Description
Midwestern comfort classic Tater Tot Pizza Casserole blends hearty pizza flavors with crispy potato goodness. Home cooks can easily create this crowd-pleasing dish with simple ingredients and minimal preparation time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (453 g) ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 (28 oz / 794 g) bag frozen tater tots
- 2 cups pizza sauce (or marinara sauce)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup pepperoni slices
- ½ cup chopped bell peppers
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup cooked bacon bits
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Set oven to 400F (200C) and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Meat Medley: In a large skillet, brown ground beef with diced onions, thoroughly cooking and draining excess fat to create a rich, flavorful base.
- Sauce and Seasoning: Introduce pizza sauce and seasonings to the meat mixture, simmering to develop deep, harmonious flavors that will permeate the entire dish.
- Layer Foundation: Spread the seasoned meat evenly across the prepared baking dish, creating a robust base and topping with a generous layer of mozzarella cheese to add creamy richness.
- Tater Tot Topping: Arrange frozen tater tots in a precise, overlapping pattern to ensure complete coverage and maximum crispiness across the casserole surface.
- Initial Baking: Bake until tater tots transform into golden, crisp perfection with beautifully caramelized edges, creating a satisfying textural contrast.
- Final Flourish: Sprinkle additional mozzarella and optional toppings like pepperoni, bell peppers, or olives to enhance visual appeal and flavor complexity.
- Melt and Bind: Return to oven briefly, allowing cheese to melt into a luxurious, bubbling blanket that unifies all ingredients in a harmonious culinary embrace.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let the casserole rest momentarily, then plate alongside a crisp salad or warm garlic bread to complete this comforting meal experience.
Notes
- Manage Meat Moisture: Drain excess grease thoroughly after browning ground beef to prevent a soggy casserole base and ensure crispy tater tot texture.
- Customize Seasoning Blend: Experiment with pizza seasoning or Italian herbs to elevate the flavor profile, adding depth beyond basic salt and pepper.
- Optimize Tater Tot Placement: Arrange frozen tots in a single, tight layer for maximum crispiness and even cooking across the entire dish surface.
- Accommodate Dietary Needs: Substitute ground beef with turkey or plant-based crumbles for lighter versions, and use dairy-free cheese for lactose-intolerant guests.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg