Ultimate Oven-Baked Italian Pizza Casserole

Ingredients

For the Casserole Base:

- 16 oz cottage cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

For the Topping:

- 1 cup pizza sauce
- ¾ lb Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup pepperoni slices
- ½ cup ham, diced
- ½ cup pineapple chunks
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¾ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup sliced pepperoncini
- ¼ cup jalapenos, sliced
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Prepare Casserole Base:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, beaten egg, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and set aside.

3. Assemble the Casserole:
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, spread the cottage cheese mixture evenly to form the base layer of your casserole.

4. Layer Pizza Sauce and Sausage:
- Evenly spread the pizza sauce over the cottage cheese mixture.
- Add the cooked and crumbled Italian sausage on top of the sauce.

5. Add Cheese and Toppings:
- Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the sausage.
- Arrange the pepperoni slices, diced ham, and pineapple chunks evenly on top.
- Scatter the sliced onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms over the top.
- Sprinkle with oregano for added flavor.

6. Finish with Olives and Peppers:
- Spread the sliced black olives, pepperoncini, and jalapenos evenly across the casserole.

7. Bake the Casserole:
- Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly with a golden crust.

8. Cool and Garnish:
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

Preparation & Cooking Times

- Preparation Time: PT20M
20 minutes

- Cooking Time: PT30M
30 minutes

Total Time

- PT50M
50 minutes

Type of Dish

- Lunch

Keywords

- Pizza Casserole, Italian Sausage, Mozzarella Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Pepperoni, Oven-Baked, Easy Casserole, Pizza Sauce, Family Meal, Gourmet Casserole

Recipe Yield

- Serves 4 adults

Calories

- Total Calories: 2200

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