Meat Lover's Pizza-Inspired Tot Casserole (Print version)

A hearty pizza-style tater tot casserole layered with beef, sausage, bacon, pepperoni, sauce, cheese, and crispy tots.

# Ingredients:

For the meat filling

01 - 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
02 - 1/2 lb (225 g) Italian sausage, mild or hot
03 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 cups (480 ml) pizza sauce
07 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the topping

10 - 1 bag (32 oz / 900 g) frozen tater tots
11 - 2 cups (225 g) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
12 - 1 cup (115 g) shredded cheddar cheese
13 - 4 oz (115 g) sliced pepperoni
14 - 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the oven to 400 F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or a thin coat of oil.
02 - Cook the ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until no pink remains.
03 - Drain excess grease. Stir in the garlic, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the filling thickens slightly.
04 - Spread the meat filling evenly in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and the cheddar. Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.
05 - Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the tots are golden and the sauce bubbles around the edges.
06 - Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the tots, then add pepperoni and bacon. Bake for 8-10 minutes more, until the cheese melts and the pepperoni edges brown.
07 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Scatter with parsley or basil if using, then serve hot.

# Good to know:

01 - Use frozen tater tots straight from the freezer for the crispest topping.
02 - For extra crunch, par-bake the tots on a sheet pan for 10 minutes while the meat cooks.
03 - Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat uncovered for best texture.

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