Cheesy Pizza Tot Casserole (Printable Format)
Layers of crispy tots, rich sauce, melted cheese, and classic toppings create a comforting 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 (optional)
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 additional olive oil.
02 - Arrange frozen tater tots in a single, even 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 baked tater tots. Sprinkle dried oregano, basil, and garlic powder over the sauce.
04 - Top with half of the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Distribute pepperoni slices, black olives, diced bell pepper, and red onion across the surface. Finish with remaining mozzarella, cheddar, and grated Parmesan.
05 - Return casserole to oven and bake for 20 minutes until cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and beginning to turn golden brown.
06 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving to set the cheese layers and make cutting easier.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Its the ultimate comfort food mashup that makes everyone smile
- Perfect for those nights when you need to feed a crowd without the fuss
02 -
- Dont skip that first bake for the tots or theyll be soggy underneath all that sauce
- Letting it cool for those 5 minutes seems impossible but it really makes serving easier
03 -
- If your tots are still frozen together, bang the bag on the counter to separate them before arranging
- Use freshly shredded cheese if you can, it melts so much better than the pre-shredded kind