Venison Pasta Pizza Bake

One of my favorite things about venison is the versatility it has when it comes to meal preparation. Ground venison is easily swapped in to recipes that call for ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey. Its low fat content makes it a healthier option than cheaper packs of ground beef and it is easier to cook with in one pot meals. This Venison Pasta Pizza Bake takes advantage of that quality by utilizing one pot from start to finish for this amazing dinner that is ready in 30 minutes. 

Busy weekdays means that dinner needs to be on the table fast and when my family gets tired of eating the same leftovers, I tend to get creative so there is no waste. That is how this delicious Venison Pasta Pizza Bake was born. We were tired of eating spaghetti leftovers the same way so we mixed it up with our favorite meal, pizza, and enjoyed a cheesy venison pasta pizza bake. 

This meal is simple to make and if you have a dutch oven or large oven-safe pot, it become a one pot meal. Simply combine your leftover spaghetti sauce and pasta with your favorite pizza toppings or what ever you have on hand. Add in cooked ground venison, if your pasta sauce doesn’t already have meat in it and mix it all together. 

This recipe can be cooked in a variety of options but I prefer to use a dutch oven and that is what is shown in the pictures. The Food Network Dutch Oven featured in this post was purchased at Kohls.

The toppings are the fun part because you can customize this for your family’s taste preferences. It is also a great way to sneak in vegetables so your kids will eat them. If you chop them up small enough, you can easily hide several servings of vegetables. The pasta sauce, venison, and cheese create a delicious way to make sure they are getting the nutrition they need. 

While you are mixing everything together, make sure to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once it is all mixed in your pot, top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and Italian Seasoning. Place in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and it is heated all the way through. Top it off with some shredded Parmesan Cheese and your family will be not complain about “leftovers” again. To make it a complete meal you can serve it with garlic bread and a salad. 

This recipe is easy to make and doesn’t take a long time to complete. From start to finish, you can have this on the table in 30 minutes or less depending on what toppings you add and if they need to be prepped. We like making it with Rotini pasta but feel free to use whatever leftover pasta you have or what is in pantry. 

Venison Pasta Pizza Bake Recipe

Ingredients:

6 cups spaghetti/pasta sauce
1 pound ground venison, browned
4 cups cooked Rotini Pasta
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
8 ounces sliced pepperoni – chunked
2 cans of mushrooms – drained
2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
Parmesan Cheese for topping

Optional: Green Peppers, Onions, Italian Sausage, and Olives.

Directions:

1. In an oven-safe Dutch Oven, brown the venison until cooked all the way through. Pour in Pasta sauce and stir to combine.
2. Add cooked pasta, stirring it in the sauce till all the pasta is covered.
3. Add in pepperoni, mushrooms, and any other toppings you want. Mix in completely.
4. Top with Mozzarella and Italian Seasoning.
5. Bake on 350* for 15-20 minutes until heated through completely.
6. Top with Parmesan Cheese and serve

Notes: 

• If Rotini pasta is not available feel free to substitute with the pasta of your choice. Penne and Shells are a great option.
• Substitute pasta sauce for leftover spaghetti sauce
• If your leftover spaghetti sauce already has meat it in feel free to omit the venison.
• Easily swap out the venison for ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
• If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use a large oven-safe pot or bake it in a 13 x 9 baker.
• Get creative with the toppings and add your favorites or omit the ones you do not like.

Yield: 6 Servings

Venison Pasta Pizza Bake

Print

Enjoy the rich flavor of Venison while using up leftovers from spaghetti night in this oven baked Venison Pasta Pizza Bake. #VenisonRecipes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 cups spaghetti/pasta sauce
• 1 pound ground venison, browned
• 4 cups cooked Rotini Pasta
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces sliced pepperoni - chunked
• 2 cans of mushrooms - drained
• 2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
• Parmesan Cheese for topping
• Optional: Green Peppers, Onions, Italian Sausage, and Olives.

Instructions

1. In an oven-safe Dutch Oven, brown the venison until cooked all the way through. Pour in Pasta sauce and stir to combine.
2. Add cooked pasta, stirring it in the sauce till all the pasta is covered.
3. Add in pepperoni, mushrooms, and any other toppings you want. Mix in completely.
4. Top with Mozzarella and Italian Seasoning.
5. Bake on 350* for 15-20 minutes until heated through completely.
6. Top with Parmesan Cheese and serve

Notes

• If Rotini pasta is not available feel free to substitute with the pasta of your choice. Penne and Shells are a great option.
• Substitute pasta sauce for leftover spaghetti sauce
• If your leftover spaghetti sauce already has meat it in feel free to omit the venison.
• Easily swap out the venison for ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
• If you don't have a dutch oven, you can use a large oven-safe pot or bake it in a 13 x 9 baker.
• Get creative with the toppings and add your favorites or omit the ones you do not like.