Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
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This sloppy joe tater tot casserole is a cheesy, no-fuss skillet dish made with simple ingredients and big comfort-food energy. Lean ground beef is simmered in a classic sloppy joe sauce, then topped with melty cheddar cheese and finished with crispy tater tots baked right on top. Everything comes together in one pan, making this an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner. It’s cozy and satisfying without a lot of effort.
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This sloppy joe tater tot casserole is such a comforting meal and always hits the spot on busy nights without dealing with multiple pots and pans. Using a cast-iron skillet keeps everything simple from the stovetop straight into the oven. The contrast between the saucy beef and crispy tater tots never gets old. It’s similar to my cheeseburger tater tot casserole. But this casserole is smothered with a classic sloppy joe sauce and plenty of melty cheese.
Helpful Tips & Variations
- Drain excess grease before adding the sauce. Too much fat thins the sloppy joe mixture and can make the tater tots soggy instead of crisp.
- Let the sloppy joe mixture simmer until thick and spoonable. You want it saucy but not soupy, so it bubbles under the tots without soaking them.
- Arrange the tater tots in a single, even layer. Overlapping causes steaming, which keeps them soft instead of golden and crisp.
- Watch the browning toward the end of baking. If the tots are golden before the filling is fully bubbly, tent the skillet loosely with foil for the last few minutes only.
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Equipment
- 10-inch Cast Iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- ½ small green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- ½ tsp coarse salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 48 tater tots, (about half of a 28-ounce bag)
- fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Warm olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or similar 10-inch oven-proof skillet) over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, and bell pepper, breaking up the meat into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Drain off grease.
- Stir in tomato paste until thoroughly combined. Add in ketchup, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine.
- Gently simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened.
- Sprinkle ½ cup cheese over the top.
- Top with the tater tots.
- Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Transfer skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the tater tots are golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. (Watch carefully and tent with foil the last 10 minutes of baking only if the tots are over-browning.)
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with a bit of fresh chopped parsley. Allow to cool for 10 minutes or so before digging in. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Swap proteins or cheeses.
- Use a baking dish if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet.
- Adjust heat level with or without red pepper flakes.
- Fresh parsley is optional, but it brightens the dish.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole Step by Step
Gather all the ingredients together. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brown the beef and vegetables: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or another oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 lb. lean ground beef, 1 small diced sweet onion, and ½ small diced green bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking the beef into small crumbles, until the meat is fully cooked through and the vegetables are soft. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 20 seconds, just until fragrant. Carefully drain off any excess grease so the mixture stays thick, and the tater tots bake up crisp.
Stir in the tomato paste: Add 1 tbsp tomato paste and stir until it coats the beef mixture and deepens in color, about 30 seconds.
Build the sloppy joe sauce: Pour in ½ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup water, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp yellow mustard, ½ tsp coarse salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Stir until everything is well combined and evenly saucy. Reduce the heat to medium and gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sloppy joe mixture thickens to a spoonable, saucy consistency with no excess liquid pooling in the skillet.
Add the first cheese layer: Sprinkle ½ cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the hot beef mixture, allowing it to melt slightly into the sauce.
Top with tater tots: Arrange 48 frozen tater tots in a single, even layer over the top, leaving a little space between them so they crisp instead of steaming. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese over the tater tots.
Bake the casserole: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered until the tater tots are golden brown and crisp and the filling is bubbling around the edges, about 30-35 minutes. If the tots are browning faster than the filling is bubbling, tent the skillet loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Rest and serve: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Let the skillet rest for about 10 minutes so the filling sets slightly, then scoop, serve, and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this sloppy joe tater tot skillet with a side of veggies to balance out all that cheesy goodness. It pairs well with steamed or roasted broccoli or green beans. Or serve it with pickles or dill pickle coleslaw for something cool and crunchy. You can also finish it off with sliced green onions or an extra sprinkle of cheese right before serving, depending on how indulgent you’re feeling.
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, reheat portions in the oven or air fryer so the tater tots crisp back up, rather than turning soft in the microwave. If you’re short on time, the microwave works fine, just expect a softer texture. This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but the sloppy joe filling can also be made ahead and refrigerated separately for easier weeknight assembly.
More Easy Skillet Dinners
- Ground Turkey and Rice Skillet
- Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet
- Cheesy Mexican Rice Skillet
- Cornbread Sloppy Joe Skillet
- Skillet Lasagna
I hope you love this easy delicious recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
