If you love the saucy, savory flavor of sloppy joes and crispy tater tots, this Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole is the ultimate easy comfort food. It combines seasoned ground beef, a homemade sloppy joe sauce, plenty of melted cheese, and crispy golden tater tots for a family-friendly dinner everyone will want seconds of!
Why You'll Love This Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
This easy tater tot casserole comes together with simple ingredients and is perfect for busy weeknights. Even better, it's naturally easy to make gluten free just be sure to check the labels on your sloppy joe sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and frozen tater tots.
- Easy weeknight dinner: Everything comes together in one casserole dish.
- Family friendly: It's a fun twist on classic sloppy joes without the buns!
- Gluten free: With a few simple label checks, this casserole is naturally gluten free.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble it ahead of time and bake when you're ready.
- Comfort food at its best: Cheesy ground beef topped with crispy tater tots is hard to resist!
Ingredients You'll Need To make this sloppy joe tater tot casserole
Ground beef: Use lean ground beef to keep the casserole from becoming too greasy. Ground turkey can also be substituted if you prefer.
Onion: Diced yellow onion adds flavor and a little sweetness to the sloppy joe mixture.
Diced green bell pepper: Adds a little crunch, freshness, and mild sweetness to the sloppy joe mixture. Sauté it with the onion and ground beef until tender.
Tomato sauce: Use a 15-ounce can of plain tomato sauce as the base for the sloppy joe mixture. It creates a rich, saucy consistency while allowing the seasonings to provide that classic sloppy joe flavor.
Worcestershire sauce: A small amount adds extra savory flavor to the beef mixture. If you're following a strict gluten-free diet, check the label since not every Worcestershire sauce is gluten free. We always use Lea & Perrins
Cheddar cheese: Shredded cheddar melts beautifully over the sloppy joe mixture. Sharp cheddar adds even more flavor.
Frozen tater tots: There's no need to thaw the tots first. Arrange them directly over the casserole before baking so they become golden and crispy.
Seasonings: Garlic cloves, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper keep the sauce simple while adding plenty of flavor.
Are Tater Tots Gluten Free?
Many plain frozen tater tots are made without gluten-containing ingredients, but that doesn't automatically mean every brand is safe for someone with Celiac Disease or following a gluten free diet.
If you have celiac disease or need to avoid gluten strictly, always check the package for a gluten free label and read the ingredient and allergen information before purchasing. Seasoned or flavored potato products can contain additional ingredients that aren't found in plain tater tots. Ore-Ida Tater Tots are labeled gluten free!
More Gluten Free Dinner Recipes
If you're looking for more easy gluten free dinners for weeknights, try some of these favorites:
- Gluten Free BBQ Totchos: crispy tater tots loaded with barbecue-inspired toppings.
- Homemade Hamburger Helper: a nostalgic family dinner made gluten free!
- Quick Taco Skillet: an easy one pan dinner loaded with taco flavor.
- Easy Gluten Free Enchiladas: made with seasoned ground beef, gluten free tortillas, enchilada sauce, and plenty of melted cheese
How to Make Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
1. Brown the beef
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Add the ground beef and diced onion to a cast iron pan or oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is tender, breaking the beef apart as it cooks. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
Add in your diced peppers and garlic cloves until fragrant and softened.
2. Make the sloppy joe mixture
Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes so the flavors can come together.
Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
3. Add the cheese
Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the beef mixture.
4. Add the tater tots
Arrange the frozen tater tots over the top of the cheese. You can place them in neat rows or simply spread them evenly over the casserole. For the crispiest topping, try to avoid overlapping the tots.
5. Bake
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden brown and crispy and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add the remaining 1 cup of cheese evenly over the tater tots. Bake until melted.
For an extra-crispy topping, you can place the casserole under the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the end. Keep a close eye on it so the tots don't burn.
Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.
Can I Make This Tater Tot Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes! Prepare the sloppy joe mixture and assemble the casserole according to the recipe, but wait to add the frozen tater tots until you're ready to bake. Cover the casserole and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.
When you're ready to cook it, add the frozen tater tots and bake as directed. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if the casserole is cold from the refrigerator.
How to Store Leftover Tater Tot Casserole
Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
The tater tots will soften after refrigeration, but you can reheat individual portions in an air fryer or oven to help crisp them back up. A microwave works for quick reheating, but the tots won't be as crispy.
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
This easy Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole takes two classic comfort foods and turns them into one seriously satisfying dinner. The saucy ground beef, melted cheddar cheese, and crispy tater tots make every bite so flavorful and comforting.
It's also an easy recipe to customize, so don't be afraid to add your favorite vegetables, switch up the cheese, or make the sloppy joe mixture a little spicy. If you're cooking gluten free, just remember to check the labels on all packaged ingredients.
This is one of those simple casseroles that's perfect for busy weeknights, and you may want to keep the recipe handy because your family will probably ask you to make it again soon!
Have you tried this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment below and tag me on Instagram @thrivingglutenfree so I can see how it turned out!
Let's eat!
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Add the ground beef and diced onion to an oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is tender, breaking the beef apart as it cooks. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
- Add garlic and green peppers cooking a few more minutes until fragrant and tender.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and salt. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes so the flavors can come together.Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the beef mixture.
- Arrange the frozen tater tots over the top of the cheese. You can place them in neat rows or simply spread them evenly over the casserole. For the crispiest topping, try to avoid overlapping the tots too much.
- Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden brown and crispy and the casserole is bubbling around the edges. Top tater tots with an additional cup of cheddar cheese and cook 5 more minutes until melted.For an extra-crispy topping, you can place the casserole under the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the end. Keep a close eye on it so the tots don't burn.Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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