Pizza Lasagna

This pizza lasagna has 3 hearty layers of pepperoni, seasoned ground beef, ricotta, and melty mozzarella between tender lasagna noodles. Pizza night and pasta night all in one!

Why this recipe works

Pizza lasagna is exactly what it sounds like. A lasagna stacked with pizza-style ingredients. Tender flat noodles layered with pepperoni, seasoned ground beef, ricotta, and plenty of melty cheese that’s baked until bubbly in a casserole dish. However, this recipe isn’t just cut and dry with a few pepperonis slapped inbetween. We’re incorporating some hidden veggies between the layers, namely spinach and bell peppers, which gives it a little more oomph.

I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a pepperoni pizza fan. I prefer sausage pizza with green pepper, onions, and mushrooms. Antoine on the other hand, loves pepperoni on his pizza, so this lasagna was right up his alley. And I actually ended up really liking it too! The vegetable layer added a little something to the mix that I loved.

One pound of ground beef turns into 15 servings once the noodles, ricotta, and vegetables are doing their share of the work, which tucks neatly in with the rest of my ground beef meals that stretch a pound.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

PEPPERONI – Standard deli-sliced pepperoni is ideal, lay it out in rows rather than scattering it, which helps distribute it more evenly. Mini pepperoni works too! If you want the cupped, crispy edges you get on a good pizza, buy a stick and slice it thin yourself.

LASAGNA NOODLES – I use oven-ready no-boil noodles and soak them in hot tap water for about ten minutes before I assemble. This is not the same as boiling them. The soak just makes them pliable and easy to handle so they do not crack when you lay them in the pan. Regular lasagna noodles work in this recipe too, and the same soaking trick means you can skip boiling those as well.

MARINARA SAUCE – Any jarred marinara works fine, pick your favorite or make homemade marinara. One 24 ounce jar is what you need, and all of it goes into the layers rather than into the skillet. Pizza sauce also works here and gives it more of a pizzeria pie vibe, though it is usually thicker and more seasoned, so taste as you go.

GROUND BEEF – I use lean ground beef and brown it with Italian seasoning rather than plain, so the meat has a bit of extra flavor. The right way to brown ground beef is worth a read, because properly browned beef and steamed gray beef makes a huge difference in flavor! Drain it well if you use anything fattier than 90/10, or the whole pan turns greasy. Experiment if you like. Instead of or in addition to ground beef, Italian sausage would be great. You could even make your own pizza sausage.

RICOTTA CHEESE – Whole milk ricotta gives you the best texture, but part skim works. I do not beat an egg into the ricotta for this recipe, though you certainly can if you want firmer, cleaner slices. We do add egg to the ricotta in our Italian lasagna, so if that is the texture you are used to, go ahead and do the same here.

MOZZARELLA AND CHEDDAR – While we used a combination of cheddar and mozzarella, you can use your favorite cheeses or skip the cheddar and go all out with the mozzarella. Low moisture mozzarella is the one that gives you those long cheese pulls. I’d recommend shredding it yourself, since the anti-caking starch on pre-shredded cheese keeps it from melting as smoothly.

RED BELL PEPPER AND SPINACH – These make up the vegetable layer and I saute the peppers lightly before they go in so they soften properly during baking. Use whichever pizza toppings you actually like on a pizza. Sliced mushrooms, black olives, diced onion, and jalapeno all work. Anything raw and firm should get a quick saute first so it cooks through.

How to Make Pizza Lasagna

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Using a pan large enough to hold your lasagna noodles, add enough hot tap water to fill the pan halfway. Add noodles, one at time, to allow them to soak and soften.
3. In a skillet, brown the ground beef with Italian seasoning until meat is no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat. Add marinara sauce and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add diced red bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Assembling the Lasagna

1. Place a layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the 13×9 pan. Be sure to leave remaining noodles in the water until needed so they don’t start to dry and stick together.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of the ricotta cheese on top of the noodles. Add a layer of pepperoni slices.
3. Spread 1/2 of the ground beef and sauce mixture over the pepperoni slices.
4. Spread 1 cup of the ricotta cheese over the meat and sauce. Top with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
5. Add another layer of lasagna noodles and spread with remaining ricotta cheese. Top with spinach leaves and the sautéed red bell pepper.
6. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.
7. Top with final layer of lasagna noodles. Add remaining ground beef and sauce mixture. Top with remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
8. Finally, add a layer of pepperoni slices.
9. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
10. Uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, another 20 minutes.
11. Allow lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Storage and Freezing Information

Leftovers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

For the freezer, wrap the lasagna tightly in aluminum foil and it will keep for up to 4 months. If you would rather freeze individual slices so you can pull out one portion at a time, use my flash freeze method. Let the lasagna cool completely, cut it into serving-size pieces, and set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet without letting them touch. Freeze for about 2 hours, then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and move them to a freezer bag or container.

To thaw, unwrap first and then let it thaw in the refrigerator. Room temperature works too if you are short on time, but either way get the wrapping off before it starts to thaw so condensation does not collect on the surface.

You can also freeze this lasagna before it is baked, which is worth doing if you are cooking for a freezer stash. To bake it straight from frozen, cover the pan with foil and bake at 375F for 60 to 90 minutes.

To reheat, put the lasagna in an oven-safe dish with a spoonful of water, cover it with foil, and bake at 350F for 20 to 30 minutes. The water turns to steam under the foil and keeps the noodles from drying out at the edges, which is the thing that usually ruins reheated lasagna.

Serving Suggestions

A crisp Caesar salad with a sharp, garlicky dressing goes really well with this pizza lasagna! If you would rather serve something with a little more going on, Italian pasta salad is also a goodie.

For bread, garlic knots or warm Italian bread are my go-tos with any kinda of lasagna.

For more pizza themed dishes check out my Pizza pinwheels and pizza poppers!

More Lasagna Recipes

• The Best Italian Lasagna
• Lasagna Roll Ups
• Crockpot Lasagna
• Ravioli Lasagna
• Vegetable Lasagna
• Mexican Lasagna

Pizza lasagna is a casserole at heart, so if this is your kind of weeknight dinner, take a look at our 26 best ground beef casseroles for more of the same.

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