Pepperoni Pasta

Think of pepperoni pizza, but as pasta! Kid-friendly, and parents can add some extra spice to their bowls with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.

By
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

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Updated April 14, 2023
Nick Evans
Pasta with Mozzarella
Nick Evans

Getting my kids to try new foods is a big goal of mine. Most kids don’t like new foods right away. They have to be exposed to them over and over again before they grow accustomed to new foods and maybe (MAYBE?!) even like them.

Sometimes I like to introduce flexibility and creativity to mealtimes by preparing familiar flavors but in a different format—such as this Pepperoni Pizza Penne!

Pasta with Mozzarella toss the pasta, pepperoni and mozzarella
Nick Evans

What kid doesn’t love pepperoni pizza, right? And this has all the normal flavors of a classic, simple, kid-friendly pepperoni pizza, but with pasta instead.

Believe it or not, getting kids used to seeing foods in unexpected meals is a big step toward getting them to be adventurous eaters. This recipe takes a baby step in that direction with the benefit of being super fast to make.

Penne with Pepperoni
Nick Evans

The Dad Add: Spicy Breadcrumbs

If I’m going to eat a helping of this pasta for myself, I make a spicy breadcrumb topper. It goes well on any pasta, honestly, but it gives some much-needed texture to this particular dish. Use it liberally!

The Kid Report Card

I served this pasta in bowls to my 3 1/2-year old son and my 20-month old daughter. My daughter refused to eat it in a bowl, so hers was moved to a plate. I pick my battles during dinnertime and I let her win that one.

My two kids teamed up on this recipe. My daughter is a carb addict and focused solely on the pasta. My son was passing her pasta from his bowl and she was passing mini pepperoni right back. Dad ate the extra mozzarella.

Penne with Marinara Sauce serve the pasta
Nick Evans

If you walked in after dinner, you would’ve been convinced that both of them had eaten quite well, but really it was a victory in teamwork and not necessarily in dinner.

Mom and Dad had servings of the pasta (all parts included) with a side salad and a big sprinkle of the Crispy Breadcrumb Topper, and both were very happy with it. We had some leftovers, which we baked the following night into a small pasta casserole!

More Weeknight Pastas

Pepperoni Pasta

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

If you can’t find mini pepperoni, you can use normal-sized pepperoni and cut it into quarters.

If you have leftovers (my family of four made it through a little over half of this serving size), I’d recommend tossing it in a small buttered baking dish, adding the leftover crispy breadcrumbs to the top, and baking it the next day at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Delicious baked pasta dish!

Ingredients

For the pasta:

  • 12 ounces penne pasta

  • 1 cup marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 4 ounces mini pepperoni (see Recipe Note)

  • 8 ounces mini mozzarella balls

  • Basil chopped, garnish

DAD ADD: Spicy breadcrumb topper

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Cook the pasta:

    Add penne pasta to salted water and cook according to package instructions.

  2. While the pasta cooks, make the spicy breadcrumb topper:

    If you’re making the Dad Add (highly recommended), melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add breadcrumbs and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring regularly, for 4 to 5 minutes until breadcrumbs are toasted and browned. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

    Penne with Marinara Sauce make the breadcrumb topper
    Nick Evans
  3. Assemble the pasta:

    When the penne has cooked, drain it and return to hot pot. Stir in marinara sauce and oregano.

    Off the heat, fold in mini pepperoni and mini mozzarella balls.

    Penne with Marinara Sauce combine the mozzarella and pepperoni
    Nick Evans
    Pasta with Pepperoni toss the pasta with oregano and sauce
    Nick Evans
    Pasta with Mozzarella toss the pasta, pepperoni and mozzarella
    Nick Evans
  4. Serve:

    Divide pepperoni pizza penne between bowls and garnish with fresh basil and spicy crispy breadcrumbs, if using.

    Penne with Marinara Sauce serve the pasta
    Nick Evans
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
391 Calories
23g Fat
29g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 391
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 59mg 20%
Sodium 836mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 242mg 19%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 289mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.