Friday is pizza night at our house. That's not a suggestion - that's the rule! It's been the rule since Johnny and I started dating, and by the time we hit our 24th anniversary, that "rule" was practically load-bearing.

When we adopted our kids from foster care, Friday Pizza Night was one of the very first house rules they had to learn - right up there with "yes, we eat dinner at the table" and "no, the dog doesn't need a bite of everything." They caught on fast. Funny how quickly kids get on board with a rule that ends in pizza.

Now, if it were up to me, every night would be pizza night. My family, bless them, is not on board with that plan. So this Bubble Up Pizza Casserole has become our happy medium - all the cheesy, saucy, pepperoni-loaded flavor of pizza night, but dressed up as a real dinner with biscuits instead of delivery. It's the ultimate compromise, and everybody wins.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• All the pizza flavor, way less mess - no delivery boxes, no dishes stacked in the sink from three different pizza styles
• Ready in about 40 minutes - biscuits pre-bake while the sausage cooks, so nothing sits around waiting
• Endlessly customizable - swap in your family's favorite pizza toppings and make it your own
• Kid-approved, parent-approved - even the pickiest eater at your table has probably never met a biscuit and cheese combo they didn't like
• Great for feeding a crowd - easy to double for game day or a potluck

Ingredients

• 16.3 oz tube (8 count) Pillsbury Grands Biscuits (these puff up better than generic brands)
• 2 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 15 oz can pizza sauce
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 4 oz sliced pepperoni
• 1 small onion, diced

Tools You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large bowl
• Spoon
• Medium/large skillet
• Spatula
• 9x13 inch casserole dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.

Peel and dice the onion.

Cut each of the biscuits into 6 smaller pieces.

Combine the melted butter, garlic, seasoning, and parmesan in a large bowl. Drop the cut up biscuits into the bowl and toss well to coat all of the biscuit pieces.

Arrange the biscuits in an even layer in the greased casserole dish. Remember they will puff as they bake, so it doesn't matter if there are small gaps between them.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat while the biscuits pre-bake, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any grease and set aside.

Layer the casserole: pour the sauce over the pre-baked biscuits, spreading all the way across. Top with half of the sausage, onion, and pepperoni, then sprinkle half the cheese. Repeat those layers.

Bake for an additional 15 minutes, then sprinkle a little extra Italian seasoning over the top and serve.

Tara's Tips

• If your biscuits aren't puffing as much as you'd like, make sure your oven is fully preheated before that first bake - a hot oven is key to that fluffy bubble-up texture.
• Want to switch up the toppings? This recipe is basically a blank canvas - try it with veggies, extra cheese, or your family's go-to pizza combo.
• A good casserole dish makes cleanup so much easier - I use this one for pretty much every bubble-up recipe I make.

Serving Suggestions

This casserole is hearty enough to stand alone, but if you want to round out the meal, try it alongside a simple side salad or some garlic bread for extra dipping power. It also pairs beautifully with our Cowboy Caviar if you want something fresh and crunchy on the side.

Yield: 5

Easy Bubble Up Pizza Casserole

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This pizza casserole with biscuits is loaded with pizza sauce, mozzarella, Italian sausage, and pepperoni over buttery Pillsbury Grands biscuits. 

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 16.3 oz tube (8 count) Pillsbury Grands Biscuits (these puff up better than generic brands)
• 2 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 15 oz can pizza sauce
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 lb ground italian sausage
• 4 oz sliced pepperoni on
• 1 small onion, diced

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
2. Peel and dice the onion.
3. Cut each of the biscuits into 6 smaller pieces.
4. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, seasoning, and parmesan. Drop the cut up biscuits into the bowl and toss well to coat all of the biscuit pieces.
5. Dump the biscuits into the greased casserole dish and arrange in an even layer. Remember they will puff as they bake, so it doesn’t matter if there are small gaps between the biscuits.
6. Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
7. While the biscuits are pre-baking, cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any grease and set aside.
8. Take the biscuits out of the oven, and pour the sauce over the top, spreading all the way across the casserole dish. Top with half of the Italian sausage, onion and pepperoni, then sprinkle half the cheese. Repeat those layers.
9. Return the casserole dish to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, and sprinkle a little extra Italian seasoning over the top, then serve.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through, or microwave individual portions for a quick lunch the next day. This casserole also freezes well - just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.