This pizza casserole with cauliflower is a one dish meal made with pepperoni, cauliflower and plenty of cheese, all mixed with pizza sauce. An easy dinner that’s family friendly and quick to make!
Easy Pizza Casserole
My family would eat pizza every day if I let them. Heck, I’d eat pizza everyday if I allowed myself. This casserole is a fun twist on a classic meal with nutritious cauliflower cooked in a zesty pizza sauce, plenty of cheese, and our favorite pizza toppings – pepperoni and basil.
Pizza casserole has it all – it’s quick, doesn’t dirty up a ton of dishes, and has flavors that both kids and adults adore. Make it for dinner tonight and watch the rave reviews come in!
How Do You Make Pizza Casserole With Cauliflower?
The first step is to chop your cauliflower into small florets. Now bring a pot of water to a boil and cook cauliflower until it’s softened, about 4-5 minutes. Drain. Add cauliflower into a 11×8 casserole dish.
Mix the butter, heavy cream and garlic in a small bowl. Pour the butter mixture over the cauliflower. This mixture smells like the garlic sauce that some restaurants put on pizza crust, yum!
Chop up your pepperoni. You can use a knife, cutting shears, or just rip them up with your hands. Add into the casserole dish.
Add 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella on top of the cauliflower and mix. Pour the pizza sauce evenly on top.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella on top of the casserole.
Add your remaining slices of pepperoni.
Now it goes into the oven! Cook the casserole at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. When it’s cooked completely and comes out of the oven, feel free to garnish it with fresh basil or oregano. Dinner is served!
Pizza Casserole Cooking Tips
- Feel free to use any favorite pizza toppings. If you’re not really a pepperoni fan, try using Canadian bacon, cooked Italian sausage or hamburger meat.
- If you’re able to find mini pepperoni at your store, you can use that instead of slicing the regular sized pepperoni.
- I really love mozzarella in this dish, but any Italian-style cheese will work.
- Choose your favorite brand of marinara or pizza sauce for this recipe. You can also make a homemade tomato sauce if you want.
- Serve this casserole with a fresh garden salad and garlic knots for an amazing meal.
Add-ins and Variations
While I keep things simple with a mix of pepperoni, cauliflower, cheese and pizza sauce, you can absolutely add more of your favorite pizza toppings to this recipe. Other great options are:
- Bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Olives
- Canadian bacon
- Chicken
This dish makes for great leftovers, simply reheat individual portions in the microwave. Or pop the whole dish back in the oven for a several minutes.
Bonus: Love pizza? Check out these mini pizzas too!
Pin for later:
Pizza Casserole with Cauliflower
PrintIngredients
- 1 large cauliflower head cut up into small florets
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 15 slices pepperoni quartered
- 1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce
- 12 slices pepperoni
- fresh basil or oregano to garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Drain. Place cauliflower into a 11×8 casserole dish.
- In a small bowl mix butter, heavy cream and garlic. Pour butter mixture over cauliflower.
- Add 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella on top of your cauliflower. Use a spoon to mix everything up.
- Pour pizza sauce on top of your cauliflower.
- Pour the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella evenly on top.
- Place remaining 12 slices of pepperoni on top of casserole.
- Cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted. Garnish with fresh basil or oregano when it comes out of the oven.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Kushigalu says
Totally in love with this casserole recipe. So delicious. Must try!
Cyndy says
So creative and a great use of my favorite vegetable. My family loves it!
Emily Liao says
This casserole is so delicious! I love making this for an easy weeknight meal – plus I don’t have to do anything to the cauliflower.
Tashina Knight says
Will definitely try this. I like pizza except for the crust – so I rarely eat it unless it’s the only option. But I love cauliflower. So this may be the perfect pizza for me. Pesto is my favorite type of pizza – wonder how that would be with cauliflower?
Pamela says
Pesto and cauliflower go together great!
Krystal says
My stomach does not take kindly to heavy cream, is there an alternative I could use and not ruin the recipe? I’m so excited to try this!
Lois says
The only person that has said this was good was the creator. While I believe it will be I would like to hear comments from people who have actually tried it and liked it. I see the picture and I already know it looks good. Maybe this is my problem as it says comments not reviews.
Michelle says
This is a great idea! Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday!
Pamela says
Thank you for stopping by Michelle!
Amy Tucker says
Well this looks like a lot of fun! Can’t wait to try. Found you via #foodiefriendsfridays!!!!
Pamela says
Thanks Amy!! It’s one of my favorite casseroles!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables. This is a pretty creative casserole. Excellent that it is low carb! Pinned!
Pamela says
Thanks Julie, I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
gotasté says
Aw…this is exactly what I am searching for. a good cauliflower recipe. Just the way I like it 🙂
Pamela says
Hope you enjoy it!
CoffeeTableCookbook says
This is so playfull, I love it! Still in shock that you can meet three people in one weekend who DON’T like pizza. Insane.
Pamela says
I know, I think they should be required to wear anti pizza buttons so we can identify them quickly!
Amy @ Elephant Eats says
This is SUCH A GOOD IDEA!!! Cauliflower is like one of my favorite veggies…my husband doesn’t like it so i rarely make it, but maybe if I disguise it as pizza he would eat it. There’s a cauliflower pizza crust recipe going around the healthy living blogs…have you seen it? I think it first appeared on eatingbirdfood.com. It looks really good but I haven’t had a chance to try it yet.
Pamela says
I think it’s a great way to disguise cauliflower as pizza.. who can say no to it then? 🙂
Miss Messy says
What a fantastic idea! This looks delicious!! 😀
Pamela says
Thanks Miss Messy!
Mr. & Mrs. P says
Great idea pam!! Need to try this… Looks delicious!
Pamela says
Thanks!
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
I’m surprised there are people that doesn’t like pizza! {{{ Shock Face}}} Oh well, their loss. I do love the idea of a pizza casserole. Love that cheesy gooey goodness, YUM! 🙂
Pamela says
I know, crazy right? I guess that just means more pizza for us. 🙂
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
We eat a LOT of pizza in our house. Love this idea!
Pamela says
Ashley, you have a great house! 🙂
Sarah says
I love pizza, but I also love wearing my jeans. This is the best of both worlds!
Pamela says
Hahaha, good one Sarah. 🙂
Katie says
The word genius is so cliche, yet it is the only word that is coming to mind right now. I LOVE this idea and I’ve had a jar of pizza sauce in my pantry for months, without a plan for it. I can easily adapt this to make it non-dairy too. I’ve also been feeling this “pressure” to make a cauliflower pizza crust, but like you I am wary of pureeing or mushing vegetables like that (unless in dip form, as per my post today.) Can we just call this post permission to ignore that nagging guilt-inducing thought?
Thanks, let’s do that.
Pamela says
Katie, do it! Let me know how you like it. 🙂
jackie @ Marin mama cooks says
Ok, I love this post and I’m so trying this pizza! I love that you can just throw it together so quickly. It’s a great and healthy week night meal. So, quick question, how is the consistency of the cauliflower? Does it get soggy or is it al dente? I only ask because my kids will ask.
My daughter has a friend that doesn’t like pizza. I don’t get it either. I have always loved and will always love pizza. It has two of my favorite things, carbs and melted cheese! yummo! Ok, totally pinning this recipe girl and making it soon. xoxo, Jackie
Pamela says
I hope you make it and enjoy it! The cauliflower does not get soggy, it still has a slight crunch to it. I agree about the carbs and melted cheese… melted cheese makes everything better! 🙂
Sophie33 says
hahahahahahha,…You are so funny 🙂 I love those pizza stickers aka background: pretty cool & a pretty amazing dish as well!
Pamela says
Glad you like those stickers. 🙂
Sophie33 says
I made your tasty dish yesterday using fresh cauliflower from my father’s garden & he , my mom, my husband & I all loved it too! 🙂 xxx
Pamela says
I love that you used fresh cauliflower! So glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂
Pam says
What a clever and tasty idea! It looks great.
Pamela says
Thanks Pam!
Kelly says
I love this cauliflower pizza casserole, what a great dish! Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who didn’t like pizza but I know this would be a great option for those that are watching their carb intake. Looks fabulous:) Pinned!
Pamela says
Thanks so much Kelly!
Suzanne says
Love this idea!! Perfect for my low carb lifestyle. I never thought to use cauliflower!! Brilliant.
Pamela says
Enjoy Suzanne, let me know if you try it! 🙂
Kelly @ hidden fruits and veggies says
doesnt like pizza?! That’s almost as sad as my coworker who HATES peanutbutter. Crazy people, right? This dish sounds crazy amazing — instead of pepperoni, I would definitely top with more veggies! Mmmm veggies!
Pamela says
Doesn’t like peanut butter? Oh my! I don’t know if I could work alongside someone with those views! 😉
Faith @ Pixie Dust Kitchen says
My boyfriend would love this recipe. Pizza is his favorite food and he adds garlic to almost every savory dish I make him. (And if he’s in the kitchen with me, he’ll find a way to add the garlic himself. Crazy, I tell you.) This pizza sounds so good and I think I’ll make it for Brian sometime!
Pamela says
Let me know how you both like it! 🙂 Garlic… mmmmmmm!
Monica says
Pamela – you’ve got some kind of great lighting where you live! Great pictures.
Would you believe my 8-year old has a classmate or two who does not like pizza?! Seriously? I think they’ll come around eventually. I do like this alternative – I love cauliflower and need to try this pizza casserole.
Pamela says
Hi Monica, can you imagine a life without pizza? There goes 3 of my dinners in the past week! 😉