Description
Pizza tot casserole combines crispy tater tots with pizza sauce and melted cheese. This fun, comforting dish is perfect for family-friendly dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- 1 lb ground beef or sausage
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup pizza sauce
Protein and Topping Additions:
- 1 cup pepperoni
- ½ cup bell peppers, chopped
- ½ cup onions, chopped
- ½ cup mushrooms, chopped
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium temperature. Crumble 1 lb ground beef, seasoning with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, salt, and pepper while cooking. Drain excess fat completely.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread ½ cup pizza sauce across the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Distribute cooked meat evenly over the sauce.
- Chop ½ cup bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Scatter these vegetables across the meat layer for extra flavor and texture.
- Create a single layer of frozen tater tots covering the entire meat and vegetable surface. Aim for even distribution without perfect precision.
- Generously sprinkle 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese over the tot layer. Distribute 1 cup pepperoni or alternative pizza toppings across the cheese.
- Dust the entire casserole with 1 tsp Italian seasoning for an authentic pizza taste profile.
- Slide the dish into the 375°F oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tots turn golden brown and cheese melts completely.
- Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest 5 minutes before cutting and serving your pizza tot creation.
Notes
- Experiment with different ground meats like turkey or plant-based alternatives for a lighter or vegetarian version of the casserole.
- Prep all ingredients ahead of time to make assembly quick and easy, especially on busy weeknights.
- For extra crispiness, consider broiling the top for 2-3 minutes at the end of baking to get perfectly golden tots and melted cheese.
- Customize your pizza flavor by swapping pizza sauce for marinara or adding different cheese blends like cheddar or pepper jack for a unique twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 to 6
- Calories: 440 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg