Pepperoni Pizza Pasta
This genius pasta dish combines all the best flavors of pepperoni pizza with penne pasta for a dinner that gets kids genuinely excited to sit down and eat. It comes together in one pot in about 25 minutes and the smell alone will have everyone rushing to the dinner table.
Penne pasta tossed with marinara sauce pepperoni and melted mozzarella for a pizza flavored weeknight dinner.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Pasta
Sauce
Protein
Topping
Seasoning
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to the package directions until just al dente. Reserve half a cup of pasta water before draining in case you need it to loosen the sauce later.
Combine Pasta and Sauce
Return the drained pasta to the pot over low heat and pour in the marinara sauce along with the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Stir everything together and add a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.
Add Pepperoni
Stir in most of the mini pepperoni saving a small handful for the top and let everything heat together for 2 to 3 minutes so the pepperoni flavors release into the sauce. The pasta should be well coated and glossy.
Melt the Cheese
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and remaining pepperoni over the top of the pasta then cover the pot with a lid for 2 minutes to let the steam melt the cheese into gooey perfection. Serve directly from the pot while still bubbly.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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