Description

This Tater Tot Pizza Casserole is a delicious and hearty dish combining the flavors of a classic pizza with the comfort of crispy tater tots. Ground beef, sautéed vegetables, and a savory pizza sauce base are layered with melted cheeses and topped with golden, crispy tater tots for a family-friendly meal that’s easy to prepare and sure to satisfy.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef Mixture

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices

Cheese Topping

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Tater Tot Layer

1 bag (32 ounces) frozen tater tots

Optional Toppings

Extra pepperoni slices
Chopped parsley

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the casserole.
Cook Ground Beef and Vegetables: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, diced onion, and diced green bell pepper together until the beef is fully browned and the vegetables are tender, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
Season and Add Sauce: Stir in the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and pizza sauce into the beef mixture. Mix well to combine the flavors, then add the mini pepperoni slices and remove the skillet from heat.
Assemble in Baking Dish: Spread the seasoned beef mixture evenly into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, making sure to distribute it across the bottom of the dish.
Add Cheese Layers: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses evenly over the beef mixture layer to create a gooey, cheesy topping.
Arrange Tater Tots: Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the cheese to form the crispy top layer of the casserole.
Bake: Place the baking dish uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden brown, crisp, and cooked through.
Optional Final Toppings: In the last 5 minutes of baking, add extra pepperoni slices on top if desired for added flavor and bake until slightly crisped.
Cool and Garnish: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley if you like, then serve warm.

Notes

Try adding sliced black olives or mushrooms to the beef filling for a delicious supreme pizza variation.
For a spicier casserole, substitute ground beef with hot Italian sausage instead.
Make sure to drain excess fat after cooking the beef to avoid overly greasy casserole.
Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 540
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 820 mg
Fat: 32 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 26 g
Cholesterol: 75 mg