Crispy Pizza Bake (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
02 - 2 cups marinara or pizza sauce
03 - 1 lb ground beef (or swap it with Italian sausage for extra flavor)
04 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or go half mozzarella, half cheddar)
05 - 1 small onion, chopped into small pieces
06 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
07 - Salt and pepper as you like it

→ Optional Toppings

08 - 1/4 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
09 - 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
10 - 1/2 bell pepper, cut into small cubes
11 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
12 - 1/2 cup mini pepperonis

# Instructions:

01 - Turn your oven up to 400°F (200°C). Lightly coat a 9x13-inch casserole dish or baking dish with oil or non-stick spray.
02 - Grab a large frying pan, heat it over medium, and toss in the ground beef and onion. Stir and cook until the beef is browned and the onions soften, which will take about 5-7 minutes. Drain any leftover grease.
03 - Pour the marinara or pizza sauce into the pan with the meat mixture. Sprinkle in some Italian seasoning and a bit of salt and black pepper. Stir well and let everything warm up for a few minutes.
04 - Spread the meat and sauce mixture into the greased dish, smoothing it out evenly. Sprinkle one cup of shredded cheese right on top.
05 - Line up the frozen tater tots on top of the cheese layer. Finish it off by sprinkling the rest of the shredded cheese over the tater tots.
06 - Put the dish in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, time it till the tater tots turn golden brown and crunchy, and the cheese on top starts bubbling.
07 - Throw on extras like mini pepperoni, chopped peppers, olives, or any toppings you love. Stick it back in the oven for 5 minutes so they heat up nicely.
08 - Take it out of the oven, let it cool for a little while, then slice and dig in!

# Notes:

01 - Ground turkey or Italian sausage works great in place of the beef.
02 - Skip the meat and load up on veggies for a plant-friendly version.
03 - Customize your casserole with your favorite pizza toppings—anything goes!

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