Pizza Tot Casserole Bake (Printable Version)

# What You'll Need:

→ Main Components

01 - 450 g ground beef or Italian sausage
02 - 1 small onion, diced
03 - 475 ml marinara or pizza sauce
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 - Salt, to taste
06 - Black pepper, to taste
07 - 200 g shredded mozzarella cheese or mozzarella-cheddar blend
08 - 900 g frozen tater tots

→ Optional Toppings

09 - 60 g mini pepperoni slices
10 - 60 g sliced black olives
11 - 1/2 bell pepper, diced
12 - 25 g sliced green onions
13 - 25 g mushrooms, sliced

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 200°C and lightly grease a 33×23 cm baking or casserole dish.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef and sauté diced onion for 5–7 minutes until meat is no longer pink and onion is softened. Drain excess fat.
03 - Stir in marinara or pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
04 - Spread the beef and sauce mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 100 g of the shredded cheese over the surface.
05 - Place frozen tater tots in a single layer atop the cheese. Scatter remaining 100 g shredded cheese evenly over the tater tots.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes until tater tots are crisp and cheese is bubbling.
07 - Add mini pepperoni, black olives, diced bell pepper, green onions, and mushrooms if using. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes until toppings are heated through.
08 - Remove casserole from oven and allow to cool slightly before portioning and serving.

# Additional Tips:

01 - For crispier tater tots, bake them separately for 10 minutes before assembling.

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