This is one of those dinners that sounds a little strange… until you try it.
If you’ve ever wished pizza night could happen without making dough, ordering takeout, or waiting forever, this Pizza Rice Skillet is the answer. It’s cozy, cheesy, and made in one pan with simple pantry ingredients.
The rice cooks directly in marinara sauce, soaking up all that pizza flavor, then gets topped with melty cheese and pepperoni. The result is somewhere between pizza and risotto, hearty, comforting, and surprisingly filling.
When I first made this, I wasn’t sure how it would go over, but it was an instant hit. It’s especially great on nights when you want something fun and different without extra work.
If you’re bored of the usual dinner rotation, this one brings the excitement back.
✅ Quick Tip: Use all heavy cream (skip milk) for a thicker sauce
Pizza Rice Skillet
Description
Pizza Rice Skillet is an easy one-pan dinner made with rice, marinara, cheese, and pepperoni. A fun, kid-friendly twist on pizza night.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
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Add rice, marinara sauce, water (or broth), Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
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Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover.
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Reduce heat to low and cook for 15–18 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until rice is tender.
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Sprinkle pepperoni and shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
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Cover again and cook 2–3 minutes, until cheese is melted.
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Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Note
Add cooked sausage or ground beef for extra protein
Stir in bell peppers or olives for veggie lovers
Swap mozzarella for a pizza cheese blend
Leftovers reheat well for lunch the next day
