Description
Comfort meets convenience in this hearty Pizza Tot Casserole, blending crispy tater tots with classic pizza toppings for a crowd-pleasing meal. Cheesy, zesty layers promise a delightful dinner that brings smiles to the table and satisfies your comfort food cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Meat:
- 1 pound (1 lb) ground beef
- ½ cup mini pepperoni slices
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 small onion, diced
- ½ bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ¼ cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cheese, Sauce, and Base:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups marinara or pizza sauce
- 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen tater tots
- ½ cup sliced black olives
Instructions
- Prepare the cooking surface by heating the oven to 400F (200C) and coating a 9×13-inch baking vessel with a light grease layer to prevent sticking.
- In a spacious skillet, crumble and brown the ground beef alongside finely chopped onions over medium heat, cooking until the meat loses its pink color and the onions become translucent, approximately 5-7 minutes. Carefully drain any accumulated fat.
- Enhance the meat mixture by stirring in marinara sauce, introducing Italian seasoning, and seasoning with salt and pepper. Allow the ingredients to meld together through a brief simmering process.
- Distribute the seasoned meat mixture evenly across the prepared baking dish, creating a uniform base layer. Generously sprinkle the first portion of shredded cheese over the meat to create a melty foundation.
- Meticulously arrange tater tots in a precise, overlapping single layer atop the cheese-covered meat base. Crown the tots with the remaining cheese, ensuring complete coverage.
- Transfer the assembled casserole to the preheated oven, allowing it to bake for 25-30 minutes until the tater tots transform into a golden, crispy topping and the cheese melts into a bubbling, appetizing layer.
- For enhanced flavor complexity, consider adorning the casserole with additional pizza-inspired garnishes like miniature pepperoni, sliced olives, or diced bell peppers during the final 5 minutes of baking.
- Once removed from the oven, permit the casserole to rest briefly, allowing the ingredients to settle and cooling slightly before serving this comforting, pizza-inspired dish.
Notes
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version that maintains the hearty flavor profile.
- Choose low-fat cheese and use cauliflower tots as a low-carb alternative to traditional tater tots for health-conscious eaters.
- Prep ingredients ahead of time and assemble quickly during busy weeknights, making this a convenient make-ahead meal that can be refrigerated before baking.
- For extra flavor depth, sauté minced garlic with onions and consider adding a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a subtle spicy kick that elevates the pizza-inspired taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg