Build your favorite pizza on a base of Tater Tots for the easiest casserole ever. Your favorite pizza sauce, lots of gooey cheese, and all the meats make this Tater Tot pizza casserole the best!
3cupsmozzarella cheeseshredded from a block, divided use
4ouncespepperoni
¼teaspoonItalian seasoning
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.
Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium high heat.
Add ground beef, bacon, onion, green pepper, and garlic.
Cook about 10 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.
Stir in pizza sauce.
Spread pizza mixture evenly on the bottom.
Sprinkle with half the Mozzarella.
Cover completely with Tater Tots.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.
Return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and top with Italian seasoning.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Storage:First, let the food cool down. Then, carefully spoon the leftovers into an airtight container. I prefer to use storage dishes rather than bags to preserve the layers of flavors.Refrigerate pizza casserole for three or four days at the most. Heat it up again in the microwave until it's hot. I recommend covering it loosely with a paper towel to prevent pizza sauce splatter!You can also freeze this. Just cover tightly with plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Be aware that the Tater Tots may get a slightly weird texture.Tips:
Don't let your frozen tater tots thaw. For best results, throw them on top of the casserole straight out of the freezer.
Don't have a cast iron skillet? Use the pan you prefer to brown ground beef in. Just make sure it's big enough to hold the yummy ingredients.
I prefer lean ground beef (90/10). Otherwise, the tater tot pizza casserole can taste a bit oily. If you use fattier meat, try to drain some of the grease off before mixing in the pizza sauce.
Placing the tater tots in a single layer helps them cook evenly, so try to avoid overlapping. It also ensures each tot turns a crisp golden brown.
If your casserole dish is really full, place it on a baking sheet before cooking. This will help catch any oily drips that may try to escape!
Sometimes it's cheaper to buy sandwich-sized pepperoni from the deli rather than the prepackaged, pizza kind. Compare at your store to find the best option. (You can slice the large pepperoni into quarters so that they're easier to eat with a fork.)