This delicious meal is easy to make, hearty, and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. So dig into your favorite comfort food and enjoy!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This kid-friendly casserole is an inexpensive recipe that the entire family will enjoy.
- Great to prep ahead to save time at dinner on busy days.
I have had a "thing" for Tater Tots since I was a kid. There's just something about the combination of crunchy and creamy that I love.
You, too?
Then you're going to make this recipe a lot... but change it up once in a while with this meat lover's Tater Tot pizza casserole!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- No Tater Tots? Try topping with fried potatoes.
- Rushed for time? Use Manwich sauce instead
- If you can't find spicy ketchup, simply substitute it with regular ketchup and add some hot sauce.
- Mexican blend cheese can be used in place of cheddar cheese.
- Out of tater tots? You can use french fries or even diced potatoes instead of tater tots for this recipe. Or, try making them with my homemade tater tots recipe.
- Not a fan of spice? Use regular ketchup instead of spicy.
- Add a touch of creaminess to this casserole by adding cream cheese or sour cream to the sauce mixture.
- Use ground turkey as the ground meat for this recipe, if you want something lower fat for this quick meal.
- Sprinkle with some French fried onions just before serving.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Brown ground beef, then saute the onions and bell peppers with the cooked ground beef.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients into the beef and pepper mixture and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Layer the beef mixture, cheddar cheese, and then tater tots in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Bake for 15 minutes, top with more cheese and then bake until tater tots are crispy.
🥫 How to store leftover Tater Tot casserole.
Make ahead
You can assemble sloppy joe tater tot casserole ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
Refrigerate
Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Freeze
You can freeze for up to 3 months - just thaw overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating. Here's more information on how to freeze tater tot casserole.
Reheat
To reheat just warm up in the microwave or in a pan over medium heat on top of the stove.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Be sure to spray your baking dish well with cooking spray for easy clean-up.
- For extra crispy tater tots, you can bake them separately for about 15 minutes before adding them to the top of your casserole.
- You can tell the onions are done cooking when they start to turn translucent.
- If you like more spice to your tomato sauce, you can add some chili powder or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Onion powder can be used in place of fresh onions if you prefer.
👩🍳 FAQs
The tater tot casserole was popularized by home cooks in the 1950s. It's just as easy and delicious today as it was then!
Tater tots are layered with a protein (here -ground beef) for a homestyle casserole recipe that appeals to both kids and adults.
Yes, tater tot casserole makes a great freezer meal. You can freeze it for up to three months.
📚 Related recipes
- John Wayne Casserole is an easy recipe that is filled with beef and creamy sauce that the whole family will enjoy.
- Monterey Chicken Casserole is an economical meal that is full of Tex Mex flavor and will quickly become a family-favorite recipe.
- Chicken Casserole with Stovetop Stuffing is a classic comfort food that makes for an easy meal on a busy weeknight.
- Pineapple Casserole
- Green Bean and Ground Beef Casserole
- Chile Chicken Bubble Up Bake
- Amish Breakfast Casserole
🍽️ Serve with...
Green Bean Salad is a fresh and flavorful side dish that the entire family will enjoy.
There is no better way to end a weeknight dinner than with a delicious recipe like this Strawberry Sheet Cake.
🫶 Restless Chipotle recommends
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- large cast-iron skillet or nonstick skillet
- 9x13 casserole dish
📞 The last word
When you're looking for an easy dinner that the kids will eat you can't go wrong with this sloppy joe tater tot casserole recipe! It's perfect for busy nights!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup bell peppers, chopped
- salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup spicy ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, be sure to pack it into the measuring spoon
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 32 ounces Tater Tots
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Season the ground beef lightly with salt and pepper and brown in a large skillet - be sure to break it up as it cooks.
- Stir in the onions and peppers. Check the seasoning and make sure it has enough salt.
- Continue cooking the mixture until the onions and peppers are soft. Stir often so it doesn't stick.
- Stir remaining ingredients into the skillet.
- Bring to a simmer, the reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or so, stirring often.
- When the sloppy joe mix has thickened, remove the skillet from heat
- Add the beef mixture to the bottom of a 13x9-inch casserole dish that's been sprayed with no stick spray.
- Sprinkle with half the cheese.
- Add the Tater Tots on top - you may not want to use all of them. It's up to you.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake 10 more minutes or until Tater Tots are crispy and cheese is melted.
Notes
- Be sure to spray your baking dish well with cooking spray for easy clean-up.
- For extra crispy tater tots, you can bake them separately for about 15 minutes before adding them to the top of your casserole.
- You can tell the onions are done cooking when they start to turn translucent.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published February 13, 2022. Last updated October 30, 2023, for editorial improvements and readability.
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