Easy Pizza Casserole with Biscuits

This easy pizza casserole with biscuits gives you all the cheesy, pepperoni-loaded goodness of delivery pizza in one warm baking dish. Layers of seasoned beef, zesty sauce, and mozzarella sit under golden, flaky biscuits that soak up just the right amount of flavor from underneath.

It’s a no-fuss dinner that bakes in about half an hour, and the biscuit topping gets crisp on the top while staying tender inside. If a weeknight meal can feel like a treat without the work, this one pulls it off.

What Makes This Pizza Casserole So Good

The biscuit layer puffs up and turns deeply golden in the oven, with a buttery crust that breaks into tender flakes. Beneath it, the meat sauce stays hot and saucy, studded with bits of pepperoni and stretchy cheese that pull with every spoonful.

Canned biscuits cut the prep down to ten minutes flat, and everything bakes in one dish. No rolling dough, no waiting for a rise, and no separate pan for the meat means cleanup is almost as fast as putting it together.

The combo of familiar pizza toppings and that soft, biscuit-like bottom layer is the reason this one disappears fast, even with kids who normally pick at their plates.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef: 80/20 keeps it juicy without getting greasy
• 1 small yellow onion, diced: adds a little sweetness under the sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced: fresh garlic gives a bolder kick than powder alone
• 1 (14 oz) jar pizza sauce: use a brand you already like on your pizza
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning: ties all the flavors together
• ½ tsp garlic powder: an extra layer without overpowering
• ½ tsp kosher salt: brings out the beef and sauce
• ¼ tsp black pepper: just enough to balance the richness
• 3 oz sliced pepperoni: use regular or turkey pepperoni, divided
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella: melts smooth without making the casserole watery
• 1 (16.3 oz, 8-count) can refrigerated biscuits: the flaky kind like Grands, keep them cold until you use them

Variations / Substitutions

• Ground turkey: It work, just add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan since they are leaner
• Cooked crumbled Italian sausage: swap half the beef for a spicier, more savory layer
• Diced bell pepper and mushrooms: stir them in with the onion for a supreme-style base
• Cheddar or provolone: mix half with the mozzarella or use all provolone for a different cheesy pull
• Crescent roll dough instead of biscuits: flatten the perforated sheet over the top for a thinner, pastry-like crust

If you like handheld pizza flavor in an even messier format, you might also try my Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese.

How To Make Pizza Casserole With Biscuits

Step 1: Brown the Beef and Onion

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) so it’s hot by the time the casserole is assembled. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the 1 lb ground beef and diced onion together, breaking the meat apart as it browns, about 7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and cook 1 minute more until the garlic smells sharp and fragrant.

The beef should lose all its pink and start to leave a few browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Drain any excess fat, then pour in the pizza sauce and fold in half of the pepperoni (roughly 1.5 oz) so it gets warm and slightly softened. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside while you build the layers.

Step 2: Layer the Meat Sauce

Spread the saucy beef mixture evenly into a 9×13-inch baking dish, scraping every bit of sauce from the skillet. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella right over the top, letting it fall into the nooks between the meat so each bite gets cheese.

This first layer of cheese acts like a barrier between the wet sauce and the biscuits, which helps the bottom of the biscuits cook through instead of turning soggy. Use a spatula to gently press the surface flat so the biscuits will sit evenly later.

Step 3: Arrange the Biscuit Topping

Open the can of biscuits and separate them. Lay the 8 biscuits across the cheese layer in two rows of four, spacing them slightly so they have room to puff without squishing together. Scatter the remaining pepperoni slices on the bare sauce peeking between the biscuits, then cover everything with the last 1 cup of mozzarella.

You can brush the tops of the biscuits with a little milk or melted butter if you want them extra brown, but the hot oven and the cheese will already give them a nice color. The biscuits will expand as they bake and the cheese will melt into all those little crevices.

Step 4: Bake the Casserole

Slide the dish onto the middle rack and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. By the 25-minute mark, the biscuits should be deeply golden on top and the cheese bubbly and starting to brown at the edges. If the biscuits still look pale, give it another 3 to 5 minutes, but keep an eye on the pepperoni so it doesn’t burn.

The whole kitchen will smell like a pizzeria at this point, and the biscuits will look puffed and firm when you tap them lightly with a spoon. Let the casserole sit on a cooling rack for a few minutes before you cut into it so the layers set.

Step 5: Slice and Serve

Run a sharp spatula under the edges of the casserole to loosen any stuck cheese, then slice it into 6 generous squares. The biscuits will have soaked up some sauce on the bottom while staying crisp on top, and melted cheese will stretch between each piece.

Scoop the squares onto plates while they are still warm, making sure each serving gets its own golden biscuit crown and a few visible pepperoni slices on top. Leftover slices reheat beautifully the next day, so grab a second one without guilt.

Tips for the Best Biscuit Pizza Casserole

• Pat the biscuits dry with a paper towel: right after opening the can. Removing that slight moisture on the outside helps them brown faster and keeps the cheese from sliding off.
• Press the biscuits down just a little before topping with cheese.: You don’t want to flatten them, but a light press gives them more contact with the sauce layer below.
• Let the casserole rest 5 minutes after baking.: This short pause keeps the slices from collapsing into a saucy mess when you lift them out.
• Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below.: If the casserole bubbles over, the sheet catches the drips and saves you from scrubbing the oven later.

Bake times by dish size:

Keeping Leftover Pizza Casserole

• Refrigerate: Cool the casserole completely, then cover the dish tightly or transfer slices to an airtight container. It stays good in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: Warm individual slices on a sheet pan in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp the biscuit topping. The microwave works in a pinch but will soften the biscuits more.

What To Serve With Pizza Casserole With Biscuits

A simple green salad with a bright vinaigrette cuts through the richness and adds a fresh contrast to the cheesy layers. If you want an extra vegetable on the side, roasted broccoli florets tossed with olive oil and salt play nicely against the saucy casserole. For a true pizza-parlor vibe, serve it with a bowl of seasoned marinara for dipping the biscuit tops.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use homemade biscuits instead of canned?

Yes. Drop quarter-cup scoops of your favorite biscuit dough over the cheese layer and add about 5 extra minutes to the bake time, watching for the same deep golden color.

How do I keep the bottom from getting soggy?

Draining the beef well and laying that first cup of cheese directly over the sauce before the biscuits creates a barrier that helps the biscuit bottoms bake properly instead of steaming.

Can I assemble this ahead of time?

Brown the beef and spread the meat-cheese layer in the dish, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add the biscuits, pepperoni, and top cheese just before you bake, and you might need 3 to 5 extra minutes in the oven since the dish starts cold.

What if I only have an 8×8-inch dish?

Use half the beef mixture and biscuits, or build fewer, thicker layers. Bake at the same temperature for 30 to 35 minutes per the table above.

Pizza Casserole With Biscuits Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 460

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14 oz) jar pizza sauce
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 3 oz sliced pepperoni, divided
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
• 1 (16.3 oz, 8-count) can refrigerated flaky biscuits

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and onion for 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Drain fat. Add pizza sauce and half the pepperoni. Remove from heat.
2. Spread the meat mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.
3. Separate the biscuits and arrange them over the cheese layer. Scatter the remaining pepperoni between biscuits, then top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes.
5. Slice into 6 squares and serve warm.

Notes

Use regular or turkey pepperoni based on your preference. If the biscuits need more color after 25 minutes, switch the oven to broil for 1 minute, but watch closely so the cheese does not burn. Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before slicing to help the layers hold together.