Pepperoni Pizza Mac and Cheese

Pepperoni Pizza Mac and Cheese starts with a simple box mac and cheese mix and turns into a creamy, cheesy, loaded dinner with Velveeta, a little bacon, and that bubbling baked finish everyone loves on a busy night. It feels like a fun mash-up of pizza and pasta, giving you all the cozy flavor of a pepperoni pizza mac and cheese casserole with almost no effort. You'll pick up easy tips for how to make box mac and cheese better using quick upgrades that make it taste like the best weeknight twist on a classic. Pin this so you always have a fast, family-pleasing dinner ready when the evening gets hectic.

Pin

My kids love the pepperoni pizza mac and cheese from Trader Joe's. It's a frozen meal that cooks in the microwave for 5 minutes, and it comes out with crispy cheese and pepperoni, and they mix it all up and devour it. They fight over who has eaten how many, and if someone thinks the other has eaten more than her fair share, World War 3 erupts in my home.

We are currently out of Trader Joe's pepperoni pizza macaroni and cheese. Trader Joe's is 16 miles from my house, and I don't feel like driving the whole way up there just so my kids can have mac and cheese.

So I made it myself at home. I started with 3 boxes of Velveeta shells and cheese in the pizza flavor, because I thought that would be a good head start to the pizza idea. I added more cheese (because cheese!), some meats for protein, and lots of pizza sauce.

My kids said it was better than Trader Joe's and asked me to put it in the regular meal rotation. (Who am I kidding? We don't have a regular meal rotation because I'm always trying new recipes to share with you.)

Why is the best pepperoni pizza mac and cheese

This pepperoni pizza mac and cheese recipe is versatile. The possibilities are endless for what pizza toppings you'd like to add.

This easy pizza mac and cheese is absolutely delicious! The combination of creamy Velveeta mac and cheese with a flavorful pizza sauce, crispy bacon, a few spices, and even more cheese is always a winner.

This recipe makes the best pepperoni pizza mac and cheese anytime! Every spoonful is delightful, and the whole family will love it. Whether you use it as a main dish for a weeknight dinner or a headliner for your holiday parties or summer potlucks, this recipe is a perfect addition to any dinner table.

Pin

This is an easy recipe for pizza mac and cheese. Cook the Velveeta pasta and shells as directed, and add chopped bacon, seasonings, and pizza sauce. Mix well, top with more cheese, and bake. That's it!

The ingredients for the dish are common and easy to find. You likely already have a lot of the simple ingredients for this pizza mac and cheese recipe in your pantry. If you need an ingredient or two, you can find them in many local grocery stores or on Amazon! Pizza-flavored Velveeta mac and cheese is hit or miss in smaller grocery stores, but larger ones almost always have it. And if you can't find the pizza flavor, you can use the regular one and just add extra Italian seasoning and pizza sauce to get the flavor you want.

This pepperoni pizza mac and cheese recipe tastes amazing! This baked mac and cheese is delicious and beloved by both kids and adults.

What you'll need to make pizza mac and cheese

Equipment

• 12 quart stockpot - This recipe makes a lot (2 boxes of mac and cheese after all) and the pot needs to be big enough for all ingredients with space to fold and stir the food.
• Garlic press - A garlic press is helpful to mince your garlic, because it presses the garlic into a fine paste. If you don't have a garlic press, you can smash the clove with the flat side of a chef's knife, then remove the papery skin and cut as fine as possible using the sharp edge of the knife.
• Deep 9x13 pan fits all the ingredients to bake in the oven.

Ingredients

Pin

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

• Velveeta Shells and Cheese pizza flavor - Pizza-flavored Velveeta Shells and Cheese is hit or miss in smaller grocery stores, but larger ones almost always have it. If you can't find the pizza variety, you can use the regular one and just add extra Italian seasoning and pizza sauce to get the flavor you want.
• bacon - This needs to be pre-cooked and crumbled or chopped. You can chop it before or after cooking.
• pizza sauce - This goes in the mac and cheese for flavor and you also pour a little on top of the casserole before baking.
• shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese - You want a cheese blend that is mostly melty cheeses like mozzarella and provolone, and less hard cheeses like Parmesan and Romano. Mozzarella is the classic pizza cheese, but a variety of cheeses will taste great in this recipe.
• Parmesan cheese - I just said to stay away from Parmesan, so what gives?! You do want some Parmesan because it gives you the Italian pizza flavor. The bulk of the cheese should be a soft, melty kind, but you do want SOME hard cheese too.
• mini pepperoni - You can use big pepperoni, and I will show you a photo of that below, but I prefer the mini ones because they're easier to stir in, easier to eat, and easier to serve.
• Italian seasoning - Italian seasoning is a must in this recipe. You can make your own if you want, but you need the blend of herbs to make this recipe taste good.
• fresh garlic - I almost always use fresh garlic because garlic powder and garlic from a jar just can't compare to its pungent flavor. That said, if you need to use garlic powder, you can. The general rule is about ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for each small garlic clove.
• crushed red pepper flakes - These are optional and give the mac and cheese a nice heat.

How to make pepperoni pizza macaroni and cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.Prepare the Velveeta mac and cheese according to package instructions. (You will need to boil the noodles in 6 quarts of water for 8 minutes. Go on the low side because the shells will be cooked twice. Drain but don't rinse the noodles, then return them to the pot and mix the cheese and seasoning packets with the hot noodles.)Pin
2. Mix crumbled bacon, 2 jars of pizza sauce, 2 cups of Italian blend cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, 5 ounces of mini pepperoni, Italian seasoning, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using) into the hot mac and cheese. Stir until well mixed.
   Pin
3. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a deep 9x13 pan and spread out in an even layer.
   Pin
4. Top with remaining pizza sauce, Italian blend cheese, Parmesan cheese, and mini pepperoni.
   Pin
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. The cheese should be melted and starting to brown on the edges, and the mini pepperoni should be curled and starting to get crispy.
   Pin
6. Serve hot with additional crushed red pepper flakes.Pin
   

Substitutions & Variations

When I make this mac and cheese, I like to add 2 pounds of browned, loose sweet Italian sausage to the macaroni. It increases the protein, and I like the flavor. My kids told me to stop adding it, so I left it out of the recipe here.

You can use mini pepperoni as suggested or standard-sized pepperoni. The large pepperoni makes this dish beautiful (see below), but I don't like it because it is more than a mouthful. So you either have to cut it on your plate (weird with mac and cheese) or stuff it in your mouth all at once (what my kids would do). It just creates a layer of angst that I don't need when I'm eating. So, I use mini pepperoni because it solves all those problems, even though it doesn't look quite as nice.

Pin

You can add whatever pizza toppings you want, but I do recommend you cook them before adding to the casserole. You could sauté some onions, green bell peppers, and/or mushrooms and add those to the mac and cheese before baking or add them with the pepperoni as toppings.

You could throw in some sliced black olives. They wouldn't need to be pre-cooked.

Use whatever cheese you want. When I was in Italy, they put Parmesan on all their pizzas as a finishing touch, and that is why I added it to this recipe. I also like the shredded Italian blend that my local grocery store's store brand makes because it's a blend of mozzarella and Provolone with some Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, and Fontina. You could easily use plain mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack, or whatever kind of cheese you like.

Pin

Storing Leftovers

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.

To freeze, I separate the casserole into individual portions using Souper Cubes, wait til they're frozen solid, and then remove them to a plastic freezer bag or container. They are good for about a month.

To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat as desired. You can microwave single servings frozen on 50% power until heated through. Stir every couple of minutes.

You may want to add some additional pizza sauce when reheating, whether the macaroni and cheese has been refrigerated or frozen. It can get a little dry the longer it sits. It's still cheesy, but it's not as moist.

Pin

Check out more delicious mac and cheese recipes.

• CrockPot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Smoky Mac and Cheese with Tomatoes
• Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
• Buffalo Chicken Pasta Casserole - It may not have mac and cheese in the title, but this is a cheesy, gooey mess that my kids devour.
• Cauliflower Mac & Cheese - no noodles, only roasted cauliflower
• Leftover Ham and Cheese Casserole with Cauliflower - similar to mac and cheese but low carb
• Cheesy Shrimp Casserole with Velveeta - This might be a stretch but it's loaded with cheese and pasta so it comes close to a mac and cheese.

Recipe