favorite comfort dishes into one big pan.
Each slice has the creamy layers of lasagna and the toppings of a supreme pizza, so it feeds a crowd and pleases both kids and adults at the table.
Table of Contents
Why This Pizza Lasagna Bake Recipe Works
Using pizza sauce instead of marinara gives the meat sauce a familiar pizzeria flavor with oregano and garlic.
Three cheeses, ricotta, mozzarella, and provolone, create creamy layers and a stretchy melted top.
Pepperoni, green pepper, onion, and olives add the toppings people expect on a pizza without any extra dough.
Ingredients for Pizza Lasagna Bake
- The layers use nine cooked lasagna noodles, one pound of Italian sausage, two cups of pizza sauce, and one teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- The cheese and toppings use one cup of ricotta, one cup each of mozzarella and provolone, half a cup of Parmesan, one cup of sliced pepperoni, one green pepper, half a red onion, and half a cup of black olives.
Lasagna noodles. They form the sturdy layers of the bake.
Italian sausage. It adds savory, fennel scented flavor.
Pizza sauce. It gives the meat a pizza style tang and herbs.
Ricotta, mozzarella, and provolone. They create the creamy, stretchy cheese layers.
Pepperoni and vegetables. They add the pizza toppings in every slice.
How to Make Pizza Lasagna Bake
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a nine by thirteen inch baking dish.
2. Brown the meat. Cook the sausage in a skillet until no pink remains, drain the fat, then stir in the pizza sauce and Italian seasoning and simmer for five minutes.
3. Start the layers. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the dish and top with three noodles.
4. Build. Add a third of the ricotta, meat sauce, mozzarella, provolone, pepperoni, peppers, onions, and olives, then repeat the layers two more times.
5. Top. Finish with the remaining cheese and the Parmesan.
6. Bake. Cover with foil and bake for twenty five minutes, uncover and bake ten to fifteen minutes more until golden, then rest for ten minutes.
Cook the noodles until just short of tender. They keep softening in the oven as they absorb sauce, and fully cooked noodles turn mushy by the end of the bake. Lay the cooked noodles flat on a sheet of oiled parchment so they do not stick together.
Drain the sausage well and blot extra grease with a paper towel. A greasy meat sauce leaves an oil slick on top of the finished dish and makes the layers slide apart. A thicker sauce also helps the slices hold together when you cut and serve.
How to Serve Pizza Lasagna Bake
Serve squares hot with a green salad or garlic bread. For more pizza and pasta dishes, try sheet pan school pizza, macaroni beef goulash, homemade pizza dough with bread flour, or ground beef stroganoff with mushrooms.
How to Store and Reheat Pizza Lasagna Bake
Cool the dish, cover it, and refrigerate for up to four days. Reheat single portions in the microwave or the whole dish in an oven set to 350 degrees F covered with foil. Freeze unbaked or baked portions for up to two months and thaw overnight.
Tips and Variations for Pizza Lasagna Bake
Flag the allergens. This dish contains wheat, milk, and pork, and the sausage and pepperoni may contain other allergens.
Do not taste raw meat. Taste the sauce only after the sausage is fully cooked, and wash your hands after handling raw meat.
Check the temperature. Sausage is safe at 160 F.
Use whole milk cheese. It melts smoothly.
Pat the toppings dry. Wet vegetables thin the sauce.
Make ahead. Assemble and chill before baking.
Add extra toppings. Mushrooms and spinach fit well.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for cooking and chilling ground meat.
Cover the dish with foil for the first stage of baking so the noodles steam and the top does not brown too early. Remove the foil for the last ten to fifteen minutes to let the cheese melt and turn golden. Spray the foil lightly so the cheese does not stick to it.
Let the dish rest for ten minutes before cutting. The layers need time to set, and a rested bake slices into clean squares instead of slumping. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, and serve with a green salad to balance the rich cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pizza Lasagna Bake
What is pizza lasagna bake?
It is a layered casserole that combines lasagna noodles with pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.
Can you make pizza lasagna bake ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it a day early, refrigerate, and add ten to fifteen minutes to the bake.
Can you freeze pizza lasagna bake?
Yes. Freeze it baked or unbaked for up to two months.
Can I use ground beef?
Yes. Ground beef works in the same amount in place of sausage.
Do I need to boil the noodles?
Yes, for this recipe, cook them until just short of tender before layering.
Pizza Lasagna Bake
Equipment
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- Large skillet
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 9 lasagna noodles cooked and drained
- 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef
- 2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup sliced black olives optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Heat. Heat the oven to 375 F and grease a 9×13 inch dish.
- Meat. Brown the sausage, drain, and simmer with the pizza sauce and seasoning 5 minutes.
- Layer. Layer sauce, noodles, ricotta, cheeses, pepperoni, and vegetables three times.
- Bake. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Rest. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
