Sloppy Joe Tator Tot Casserole

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5 from 1 vote

Published on January 17, 2023

, Updated on December 28, 2023

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by Carrie Barnard

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We love casserole recipes and this Sloppy Joe Tator Tot Casserole is a family favorite. Loaded with flavor, this casserole is the perfect weeknight meal.

Easy Sloppy Joe Tator Tot Casserole:

Sloppy Joe Casserole Tater Tots Recipe is delicious and loaded with flavor. Has all the delicious flavors of classic sloppy joe but with cheesy, crunchy topping. The tater tot topping really completes this casserole.

If you love tater tot casseroles as much as my family, make Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole. Beef Enchilada Tator Tot Casserole is also loaded with flavor. Add this Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole to the rotation for an easy weeknight meal.

Sloppy Joes never disappoints. It is the perfect quick and easy dinner idea. By adding the delicious cheesy and tater tot topping it becomes an instant hit casserole recipe for your family.

You may also love this Chicken Tater Tot Casserole Recipe.

Ingredients:

Ground Beef
Red Bell Pepper (diced)
Yellow Onion (diced)
Minced Garlic
Tomato Sauce (8 oz can)
Ketchup
Brown Sugar
Yellow Mustard
Worcestershire sauce
Black Pepper
Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
Frozen Tator Tots (30 oz)

How to Make Sloppy Joe Tator Tot Casserole:

Step 1 – Prepare oven and Baking Dish. – Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a 9X13 baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2 – Cook Ground Beef Mixture – Brown the ground beef with the red bell pepper and onion in a large skillet. Cook these ingredients over medium high heat. Break up the ground beef as it cooks and the vegetables are soft. Drain off any grease from the pan.

Step 3 – Stir in remaining ingredients – Stir in the minced garlic, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, Then remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4 – Spread mixture into baking dish – Spread the mixture into the bottom of the 9X13 baking pan. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Layer the tator tots on top and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Step 5 – Bake Casserole – Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tator tots are golden brown.

Step 6 – Ready to Serve – Let the casserole set for 5 minutes. Then the casserole is ready to serve and enjoy.

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole with a serving on a spoon

What goes good with Tator Tot Casserole Recipe?

We like to keep things simple around my house. When serving this meal here are some of the easy sides that we like:

Green Salad – This casserole is hearty so we like to keep it simple with a green salad. Load with vegetables and serve as a delicious side.
Roasted Vegetables – Roast some broccoli or asparagus with a delicious side. Roasted vegetables are a quick and easy side that my entire family enjoys.
Raw Vegetables – For a sure way to get my family to eat their veggies, I like to make a vegetable tray. Make a side of homemade ranch and include some broccoli, carrots or celery.

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole on a plate

Tips for Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole:

Adding Tator Tots – We usually use an entire bag of frozen tator tots when making this casserole. But you can use what you have even if it is half the bag.
Cheese – We recommend shredding cheese from hunk cheese. It taste better and melts better in this casserole. The Pre-Shredded cheese has added ingredients that are not necessary.
Cooking Ingredients – When combining the ingredients in the skillet we recommend allowing the ingredients to simmer. Once the mixture has simmered for about 5 minutes then it is ready to place in a casserole dish.
Baking Dish – We used a 9×13 baking dish, but you can easily divide the casserole into two 8×8 baking dish. This allows you to freeze one.

Substitutions and Variations:

Tator Tots – We used regular shaped tator tots but you can also use round tator tots.
Cheese – We used cheddar cheese but you can easily use other types of cheese. Pepper Jack Cheese or Colby Monterrey Jack Cheese would be a great option.
Vegetables – Add in some bell pepper, diced zucchini, or chopped broccoli to sneak in vegetables. Slice jalapeno’s would be a great addition for an extra kick to the casserole.
Change the Meat – You can make the sloppy joe with ground turkey or ground chicken. Mix ground turkey and ground beef for an easy way to use leftover meat.
Cream Cheese – If you love the sloppy joe mixture to be extra creamy, mix in some cream cheese.
Sloppy Joe Sauce – We liked making the sloppy joe sauce from scratch. But you can use the store bought jar if you prefer.

How to Store Leftovers:

If you have leftovers that are going to be eaten within a few days, then I would store in the refrigerator. Just place in an airtight container and it will be good for 3-5 days.

This tater tot casserole recipe makes the perfect lunch the next day.

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole on a plate with a fork

How to Freeze Sloppy Joe Tator Tot Casserole:

In case you love freezer cooking like me you are going to love that this tator tot casserole recipe. This casserole is completely freezer friendly.

You simply make the casserole as directed. Go ahead and add the cheddar cheese on top before cooking. Then instead of cooking, cover with foil and freeze.

This would be the perfect casserole to make ahead of time and freeze. Then you can easily thaw and cook for an easy weeknight dinner.