Cheesy Pizza Tot Casserole (Printable Version)

Layered casserole with tater tots, pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings for a delicious family meal.

# What You Need:

→ Base

01 - 1 (32 oz) bag frozen tater tots
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

03 - 2 cups pizza sauce
04 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
05 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

→ Cheese

07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Toppings

10 - 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
11 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives
12 - 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
13 - 1/4 cup diced red onion

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
02 - Arrange frozen tater tots in a single layer across the prepared baking dish. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the tops. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden and beginning to crisp.
03 - Remove dish from oven. Spread pizza sauce evenly over the partially cooked tots. Sprinkle dried oregano, basil, and garlic powder across the sauce layer.
04 - Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the sauce. Distribute pepperoni, black olives, bell pepper, and red onion evenly across the cheese. Top with remaining mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheese.
05 - Return casserole to oven and bake for 20 additional minutes, or until cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown on top.
06 - Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow cheese to set and make cutting easier.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms humble freezer aisle staples into something that tastes like it came from a neighborhood pizzeria
  • The crispy cheesy edges become the most fought-over pieces at the table
  • You can customize the toppings based on whatever is lurking in your refrigerator
02 -
  • I once skipped the initial tot bake and learned my lesson when the bottom layer turned into mushy potato disappointment
  • Using pre-shredded cheese works fine but shredding it yourself gives you that superior melt that restaurant dishes have
03 -
  • Line your baking dish with foil for the easiest cleanup ever just fold up the foil and you are done
  • Position your oven rack in the upper third during the second bake to get that gorgeous golden cheese crust

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