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This sloppy joe tater tot casserole is an easy dinner the entire family will love. It’s made with lean ground beef and 4 cups of veggies seasoned with a homemade sloppy joe sauce, topped with crispy tater tots and cheese.
I love an easy casserole that’s a stand alone balanced dinner. That means if has everything you need in one dish: protein, veggies and carbs!
This hearty meal is perfect for busy weeknights. The best part is even your pickiest eater won’t know it’s packed with nutritious vegetables! If you love a comfort food casserole, you have to try my lightened up Big Mac Sloppy Joes next.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Casserole
Here’s more reasons for your whole family to love this easy recipe:
- Hidden veggies. There’s four whole cups of veggies packed into this dish, but you’d never know because they’re weaved into classic sloppy joe flavor and tater tots!
- Protein and fiber packed. Each serving has 24 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber for a super filling and satisfying meal.
- Comfort food classic. Is there anything better than classic sloppy Joe’s? This casserole has all of the classic flavor made even better with added veggies, tater tots and melted cheese.
If you love a good casserole dish check out my other tater tot casseroles like The Best Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole, or my Lightened Up Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tot Casserole next.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Ground beef: Lean ground beef for that classic sloppy Joe flavor, but ground turkey and chicken will also work!
- Frozen tater tots: Tater tots are the perfect crispy topping to this dish.
- Fresh veggies + frozen riced cauliflower: One cup each diced onion, red bell pepper, carrots and frozen riced cauliflower add fiber and flavor to the base of this casserole.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper add just the right amount of seasoning.
- Worcestershire sauce: This sauce adds richness and brings out the savory flavors of the meat.
- Ketchup + mustard: Ketchup and mustard make up the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavor for the sauce. You can use dijon mustard or yellow mustard.
- Cheddar cheese: Just the right amount of melty cheese!
- Olive oil: Just a little olive oil is used to brown the meat and veggies.
Variation Ideas:
- Make it “loaded”: After it’s finished, top it liked a baked potato with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, crumbled bacon, and sliced green onion.
- Fiber boost: Make it even higher fiber by adding a can of drained and rinsed black beans or cooked lentils.
- Switch up the veggies: Try green bell peppers, green beans, mushrooms, zucchini, corn or spinach.
- Creamy: For a creamy twist stir in 2 oz of cream cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese with the ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
How To Make Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
- Brown the meat. Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Brown meat, breaking apart until no longer pink (3-4 minutes).
- Sauté. Add onion, carrots and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Then add the dry seasonings (garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper). Stir to combine.
- Add cauliflower. Add cauliflower rice and water. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until veggies are tender.
- Finish the sauce. Remove pan from heat and stir in ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer mixture into a 8×8″ baking dish. Smooth into an even layer.
- Bake. Top filling with an even layer of frozen tater tots. Bake at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes until tater tots are golden brown.
- Add cheese. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Return casserole to the oven and bake 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
How To Store
Store cooled leftover casserole covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat to 165 degrees F before eating.
Jamie’s tips
Tips For Success
- Always taste test your sauce. Adjust with salt and pepper, or even an extra splash of vinegar if it tastes too sweet. If you prefer more sauce add an additional 2 tbsp of water before transferring to the baking dish.
- For picky eaters. Dice your veggies extra small or pulse carrots, onions and peppers in a food processor until roughly the size of rice before adding. This makes everything to be the same texture.
- Check your moisture. Carrots, peppers and cauliflower all release moisture as they cook. If there’s too much moisture in your pan before adding the ketchup, let it simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes.
More Healthy And Hearty Casserole Recipes
If you’ve made and loved this Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef, or ground turkey/chicken
- 1 yellow onion, diced small
- 1 bell pepper, diced small
- 2 carrots, diced small
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt, more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower
- 2 tbsp water
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard, or dijon
- 15-20 oz frozen tater tots
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a 8×8” or 9×9” baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or oil, set aside.
- Heat oil a large skillet over medium heat. Add meat and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon or spatula for 3-4 minutes.
- Add onions, peppers, and carrots and sauté for an additional 4-5 minutes with the meat until veggies begin to soften and meat is cooked through.
- Add seasonings and mix to combine.
- Add riced cauliflower and water. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in ketchup, mustard and worcestershire sauce.
- Transfer meat and veggie mixture to prepared pan in an even layer. Top with frozen tater tots, evenly covering the entire filling.
- Bake for 25 minutes until tater tots are golden brown.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Return casserole to the oven and bake an additional 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with thinly sliced green onions if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Food photography by Marie-Catherine Dubé.
