Upside Down Deep Dish Pizza Casserole
Invert the pizza experience with this savory casserole where seasoned ground beef and pepperoni simmer in pizza sauce, layered beneath a baked egg-flour batter that rises and falls into a crispy, pizza-like crust. Topped with mozzarella and Parmesan, it delivers deep-dish pizza flavors in one pan.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ tablespoon canola oil, divided
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 ounce pepperoni, roughly chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef, ground
- 1 14 ounce jar pizza sauce, or homemade
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, dried
- 1 cup milk, whole
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, unsiftedwhole wheat flour1:1
denser texture
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, fine
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- 2
Butter or spray a 9 by 13 inch glass baking pan with non-stick spray and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on the bottom; set aside.
- 3
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onion and bell pepper until soft.
- 4
Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- 5
Stir in pepperoni and cook another 4 minutes; drain excess fat if needed.
- 6
Stir in pizza sauce and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil.
- 7
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 8
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, oil and eggs.
- 9
Add flour and salt to the milk mixture and whisk until well blended and smooth.
- 10
Transfer meat mixture evenly over the mozzarella layer in the prepared pan.
- 11
Pour batter on top of meat mixture, making sure to cover completely; do not stir.
- 12
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly on top.
- 13
Bake until golden brown and puffy, about 35 to 45 minutes; casserole will deflate and resemble an upside down deep dish pizza.
Tips
Do not stir the batter after pouring to ensure proper texture contrast between the risen top and pizza layer.
Drain excess fat from the beef mixture to prevent a greasy casserole.
Use a glass baking pan as specified for even browning.
Good to Know
Refrigerate covered up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350 degree F oven until warmed through.
Assemble completely but do not bake; cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes.
Serve warm directly from the baking pan. Cut into squares. Pairs with garlic bread and a simple salad.
Common Mistakes
Stir the batter after pouring to avoid disrupting the layered structure and texture.
Skip draining excess beef fat to avoid a greasy casserole.
Use a metal pan to avoid uneven browning.