Sloppy Joe Casserole

5 from 5 votes

This Sloppy Joe casserole recipe is an easy, cheesy, and totally comforting family meal that's budget friendly! Tender ground beef is smothered in the best homemade sauce, and it's baked with tater tots and golden melty cheese.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sloppy joe casserole, sloppy joe tater tot casserole

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
3/4 cup tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 cup beef broth or water
2 cups cheddar grated
32 ounces frozen tater tots see note
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
Add the beef to a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along (about 10 minutes). I don't drain the fat if using lean beef, but feel free to drain some if you're using regular and there's a lot of excess fat.
Stir in the onions and peppers and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to medium and add in the ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and beef broth. Give it a good stir and let it warm through (about 2-3 minutes - don't let it get too dry).
Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish and spread it out in an even layer. Optional: if you have a large oven-safe skillet, feel free to make the casserole entirely in the skillet.
Top with one cup of the cheddar.
Arrange the tater tots on top and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and pop it back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melty. Serve immediately with extra salt & pepper if needed.

Notes

Tater tot package sizes can vary, so anything around 32 oz. will work, but you may use a bit less depending how you arrange them in your baking dish.
Ingredients in this dish can be somewhat salty, so be mindful of that before adding any extra salt (and you may want to use reduced sodium broth if you're sensitive to salt).
Serves 6-8.

Nutrition