pizza

It’s always hard to get an appetizing picture of a crockpot supper and this was no exception, but this casserole is really a kid-pleaser! I often make a gluten-free version of it, so I will be including that in my instructions below. This crockpot pizza casserole is also a freezer meal, so it saves time all around.

Having freezer to crockpot recipes on hand saves me so much time and sanity. This is one of the regular meals in my rotation. When I make it, I make two or four of these recipes at a time. The recipe below is for one meal, but if you want to make several at a time to freeze, then multiply the ingredients accordingly.

I find that most kids (mine included) are willing to try anything with “pizza” in the name. This meal is super kid-friendly because it has pizza flavors combined with a home-cooked comfort food feel.

If your kids won’t eat mushrooms and green peppers, you can either leave them out, or you can get a little bit sneaky. If you choose to go the sneaky route, just blend the mushrooms and green peppers into the tomato sauce. They’ll never know the veggies are there, but you’ll know they are getting more nutrients!

Crock Pot Pizza Casserole Freezer Meal Recipe:

• 2 cups of cubed ham
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 10 oz. can chopped mushrooms (if your kids will eat mushrooms!)
• 28 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 cups small pasta

To make this into a freezer meal, mix all the ingredients except for the pasta in a large resealable freezer bag.

Place 2 cups of pasta in a medium-sized resealable freezer bag. Seal both bags and staple them together. Be sure to staple above the seal to avoid leaks. Lay flat in the freezer.

On the day you want to serve it, thaw and put the ingredients from the large bag into the crockpot and cook for 4 hours on low. Cook the pasta on the stovetop according to the package directions and drain. Stir the noodles into the casserole just before serving.

To make this gluten-free…

To make this gluten-free, ensure that you use gluten-free ham. Much of the ham sold in stores contains fillers that include gluten, so read the labels carefully. Use gluten-free pasta of course.

This recipe is very adaptable for those on gluten-free diets and we enjoy it just as much with the gluten-free pasta.

This freezer to crockpot pizza casserole is sure to become a meal that your family loves!

Pizza Casserole Variations:

This easy casserole recipe can be adapted based on your family’s tastes and preferences. Try these variations:

• swap out the cubed ham for sliced pepperoni
• use cooked ground sausage in place of the ham
• replace the ham with browned ground beef
• add a can of drained sliced black olives
• put a Mexican twist on it by using a Tex Mex blend of cheese instead of the mozzarella and adding a splash of taco seasoning or taco sauce
• make a Hawaiian pizza version by adding a can of drained pineapple tidbits in the last 10 minutes of cooking
• make it cheesier by topping with extra grated cheese and some Parmesan

Other Kid-Friendly Recipes…

This recipe is included in our Kid-Friendly Freezer Meal Menu Plan. The other recipes are also kid-pleasers and the plan includes printable shopping lists, prep lists, and printable labels making it easy to fill your freezer with meals your family will actually eat.