Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Sloppy joe tater tot casserole is sweet and tangy homemade sloppy joe meat baked between layers of crispy tater tots and melty cheddar cheese. It’s a budget friendly family dinner for a busy weeknight, made with pantry staples you probably already have. It takes about 45 minutes to make 8 servings.
Did your family eat sloppy joes growing up? My mom made them all the time.
Not just because they’re tasty. She usually got home late from work and needed something quick to feed us. And they were cheap.
She served them with tater tots or french fries. If she was really late, we got potato chips. I didn’t mind one bit, because I’d pile the chips right on my sandwich for the crunch.
You can grab a can of Manwich for this one, but I make my own sauce. It’s not hard, and it tastes way better. You know exactly what’s going in, so you can leave out anything your crew won’t eat. My kids could spot a green bell pepper from the next room.
If tater tot casseroles are your thing, I’ve got a few more listed below.
More Tater Tot Casseroles
- Big Mac Casserole – beef, cheese, pickles and special sauce under crispy tater tots
- Philly Cheesesteak Tater Tot Casserole – seasoned beef, peppers, mushrooms and mozzarella with tots on top
- Cowboy Casserole – taco seasoned beef, black beans and corn under a tater tot topping
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef – Lean ground beef. Drain the fat after browning so the casserole doesn’t get greasy.
Tater Tots – Frozen, straight from the bag. Don’t thaw them. You need 32 ounces, half for the bottom layer and half for the top.
Sloppy Joe Sauce – Made right in the skillet with ketchup, yellow mustard, light brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder and beef broth. If it looks dry, add a splash more broth.
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How To Make Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef, onion and bell pepper until the beef is browned and the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the fat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and beef broth. If the mixture looks dry, add a splash more broth.
- Spread half of the frozen tater tots in an even layer in the baking dish.
- Spread the sloppy joe meat over the tots in an even layer.
- Sprinkle half of the cheddar over the meat.
- Top with the rest of the tater tots, then the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and the tater tots are crispy and golden brown.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes, then garnish with chopped green onions and serve.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage, Reheating and Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The oven is the best way to reheat a big portion and crisp the tots back up. For one serving, use the air fryer. The microwave works in a pinch, but the tots get soggy.
To freeze, bake the casserole and let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat it at 350°F for about 35 minutes, until it’s hot all the way through.
Variations
Ground Turkey or Chicken – Use ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the beef.
Shredded Hash Browns – Swap shredded hash brown potatoes for the tater tots.
Manwich – Skip the homemade sauce and stir 1 can of Manwich into the browned beef instead. Leave out the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt and broth.
Tomato Sauce – Use plain tomato sauce in place of the ketchup if you’ve got some leftover.
More Spice – Add some onion powder and garlic powder to the sauce.
FAQ
Do you thaw the tater tots first?
No. Put them in straight from the freezer. They bake up crispy and golden on top in the 30 to 35 minutes the casserole needs.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Grease the baking dish with cooking spray or a light coat of vegetable oil. Baked on cheese is no fun to scrub.
- Drain the fat from the beef before you add the sauce ingredients.
- Make a double batch and freeze one for later, or share it with a neighbor.
- Got leftover sloppy joe meat? Turn it into sloppy joe garlic bread (it’s linked below).
What To Serve With Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
This one is a meat and starch kind of meal, like my big boy casserole, so it’s great all on its own. If you want to stretch it for a bigger crowd, start with a salad like this 1905 salad or an Italian chopped salad. Some spicy green beans, brown sugar glazed carrots or a crack green bean casserole round it out.
Finish with strawberry shortcake fluff, a slice of key lime pie or this strawberry cream cheese icebox cake, and you’ll be mom of the year.
More Sloppy Joe Recipes
- Sloppy Joes – the classic sandwich with a tangy homemade sauce, ready in 30 minutes
- Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread – sloppy joe meat and cheddar baked on a garlic bread loaf
- Sloppy Joe Cups – sloppy joe filling and cheese baked in flaky biscuit cups
- Sloppy Joe Sliders – juicy beef and lots of melted cheese on buttery toasted buns
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup beef broth
- 32 ounces tater tots frozen
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, onions, and bell pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and beef broth. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash more beef broth to loosen it up.
- Spread half of the tater tots in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Top with the sloppy joe meat mixture and spread in an even layer.
- Sprinkle half the shredded cheddar cheese over the meat.
- Top with the remaining tater tots and remaining cheese in an even layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the tater tots are a crispy golden brown.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with chopped green onions.
Notes
- Tater tots: Use them straight from the freezer. Don’t thaw.
- Swaps: Ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef. Shredded hash browns for the tater tots. Plain tomato sauce for the ketchup.
- Manwich: Use 1 can in place of the homemade sauce. Leave out the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire, chili powder, salt and broth.
- Leftovers: Fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to keep the tots crispy.
- Freezing: Bake and cool completely, wrap tightly, freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat at 350°F for about 35 minutes.
Nutrition
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