Pizza Tot Casserole: A Beginner’s Guide to Comfort Food Heaven
Craving a hearty meal that combines the best of pizza and tater tots? Look no further than this Pizza Tot Casserole, your ultimate comfort food solution! This easy recipe layers seasoned ground beef, rich marinara sauce, and gooey mozzarella cheese beneath a crispy blanket of tater tots, making it an instant family favorite. Perfect for busy weeknights or game days, it’s simple to prepare and customizable with your favorite toppings. Serve it up hot and watch as smiles light up the table!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 32 oz frozen tater tots
- Optional toppings: turkey pepperoni, olives, bell peppers, green onions, mushrooms
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with diced onion for about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly in the baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Arrange tater tots in a single layer on top of the beef mixture and add remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until tater tots are golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
- Add optional toppings if desired and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the casserole (approx. 200g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 60mg