Description
This Pepperoni Pizza Tater Tot Casserole is the ultimate comfort food mash-up! It combines crispy tater tots, gooey cheese, savory pepperoni, and all the flavors of a classic pizza, baked together in one delicious dish. Perfect for a family dinner, game day, or whenever you crave pizza with a fun twist!
Ingredients
- 1 bag (28 oz) frozen tater tots
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (or pizza sauce)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups sliced pepperoni
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional, for extra pizza flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
-
Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or casserole dish. -
Layer the Tater Tots:
Spread the frozen tater tots evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. -
Add the Pizza Sauce:
Pour the marinara or pizza sauce evenly over the tater tots, spreading it out with a spoon. -
Layer with Cheese and Pepperoni:
Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce, then layer half of the sliced pepperoni over the cheese. If you like extra pizza flavor, sprinkle some dried oregano and garlic powder over the layer. -
Top with More Tater Tots and Cheese:
Arrange a second layer of tater tots over the pepperoni, followed by the remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Top with the rest of the pepperoni. -
Bake the Casserole:
Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the tater tots are crispy and the cheese is melted and bubbly. -
Serve:
Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before slicing into squares. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired, and serve warm!
Notes
- You can customize this casserole by adding other pizza toppings like bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, or olives.
- For a spicier version, add some crushed red pepper flakes or use spicy pepperoni.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can cook the marinara sauce for 5-10 minutes on the stove to reduce it before adding it to the casserole.
- To make it a bit lighter, use a reduced-fat mozzarella or swap the pepperoni for turkey pepperoni.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the casserole
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 30mg