This pepperoni lasagna combines the rich, cheesy goodness of lasagna with the classic flavor of pepperoni to create a pepperoni pizza and lasagna mashup loaded with ooey-gooey cheese, rich ricotta, and smoky pepperoni.
There are two comfort foods we love more than anything else – pizza and lasagna. There’s nothing better than a big slice of French bread pepperoni pizza or a big slice of homemade lasagna to really hit the spot when we’re craving classic comfort food.
Well, we should say there wasn’t anything better, because we’ve made a dish that combines the best of both worlds. Our pepperoni lasagna combines classic lasagna noodles, sauce, and cheese, with the pizza goodness of pepperoni to create a dish that’s an overload of comforting flavor in every single bite.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This classic lasagna recipe features a pepperoni twist, utilizing simple ingredients commonly found in any grocery store.
- Easy to Make: If you can make lasagna, you can make this recipe!
- The Perfect Mashup: Lasagna with classic tomato sauce and ricotta cheese filling is loaded with pepperoni to create a pizza and lasagna mashup you’ll love.
- Next-Level Comfort Food: The flavors of pizza and lasagna create the most comforting comfort food you’ll ever make!
Ingredients
You’ll find a complete list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Variations
- Semi-Homemade: We use homemade sauce, but you could use your favorite jarred sauce if you prefer.
- Cheese: Try a mix of mozzarella and provolone for even more deliciously cheesy flavor.
- A True Pizza Mashup: Use a half-and-half mix of spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce for a true pizza and lasagna flavor mashup.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicy kick.
- Cottage Cheese: You can use a half-and-half mix of ricotta and cottage cheese for the filling for a slightly different flavor.
How to Make Pepperoni Lasagna
Step 1: Combine the sauce ingredients and bring them to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook the noodles according to the directions for al dente and drain them while the sauce cooks.
Step 2: Mix the ricotta filling ingredients in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Add a little sauce to the bottom of a prepared 13×9 baking dish. Then, top with a layer of noodles and spread a layer of ricotta mixture.
Step 4: Next, add⅓ of the sauce, ⅓ of the pepperoni, and ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese.
Step 5: Repeat the layering twice more, ending with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Tips
- Rinse your noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process, ensuring they remain al dente.
- Do not overcook your noodles. This lasagna takes approximately 45 minutes to bake. Overcooking the noodles will make them mushy by the time the lasagna is finished.
- Coat your baking dish evenly with nonstick spray, but don’t overdo it. You want a nice, even layer with no pooling at the bottom of the pan.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if possible. The cheese in the green container often contains additives to prevent clumping, which can affect the flavor of the lasagna.
Pepperoni Lasagna FAQ
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with putting pepperoni in lasagna. Many lasagna recipes call for the addition of meat, such as ground beef, sausages, and the like. Adding pepperoni creates a spicy, peppery, flavorful bite that’s so good.
Spaghetti sauce is the way to go for lasagna. Marinara sauce lacks the body needed for those layers of cheese and noodles.
Yes, you can, and it’s delicious. Blending ricotta and cottage cheese is a common practice for lasagna recipes, creating a cheese layer that’s rich, creamy, and a bit lighter than using ricotta on its own.
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Pepperoni Lasagna
Ingredients
- 16 ounce lasagna noodles
- (2) 6 ounce thick pepperoni slices, chopped
- (2) 6 ounce pepperoni slices
- 4 cups mozzarella, divided
- 16 ounce ricotta
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- (2) 15 ounce tomato sauce
- 15 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 12 ounce tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground basil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, add tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, and pepper. Stir, and cook over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring often.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil over medium high heat.
- Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions for al dente.
- Rinse, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese together.
- Spoon a few large spoonfuls of sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Spread sauce in an even layer. Add a layer of noodles.
- Spread some ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by ⅓ of the sauce, ⅓ of the chopped pepperoni, and ⅓ mozzarella cheese, and a layer of sliced pepperoni.
- Next, repeat the layering process, finishing with mozzarella cheese and sliced pepperoni.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Defrost overnight in the fridge if frozen. Then, microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals.
- Rinse your noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process, ensuring they remain al dente.
- Do not overcook your noodles. This lasagna takes approximately 45 minutes to bake. Overcooking the noodles will make them mushy by the time the lasagna is finished.
- Coat your baking dish evenly with nonstick spray, but don’t overdo it. You want a nice, even layer with no pooling at the bottom of the pan.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if possible. The cheese in the green container often contains additives to prevent clumping, which can affect the flavor of the lasagna.
