This Sloppy Joe tater tot casserole with ground beef, bell pepper, and corn is a perfect family-friendly, easy dinner for busy nights! The cozy, one-dish meal includes a sweet and tangy gravy, plenty of melted cheddar cheese, and a crispy potato topping.
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If you love Sloppy Joes, don’t miss this old fashioned Sloppy Joes recipe, these slow cooker turkey Sloppy Joes, and this crescent roll Sloppy Joe casserole, too!
A tater tot casserole (also called a “hotdish” in certain parts of the country) is a comfort food classic! The meal is a family-friendly, affordable option that allows you to stretch a single pound of meat by bulking it up with veggies and potatoes. The dish is hearty and satisfying, and it comes together easily. Best of all, you can adapt the ingredients to suit your tastes. For instance, add canned green beans instead of a bell pepper, use peas instead of corn, or try ground turkey instead of ground beef. The options are endless!
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
- You’ll need the larger 24-ounce can of Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (not the smaller 15-ounce size).
- If you prefer to use a homemade Sloppy Joe sauce instead of the canned shortcut, use 1 ½ times the amount of sauce called for in this old fashioned Sloppy Joes recipe.
- You do not need to thaw the tater tots before adding them to the top of your casserole.
- For even more flavor, try sprinkling a can of fried onions over the tater tots during the final 15 minutes of baking. Wait to add them at the end so that they don’t burn.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
This sloppy joe and tater tot casserole comes together easily, and can be prepared in advance for busy weeknights. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Prepare the filling by browning the ground beef with the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Drain off the grease, and then stir in the Manwich sauce and the corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the ground beef mixture to a greased casserole dish.
- Sprinkle cheese on top and finish with a layer of tater tots.
- Bake the casserole uncovered for about 45 minutes. To get the tater tots nice and crispy, I like to place the dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the very end. Just keep a close eye on it so that it doesn’t burn.
- Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes, and then garnish with sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley for a colorful finishing touch.
Serving Suggestions
The sloppy joe casserole with tater tots is delicious alongside a simple green salad dressed in buttermilk dressing, garlic roasted broccoli, oven roasted asparagus, a pan of Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, or a basket of 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead: assemble the casserole filling up to 24 hours in advance. Transfer it to the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and store in the fridge. When ready to bake, let the dish sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes. Top with the cheese and tater tots right before baking. If the filling is still cool when it goes in the oven, you may need to increase the total baking time.
- How to Freeze Before Baking: assemble as instructed, and then wrap tightly with aluminum foil before baking. The casserole will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. If it’s in a freezer-to-oven-safe casserole dish, you can bake the casserole directly from frozen. Bake the frozen casserole for at least 1 hour (and it may need up to 90 minutes), keeping the top covered for the first 30-40 minutes.
- Storage: leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Cover the dish loosely with foil and warm in a 350 degree F oven just until heated through, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the cover during the final 5-10 minutes to allow the tots to crisp again. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 1 minute.
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Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 medium sweet bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 large clove)
- 1 (24 ounce) can sloppy joe sauce* (such as Manwich brand)
- 1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (or sub with another type of cheese, such as Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby, or mozzarella)
- 1 (28 ounce) package frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Cook beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink and the veggies are soft, about 7-9 minutes. Drain off the excess grease. Stir in the sloppy joe sauce and corn. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over top. Finish with a layer of Tater Tots.
- Bake the casserole uncovered for 45 minutes (or until the inside is hot and bubbly and the Tater Tots are crispy and golden brown). For a crispier topping, place the dish under the broiler for a few more minutes. Just keep a close eye on it so that the tater tots don’t burn. Let the casserole rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or other herbs, if desired.
Notes
- You’ll need the larger 24-ounce can of Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (not the smaller 15-ounce size).
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- Swap out the ground beef and use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground sausage.
- Try different veggies. For instance, try carrots, green beans, sliced mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli. Just make sure that the veggies are steamed or sauteed in the skillet before adding them to the filling.
- Just about any variety of shredded cheese will work here.
- Instead of the regular tater tots, try sweet potato tots for a slightly different flavor.
More Tater Tot Casserole Recipes
Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
55 minutes mins
Tater Tot Casserole with Green Beans
1 hour hr
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Which color of sweet bell pepper do you recommend for this recipe?
Hi, Celeste! I like green bell pepper in this recipe, since it’s a little zesty and less sweet than red or another color. That said, any color that you have on hand or that’s available would work great!
Hi Blair, thank you for the pepper pointers!
Delicious, flexible and affordable. I seasoned my tots and added a 50/50 of Monterey jack and Colby cheese. Will make this again. Thanks for the recipe
Thank you for the feedback, Jess! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.