Pepperoni Baked Pasta
Published March 8, 2024
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 35 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 1¼cups/6 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni
- 2(28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 5garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- Salt
- 1pound rigatoni or other short tubular pasta
- 1pound low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½cup/1 ½ ounces finely grated Parmesan
- ¼cup fresh basil leaves, torn (if desired)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
584 calories; 30 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 1033 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Slice the pepperoni into ¼-inch-thick strips.
- Step 2
Use kitchen scissors to cut the tomatoes in each can into small pieces, or crush them with your hands.
- Step 3
Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat and cook the pepperoni, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pepperoni to a plate.
- Step 4
Add the sliced garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) to the pot and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Step 5
Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 25 minutes.
- Step 6
While the sauce simmers, heat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the center. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Step 7
Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, then, once the sauce is done simmering, stir the pasta into the sauce. Add half of the pepperoni and half the mozzarella and stir to combine.
- Step 8
Spoon the pasta into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top the pasta with any sauce remaining in the pot, then the remaining mozzarella and pepperoni.
- Step 9
Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let the pan sit for a few minutes to cool slightly, then top with the Parmesan and basil just before serving.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Jess
Why not just use canned crushed tomatoes? Saves a few minutes, and additional mess.
Karen H
Crushing whole tomatoes yourself yields a better texture - they break down better and flavor is better; also, whole tomatoes are peeled, whereas diced and crushed sometimes still have bits of peel. Diced tomatoes have additives that prevent them from breaking down properly while cooking, so they stay firm. The chunkiness of crushed tomatoes is inconsistent among brands, when you crush them yourself, you can control the texture.
John M.
Many folks here feel that canned whole tomatoes crushed at home are more flavorful. Me, I go for the canned crushed tomatoes.
julie breslow
CJ LOVED this. It was good but super time consuming if you make the sauce. Next time, try the jarred sauce option.
geteb
This was a little bizarre. Pepperoni got pretty crispy and dish was overly salty - even though I hadn't added any salt. Probably due to the pepperoni. Mellowed out a day or 2 later, but not sure I'll be making it again - so many other better Baked Ziti recipes out there.
Deena Nilston
This is quite similar to the old cavatini dish once on the menu at Pizza Hut. I use a can of Hunts Garlic & Herb canned pasta sauce. It’s cheap, flavorful and low/no sugar. I also use bell peppers and onion bits to incorporate more vegetables.
Jeff G.
The molten nuggets of mozzarella remind me of Detroit Pizza, in the best way possible!
Jen RC
Tonight I made this with: penne, 2 cans San Marzano tomatoes and Boar’s Head turkey pepperoni. The package was only 4.5oz, but it was plenty. I julienned it before cooking. It’s not as hot as other kinds of pepperoni, but adding more crushed red pepper fixes that. It was excellent! Next time I will try to cube just 1/2 the mozz for mixing in, and shred the other 1/2 for the top. Maybe dot some ricotta on the top, too? Great riff on baked pasta—and subbing in jar sauce cuts the time down!
Karen H
Crushing whole tomatoes yourself yields a better texture - they break down better and flavor is better; also, whole tomatoes are peeled, whereas diced and crushed sometimes still have bits of peel. Diced tomatoes have additives that prevent them from breaking down properly while cooking, so they stay firm. The chunkiness of crushed tomatoes is inconsistent among brands, when you crush them yourself, you can control the texture.
Jess
Why not just use canned crushed tomatoes? Saves a few minutes, and additional mess.
John M.
Many folks here feel that canned whole tomatoes crushed at home are more flavorful. Me, I go for the canned crushed tomatoes.
Diane
John is correct-many feel that whole tomatoes have better flavor and they may, but after adding that much pepperoni, garlic and red pepper I think any difference would be lost in the sauce. The hand-crushing was included because NYT. JMHO.
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