Microwave Pizza Casserole

All the flavors of a pepperoni pizza, turned into a fast casserole that cooks in the microwave with no oven needed. Ground beef, onion, and green pepper layer up with egg noodles, pizza sauce, water, and plenty of pepperoni, then it all cooks together while the noodles soak up the sauce right in the dish.

A stir partway through keeps everything cooking evenly, and a generous shower of mozzarella over the top melts into a gooey blanket from the residual heat. It is the kind of weeknight dinner kids ask for again, ready in about half an hour from start to finish.

Because the noodles cook in the casserole itself, there is no separate pot to boil, which keeps cleanup quick too. It is endlessly adaptable, taking whatever pizza toppings you have on hand.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown and drain the ground beef first for the richest flavor and less grease in the finished dish.
• Make sure the noodles are fully submerged in the sauce and water so they cook through evenly.
• Stir partway through cooking so the noodles soften uniformly and don’t clump.
• Add the mozzarella at the very end and let it melt off the heat, so it stays gooey rather than rubbery.

Variations

• Add sliced mushrooms, olives, or extra peppers, just like pizza toppings.
• Swap the pepperoni for cooked Italian sausage, or leave it out.
• Stir in Italian seasoning or a pinch of red pepper flakes for more punch.