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A plate of tater tot casserole with ground meat, red peppers, and melted cheese, with a baking dish and salt and pepper shakers in the background.

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

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This sloppy joe tater tot casserole layers a thick homemade sloppy joe beef filling and melty Cheddar under a golden layer of crispy tots. It's an easy, budget-friendly sloppy joe casserole with tater tots that's ready in about 50 minutes.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 cups
Calories 400
Author Gina Dickson

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • 9x13 Baking Dish

Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ cup onions chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground
  • 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese freshly shredded, divided
  • 16 ounces tater tot rounds bagged, frozen

Instructions

Get Started

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Grease the baking dish with cooking spray.
    Nonstick cooking spray

Cook the Filling

  • In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains.
    1 pound ground beef
    Ground meat and sautéed onions cooking in a skillet, with small bowls of brown sugar and tomato paste nearby.
  • Tip the pan and drain off any excess grease.
  • Add the onions and cook until slightly translucent, meaning soft and starting to look see-through.
    ½ cup onions
  • Sprinkle in the salt, paprika, dry mustard, and black pepper, and stir to combine.
    ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Add the BBQ sauce, ketchup, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar, and stir well.
    2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    A skillet of cooked ground beef and onions topped with dollops of ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, and barbecue sauce, with a small bowl of chopped red bell peppers nearby.
  • Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is thick, not runny, and coats all the beef.
  • Stir in the bell pepper.
    1 bell pepper
    Ground beef and chopped red bell peppers cooking in a skillet with a red silicone spatula, with a small bowl of shredded cheese nearby.

Assemble the Casserole

  • Spread the beef mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
  • Sprinkle half of the Cheddar over the beef.
    2 cups Cheddar cheese
    A white baking dish filled with a mixture of cooked ground meat, diced red bell peppers, and shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the top.
    16 ounces tater tot rounds
    A rectangular white baking dish filled with a casserole topped with a single, uniform layer of golden-brown tater tots.

Bake

  • Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the tots are golden and crispy and the filling is heated through.
  • Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar over the tots.
    A rectangular baking dish filled with tater tots topped with shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Bake about 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.
  • Let rest 3 to 5 minutes so the filling can thicken and scoop more easily.

Notes

Tips
  • Brown the beef well for deeper flavor.
  • Keep the sauce light so the filling stays thick and the tots can crisp.
Make Ahead
  • Cook the filling, spread it in the greased dish, cover, and refrigerate until the next day.
  • When ready, add half the cheese and the frozen tots, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes, until the tots are crispy and everything is heated through.
  • Add the remaining cheese and bake for about 5 more minutes.
Substitutions
  • Regular tater tots work in place of the rounds.
  • For a little heat, swap freshly shredded pepper jack for the Cheddar.
Variations
  • Stir corn into the meat mixture.
  • Add a few drops of hot sauce to the filling.
  • Add extra cheese.
Storage
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating
  • Use the oven or air fryer to keep the tots crispy.
  • The microwave works but may soften the tots.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 725mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 792IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg
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