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Upside Down Pizza

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a slice of pizza on a spatula
A unique casserole that literally flips its inspiration on its head, this upside down pizza is loaded with your favorite pizza toppings covered by a bubbly top.
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Table of Contents
  1. Upside Down Pizza Ingredients
  2. Substitutions And Additions
  3. How To Make This Upside Down Pizza Recipe
  4. How To Serve
  5. Storage
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. More Recipes You’ll Love
  8. JUMP TO RECIPE

This is the best recipe for upside down pizza, complete with a double meat beef and pepperoni filling and a bubbly popover top. This pizza casserole is an interesting take on the classic slice, and it tastes just as good.

close up shot of a serving of pizza on a plate

Upside Down Pizza Ingredients

Upside Down Pizza raw ingredients that are labeled
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You’ll need: 

For The Meat Mixture:

  • 1½ pounds of lean ground beef
  • ½ large yellow onion, diced finely 
  • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning 
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 (7-ounce) package of pepperoni, chopped
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar of traditional spaghetti sauce 

For The Cheese Layer:

  • 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

For The Popover Top:

  • 1½ cups of all-purpose flour, sifted 
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature 
  • 1½ cups of whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon of salt 
  • ⅓ cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Substitutions And Additions

CRESCENT ROLLS OR BISCUITS: If you’d like to skip the traditional popover top of this pizza, you can substitute a roll of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Biscuits.

You’ll need to pre-bake them for half of the recommended time, and then flip them over and bake them for the remaining time on top of your pizza.

This will ensure that they cook through and aren’t underdone on the bottom. 

VEGGIES OR OTHER “TOPPINGS”: While they won’t be actual toppings since they will be inside the casserole, you could definitely add any of your favorite items that you usually would order on a pizza.

Add green pepper, olives, hot peppers, and mushrooms to make it supreme.

How To Make This Upside Down Pizza Recipe

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Take out your eggs and milk a few minutes before starting this recipe to bring them to room temperature. 

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a glass 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. 

PRO TIP:

For best results, use a glass rather than a ceramic baking dish for your pizza. 

STEP TWO: In a large skillet, brown beef over medium heat until no longer pink.

Drain the grease and return the ground beef to the skillet.

Use a meat masher to break the meat into small pieces. 

STEP THREE: Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often so that they do not burn.

Add minced garlic and cook for an additional two minutes, stirring often. 

STEP FOUR: Add Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and pepperoni.

Stir well and continue to cook for an additional three to five minutes or until the pepperoni is cooked and heated through. 

Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and pepperoni added to the skillet of beef mixture

STEP FIVE: Add tomato sauce to the beef mixture and stir well. Let simmer for three minutes. 

spaghetti sauce added to the meat mixture

STEP SIX: Add the meat mixture to the bottom of the pan and spread it out evenly using a rubber spatula.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

meat mixture placed in a baking dish and topped with mozzarella cheese

STEP SEVEN: Place in the preheated oven while you combine the popover mixture so that the baking dish is very hot when you pour the popover mixture into it so that it bubbles up. 

PRO TIP:

It is very important that your baking dish is HOT before you add the popover top or this recipe will not work properly.

after pizza is baked in a baking dish

STEP EIGHT: In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and salt.

Use a large spoon to mix together but make sure not to over mix.

PRO TIP:

This batter will be a bit runny and should be able to pour onto the top of the casserole. 

milk added to the ingredients in a bowl

STEP NINE: Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the popover top mixture over the meat mixture, making sure to get the top all the way to the edges of the casserole dish.

Sprinkle cup shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the bubble up top and place the pan back in the oven.

bubble up poured over the pizza ingredients and topped with cheese

STEP TEN: Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top “crust” has puffed up and is a deep golden brown color. 

PRO TIP:

Do not open the oven while this is baking! Doing so could cause the top to not bubble up correctly or collapse. 

pizza after being baked in a baking dish

STEP ELEVEN: Remove from the oven and serve immediately. 

How To Serve

Turn things upside down (literally!) on pizza night with something new. This cheesy dish is a great way for a different twist on traditional pizza.

Add a simple Caesar salad on the side to complete your meal.

Craving more pizza? You’ll love our easy recipes for pizza casserole and pizza muffins.

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: If you have leftover upside-down pizza, it’s recommended to store it in your fridge for no longer than two to three days.

Because of the popover top, the texture of the pizza will change quickly and may become soggy. 

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this recipe as the popover top will become soggy during the thawing process.

close up shot of pizza in a baking dish with a slice missing

This epic upside-down pizza has a double meat filling, a bubbly popover top, and plenty of melted cheesy goodness. It’s a treat that’s fun to make and even more fun to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my popover top not bubble up?

There are a few reasons why your top might not have bubbled up. First, you need to make sure your milk and eggs are at room temperature. Second, you have to make sure your pan is HOT before adding the popover mixture. Third, you must not open the oven during baking, or the top may fall.

Can I use different meat in this recipe?

Any ground meat or Italian sausage will work fine in this delicious recipe.

Can I add other toppings to the casserole?

Any of your favorite pizza toppings can be added to the casserole if you’d like.

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a slice of pizza on a spatula

Upside Down Pizza

5 from 1 vote
A unique casserole that literally flips its inspiration on its head, this upside down pizza is loaded with your favorite pizza toppings covered by a bubbly top.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Meat Mixture

  • pounds lean ground beef
  • ½ large yellow onion, diced finely
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 7 ounces pepperoni, chopped
  • 24 ounces traditional spaghetti sauce

Cheese Layer

  • cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Popover Top

  • cups all purpose flour, sifted
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • cups whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a glass 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain grease and return ground beef to the skillet and use a meat masher to break meat into small pieces.
  • Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often so they do not burn. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and pepperoni. Stir well and continue to cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until pepperoni is cooked and heated through.
  • Add spaghetti sauce to the meat mixture and stir well. Let simmer for 3 minutes.
  • Add the meat mixture to the bottom of the baking dish and spread out evenly using a rubber spatula. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Place in the preheated oven while you combine the popover top mixture. You want your baking dish to be very hot when you pour the popover mixture into it.
  • In a separate medium mixing bowl combine sifted flour, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and salt. Use a large spoon to mix together. Don’t over mix. This batter will be a bit runny and should be able to pour onto the top of the casserole.
  • Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the bubble up top over the meat mixture, making sure to get the top all the way to the edges of the casserole dish. Sprinkle ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the bubble up top and place in the oven.
  • Cook at 400°F for 30 minutes, or until the popover top crust has puffed up and is a deep golden brown color.
  • Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Take out your eggs and milk a few minutes before starting this recipe to bring them to room temperature. 
  • For best results, use a glass rather than a ceramic baking dish for your pizza. 
  • It is very important that your baking dish is HOT before you add the popover top or this recipe will not work properly.
  • This batter will be a bit runny and should be able to pour onto the top of the casserole.
  • Resist the urge to open the oven door while this is cooking, as doing so will prevent the top from rising. Make sure the popover top is puffed and golden brown before opening the oven door.

Nutrition

Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1687mg | Potassium: 792mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 5mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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