This sloppy joe tater tot casserole recipe is such an easy twist on a childhood favorite! The whole family loves this one at my house thanks to that sweet, tangy sauce and those crispy tots. Check out my video below and see how easy this is to make, too!
Real big fan of casseroles and this one right here just takes me straight back to childhood! You’ve got that classic sloppy joe mixture + some canned corn for a little crunchy pop of sweetness + cream cheese to give the sloppy joe sauce some body.
And then? It’s all topped off with crispy tater tots. It’s just a really good little casserole that the kids love as much as I do!wing me to bring this amazing sloppy joe tater tot casserole into your life.
I’m keeping this extra weeknight friendly by using a can of sloppy joe sauce, but if you want to really make this one special, use my recipe for homemade sloppy joes! The sauce on that one is just so darn good and it’s still got all the childhood classic vibes you love.
How To Make A Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Brown the ground beef with the diced bell pepper and onion in a large skillet until the beef is cooked through. Drain the fat, then stir in the drained corn, sloppy joe sauce, and cream cheese. Cook over low heat until the cream cheese has melted.
To keep things extra easy, this recipe uses canned sloppy joe sauce. Try it with my homemade sloppy joe recipe instead if you have a little extra time!
Spread the beef mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and top with half of the grated cheddar. Arrange the tater tots in a single layer over the cheese, then sprinkle with the remaining cheddar.
Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped chives if you like and serve hot!
Full recipe and instructions in the recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions:
This sloppy joe tater tot casserole has the meat, potatoes, and veggies covered, so we usually keep the sides simple!
A green salad with our homemade honey mustard dressing adds a little freshness alongside the rich, cheesy casserole. Or give this tomato cucumber mozzarella salad a try. It’s so fresh and makes a nice balance for the cheesy casserole!
For another easy option, serve it with bacon wrapped green beans. They’re a family favorite and a good excuse to squeeze another veggie onto the plate.
Swaps & Tips
- Skip the onion chunks: If you have an onion detective at the table, leave out the diced onion and add a little onion powder to the beef mixture instead.
- Use homemade sauce: Canned sloppy joe sauce keeps this easy, but our homemade sloppy joes work here too.
- Drain well: Drain the grease from the beef and the liquid from the canned corn so the filling doesn’t turn watery.
- Keep the tots in one layer: Spread them evenly over the filling rather than piling them up so they bake evenly. Takes a minute, but it’s worth it for that crispy bite.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
I love dinner’s that can come together in a flash, and I’m sure you do too, because honestly, who doesn’t love easy dinners? Since I love making my life easier, and yours too, here are a few of my favorite quick and simple dinners the whole family will love.
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
- Baked Spaghetti
- Air Fryer Mongolian Chicken
- Pork Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Marinade
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 sweet onion diced
- 15 ounces canned corn drained
- 15 ounces sloppy joe sauce
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 16 ounces frozen tater tots more as needed
- Chives for sprinkling on top as desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the peppers and onions until the meat is cooked through. Drain the fat and return to the heat. Stir in the corn, sloppy joe sauce, and cream cheese. Cook over low heat until the cream cheese is melted.
- Pour the sloppy joe mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Top with half of the shredded cheese.
- Arrange the tater tots in a single layer over the top of the cheese. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tots are crispy and the filling is hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped chives if desired. Serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
Video
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in August 2013 has since been updated with new images. Original photo above.
Judy says
why don’t these recipes tell you whether to cover or uncover casseroles when baking?
Karly Campbell says
If they don’t say to cover it, then you don’t. 🙂