Your family will love this one pot meat lovers pizza pasta bake—an easy 30-minute dinner that’s all made in one pan. No need to pre-cook the pasta: ground beef, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage and pepperoni combine with sauce and cheese for a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal.
Add more one-pot dinners to your rotation with other favorites like a one pot Greek chicken and rice or a one pot chicken parmesan.
This recipe was first published August 8, 2021.
One-pot dinners are perfect for busy weeknights: minimal prep, minimal cleanup, and maximum flavor. If someone in your household loves a loaded meat lovers pizza, this pasta bake hits all the right notes.
Why You’ll Love This
This dish captures the classic meat lovers pizza flavors—ground beef, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage and pepperoni—tossed with pasta and finished with plenty of mozzarella. Pick your favorite pasta shape; the method cooks the noodles directly in the sauce, so you skip the extra step of boiling beforehand.
Adding water to the sauce lets the pasta cook through while absorbing the pizza-style flavors. The result is a creamy, saucy bake with all the toppings you love.
Ingredients
- Meats – Ground beef, Italian sausage, pepperoni and Canadian bacon. If Canadian bacon isn’t available, thick-cut ham is a good substitute.
- Vegetables – 1/2 onion (diced) and 2 garlic cloves (minced).
- Pasta – Choose your favorite shape; cook time may vary slightly depending on the pasta you use.
- Pasta sauce – Use your preferred marinara or tomato pasta sauce.
- Water – Helps the pasta cook in the sauce.
- Seasonings – Italian herb seasoning, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Mozzarella cheese – Shredded, for stirring in and topping.
- Olive oil – For sautéing the aromatics.
How To Make Meat Lovers Pizza Pasta Bake
Start by browning the ground beef and Italian sausage together in a large pan or pot with a tight-fitting lid. Once browned, transfer the meat to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess grease.
Wipe out most of the fat from the pan, then add a tablespoon of olive oil, the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes until the onion is softened and fragrant.
Pour in the pasta sauce and water, add the dry pasta, seasonings, and return the cooked meats to the pot. Stir everything to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil.
Cover with the lid and reduce the heat to low–medium so the pasta simmers gently in the sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta reaches your desired tenderness—check occasionally to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and adjust the heat as needed.
Remove the lid and stir in most of the mozzarella, along with diced Canadian bacon and chopped pepperonis. Top with extra mozzarella and whole pepperonis, then finish under a hot oven for just a few minutes to melt and lightly brown the cheese. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for about 5 minutes, or you can simply cover for the last few minutes on the stovetop to melt the cheese if you prefer not to use the oven.
Serve hot and enjoy a comfort-food dinner that tastes like pizza and pasta combined—perfect for families and weeknight meals.
FAQ
Yes. Any pasta shape works—just adjust the cooking time to match the pasta’s package instructions, since different shapes and sizes take different amounts of time to cook.
Yes. Instead of baking, you can cover the pan for the last few minutes to melt the cheese. Baking gives a lightly crisp, pizza-like top, but stovetop melting works fine too.
This recipe is versatile—add mushrooms, olives, bell peppers, or any favorite pizza toppings to customize the dish.
One Pot Meat Lovers Pizza Pasta Bake (30 Minute)
5 minutes
25 minutes
30 minutes
Your family will love this easy 30-minute dinner. It’s a one-pan pasta bake—no need to pre-cook the noodles—meat lovers style with ground beef, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage and pepperoni.
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb mild sausage
- ¼ lb Canadian bacon, diced (or ham)
- ½ cup pepperoni
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 oz pasta sauce
- 2 cups water
- 10 oz bow tie pasta (these do not get pre-cooked)
- 1½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp Italian herb blend seasoning
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (if finishing in the oven).
- Brown the ground beef and mild Italian sausage in a pan over medium heat, then remove and drain on paper towels.
- Wipe out excess grease from the pan.
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil, the diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the pasta sauce and water, add the dry pasta, browned meats and seasonings.
- Stir to combine and bring to a low boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to low–medium.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stir in most of the mozzarella, diced Canadian bacon and diced pepperoni.
- Top with extra mozzarella and whole pepperonis.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F to brown the top, or cover on the stovetop until the cheese melts.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Depending on your stove, you may need to lower the heat to prevent the pasta from sticking as it cooks in the sauce. Adjust as needed and stir occasionally.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 493
Total Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 17g
Cholesterol: 90mg
Sodium: 1447mg
Carbohydrates: 22g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 28g
Nutrition figures are estimates from online calculators.