We all have foods we don’t care for. Some of us have several. (*ahem*, I’m looking at you, Dad.)
I was a pretty picky eater growing up, but now I eat (and enjoy) practically everything. There are two foods, though, that I really want no part of (but not in an angry way, like some people get about foods they don’t like. Just in a “please-don’t-mix-these-items-in-with-anything-you-serve-me” sort of way): celery and green bell peppers.
Celery has no redeeming qualities, as far as I’m concerned. It’s stringy, and watery, and tasteless…but tastes awful. Explain that one, friends.
And green bell peppers are, well, not ripe!
And yet…and yet…I will eat them one way, and one way only. On a veggie pizza. And actually like it.
So, when I found this recipe in Taste of Home, I was shocked – and dare I say, actually disappointed – it did not have green bell peppers. I changed up some of the other ingredients and method, as well. But honestly, the peppers were clutch.
This is another super easy weeknight meal that comes together fast and can be customized to suit your tastes. Don’t like pepperoni? Use sausage. Can’t find baby bella mushrooms? Use button.
…and don’t like green bell pepper? Use red or orange. I totally understand.
P.S. My friend Joanne, from Eats Well With Others, is hosting a virtual Bake Sale to raise money for Cancer research. All the proceeds go toward the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. There are plenty of goodies to bid on, including my Candied Pecans! You can see everything up for auction, HERE. Go buy something!
Pizza Noodle Casserole
Serves 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
• 1 package (16 ounce) wide egg noodles
• 2 1/4 cups pizza sauce
• 3.5 ounces sliced pepperoni
• 4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can (2.5 ounce) sliced black olives, drained
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil; cook noodles until al dente according to package directions, about 6 minutes. Drain.
Combine the noodles with the pizza sauce. Transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with the pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, and bell pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake, uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Scoop out portions in bowls or on plates and enjoy!
Print this recipe
Nikky Wales says
This is amazingly funny, even the kiddos loved it
Sandi Benoit says
Printed………but not going to put black olives on it :) Thank you for posting Amy!!!!
Amy @Very Culinary says
More olives for me! :D Thanks, Sandi – enjoy!
Pam says
What a great idea! My whole family would gobble this up.
Stephanie says
What a fun idea! I would have never thought to put pizza toppings on a pasta dish, but it does make so much sense! I bet the kiddos loved it, too!
Erin says
I am a picky eater. I will try most things, but I am picky. Celery and Green Peppers are 2 of my dislikes as well. But I can’t eat green peppers on anything! Love this pasta though!
Joanne says
I can’t get behind celery consumption. Ever. At all. But pizza and green bell peppers in a casserole! Yes, yes, yes!
Naina @ stir/crazy says
This looks delicious! Finally, a way to combine pizza AND pasta. Well done.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOVE this Amy! I know the fam will too!!
Kim Beaulieu says
I love this. Pizza casserole is the bomb. We all love it except my daughter. She’s one of those people who likes 5 things and that’s it. She also loves celery so there you go, she’s a weirdo. I’m going to try this one, it looks like perfection to me.
And your Dad commenting…I laughed way too hard. Adorable.
Susan says
This is a awesome casserole! Love those black olives in there and looks like it makes some great leftovers too.
Dawn Lopez says
Oh my goodness, this looks absolutely delicious! What a great idea! Thanks for the recipe!
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out says
Celery…UGH! Waste of food, if you ask me. Green peppers, though? I definitely need those all up in this pizza noodle situation. (Those words were just meant to be together, this I believe)
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking says
I cannot stand green bell peppers either!! Red ones are my absolute favorite veggie, but the green ones… They’re bitter and practically tasteless and should’ve just been given more time to ripen. Not worth it! (However, I do like celery… Please don’t hate me for that. It just means you’ll have less to eat! ;) )
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
I love anything pizza flavored. And I think green bell peppers are always a must with pizza! Glad you added them in!
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
I love finding recipes that are easily customized for picky eaters. I’m sure that my whole crew would inhale this pasta.
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
I’m the same way about certain foods – I won’t eat sauce with any tomato chunks in it….or kidney beans cuz they look like bugs to me….I have a long list, actually. LOL Anyway, love this casserole and want it NOW!
Angie says
I love this noodle casserole, what a great idea!
Christiane ~ Taking On Magazines says
I like Taste of Home recipes because they hold up to adaptation so well. I’m not a huge fan of green peppers, but I can see where they’d up the flavor of this casserole a lot. It looks amazing.
Dad says
Well Amy, it takes one calorie of energy to eat a celery stick that has no calories in it. Eat a million, and you could lose an awful lot of weight. I’m with you on the green peppers except when they’re fresh and crunchy. But you and Jen used to put olives on the ends of your fingers and eat them that way! Bleccch.
P.S. I have declared that Bacon is a veggie, and takes the place of anything for crunch.
Amy @Very Culinary says
No thanks, I’d rather be…um…girthy. ;-) And Jen and I still do that with the olives!
Meredith In Sock Monkey Slippers says
This has weeknight dinner written all over it! delish!
Paula - bell'alimento says
Two of my kids favorites in one convenient dish.
Rebecca {foodie with family} says
That is so funny that you like green peppers on a veggie pizza but nowhere else. Now I’m trying to figure out whether I have a food like that…
In the meantime, though… Holy Crowdpleasing Recipe, Batman!
Ray says
Funny, I used to not mind green bell peppers as a child, but as an adult, I’m no longer a fan. Red and other colors are the opposite.
What about celery in Chinese food? I love it there, especially since it’s stir-fried into nothingness. And I don’t mind it in chicken soup.
Amy @Very Culinary says
Nope. Even in Chinese food or chicken soup, it gets picked out.
Julie says
Yum! Yeah, a few weird food quirks over here. Stephie HATES celery. She also sees no redeeming qualities about it. Yet another hint towards us being strangely connected. I love it. :)
Amy @Very Culinary says
Joanne from Eats Well With Others doesn’t like it either. We’re all kindred spirits!