This Pizza Tater Tot Casserole is a flavorful and fun twist on the classic pizza night. This recipe is all about ease and taste, perfect for busy evenings when you want a meal that pleases both kids and adults.
With a crispy tater tot base and layers of your family's favorite pizza flavors, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- These pizza tater tots are hit with children and adults alike, making family dinners a breeze.
- With flavorful ingredients like ground beef, sausage, bacon, and gooey cheese, every bite is a delight. You can even customize it with your favorite pizza toppings and sauces!
- With just 15 minutes of prep time, this dish offers all the comforting flavors of pizza in a hearty, satisfying casserole.
Enjoy the best of both worlds with this pizza tater tot casserole that combines the flavors of pizza in a hearty, satisfying dish. Loved by kids and adults alike, it's customizable, quick to prepare, and a delightful family dinner option.
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Lean ground beef - Opt for lean or extra-lean varieties for a healthier casserole.
- Bacon strips - Choose the type that suits your preference, like hickory-smoked or maple.
- Bulk Italian sausage - You can also choose to buy the sausage in casings and remove.
- Onion
- Green or red bell pepper
- Garlic
- Pizza sauce - You can use canned or homemade.
- Frozen Tater Tots
- Sliced pepperoni
- Full-fat mozzarella cheese- Purchase whole blocks of full-fat mozzarella cheese for superior melting and flavor.
- Italian seasoning
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add ground beef, Italian sausage, and chopped bacon. Cook for approximately 7 minutes.
- Add the chopped onions, minced garlic, and chopped bell pepper to the skillet.
- Cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until the meat is browned, and the vegetables are softened.
- Add the pizza sauce.
- Stir in the pizza sauce.
- Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread the pizza mixture evenly in the bottom of the dish, ensuring full coverage.
- Place the frozen Tater Tots on top of the pizza mixture, completely covering it.
- Bake the casserole for 40 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and layer the pepperoni slices on top.
- Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
🥫 Storage
Refrigerating Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, let them cool to room temperature. Then, cover the casserole dish with an airtight lid or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be safely refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: To freeze the casserole, it's best to cut it into individual portions or wrap the entire dish securely in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave until they are heated through. Alternatively, reheat the entire casserole by placing it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until it's hot all the way through. For frozen leftovers, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
📚 Variations
- For a vegetarian version, skip the ground beef, sausage, and bacon. Load your casserole with an array of colorful veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and black olives.
- If you love a bit of heat, sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over the casserole before baking. You can also include some sliced jalapeños or experiment with a spicy pizza sauce for that fiery kick.
- Get creative with the cheese. Instead of just mozzarella, use a blend of your favorite cheeses like cheddar, provolone, or parmesan to elevate the flavors.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Save time by chopping onions, garlic, and bell peppers ahead of time. You can even brown the meat a day earlier and store it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the casserole.
- Depending on your oven and the depth of your casserole, the baking time may vary. Keep an eye on the casserole during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking to ensure it reaches your desired level of crispiness and doneness.
- Allow everyone to customize their slice by serving additional toppings on the side. This way, each family member can add extra pepperoni, fresh basil, or red pepper flakes to suit their taste.
🤔 FAQs
Absolutely! Feel free to substitute ground turkey, chicken sausage, or a plant-based alternative if you prefer a leaner or vegetarian version of this casserole.
Yes, you can make this dish vegetarian or vegan by using meatless alternatives such as plant-based sausage and dairy-free cheese. There are plenty of delicious vegan cheese options available.
Definitely! While this recipe uses pizza sauce, you can get creative with different sauces. Consider trying out Alfredo, marinara, or even a pesto base for unique flavors.
Yes, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight container or resealable bags. Just be aware that the texture of the tater tots may change slightly after freezing and reheating.
📗 Related Recipes
Want to make authentic pizza next? Check out The Perfect Pizza Crust Recipe and How To Make Winning Pizza Sauce In No Time.
Looking for more recipes with all the flavors of pizza with none of the fuss? You'll love our Pizza Pinwheels and Focaccia Pizza.
🍽 What to serve with Pizza Tater Tot Casserole
This recipe is a whole meal served as is, especially if you add vegetables to your pizza tater tots. If you went with a meat and cheese version, serve it with a side salad to make it a well-balanced meal.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Large Skillet
- Baking Dish (9x13-inch recommended)
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
This Pizza Tater Tot Casserole is a family-friendly twist on pizza night, loved by both kids and adults. It's a hearty, flavorful casserole featuring all your favorite pizza toppings and flavors, with the convenience of tater tots as the base. With a quick 15-minute prep time, it's a satisfying and customizable dinner option for busy weeknights.
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
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📖 Recipe
Meat-loving Pizza Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 8 bacon strips chopped
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 green or red bell pepper chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 oz. pizza sauce 2(8 oz. jars or 213 ml.) or use homemade sauce.
- 2 lbs. frozen Tater Tots 800g.
- 1 ½ oz. pkg sliced pepperoni (½ of a 3 ounce package) about 24 pepperoni slices or as needed
- 12 ounces full-fat mozzarella cheese about 3 cups shredded ( use from a block rather than prepackaged.)
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef, sausage and bacon. Cook for 7 minutes.
- Add onions, garlic and green pepper. Cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until meat is cooked and veggies are softened. Stir in pizza sauce.
- Spread pizza mixture evenly on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Cover completely with frozen Tater Tots.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and top with Italian seasoning.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
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