Description
Pizza Tot Casserole is a hearty, crowd-pleasing dish featuring layers of crispy tater tots, flavorful Italian sausage, melty cheeses, and classic pizza toppings baked to perfection. This comforting casserole combines the best elements of pizza and tater tots for an easy weeknight dinner everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Mixture
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage (or ground beef)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Casserole Layers
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
- 1/4 cup black olives, sliced (optional)
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced (optional)
- 1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
Garnish
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook Sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground Italian sausage until it is browned thoroughly. Drain any excess grease to keep the dish from being too oily.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is tender and the garlic is fragrant, blending well with the sausage.
- Add Sauce and Seasoning: Stir in the pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Let the mixture simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to combine the flavors.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking. Spread half of the frozen tater tots evenly in the bottom of the dish as the first layer.
- Add Meat Layer: Pour the prepared sausage and sauce mixture over the tater tots layer. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the meat layer.
- Layer Tots and Cheese: Add the remaining tater tots in an even layer over the cheese. Next, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese followed by the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top layer of tots.
- Add Toppings: Scatter mini pepperoni slices, sliced black olives, diced green bell pepper, and sliced mushrooms evenly over the casserole for added flavor and texture.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven uncovered. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and browned slightly, and the tater tots are crispy on top.
- Garnish and Serve: Allow the casserole to cool slightly before garnishing with fresh basil or parsley. Serve warm and enjoy this delicious Pizza Tot Casserole.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef for Italian sausage if preferred.
- Feel free to add or omit pizza toppings like olives, peppers, and mushrooms based on your preference.
- For extra crispiness, you can broil the casserole for 2-3 minutes at the end of baking, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
- This recipe can be doubled for larger gatherings; use a larger baking dish accordingly.
