The family’s going to go wild for this Sloppy Joe Meatball Tater Tot Casserole! It’s comforting food that will warm you right through! It’s so delicious and deserves to show up on the menu time and time again!
I love that it’s fall and we’re in comfort food season. You’ll find me in my cozy socks and sweaters, eating soups and breads, casseroles and pasta for the coming months ahead. And I’m not sad about it! Comfort food is definitely my favorite kind of food! It gives me all the warm fuzzies and leaves me feeling so satisfied.
If there’s one food that’s top on my list when I think of comfort food, it’s casseroles. I have so many favorites that I rotate through, including this Hamburger Corn Casserole, this Cheesy Broccoli Casserole and this Chicken Salad Casserole. My family loves meals like these!
When it’s chilly outside, all I want to eat is something hot out of the oven. Lots of carbs, cheese and sauce are a must as well! Today’s recipe checks all of those boxes. If you enjoy sloppy joe sauce, you’re going to be head over heels for this Sloppy Joe Casserole!
It all starts with a meatball base that you bake in the oven by itself for a bit, to heat the frozen meatballs through. While that’s baking, you concoct a tasty homemade sloppy joe sauce over the stove top. Pour the sauce over the top of the meatballs, then layer the tater tots over that. Bake to bubbly, scrumptious perfection, then add shredded cheddar and allow that to melt in the oven for a few minutes. Then, gather everyone around the table to enjoy this phenomenal meal!
My family went crazy for this casserole version of sloppy joes! You can’t go wrong with meatballs and tater tots! But, I have to say that the sauce is the “cherry on top” that melds everything together and takes the flavor up 20 notches!
If you’d like to prepare this meal ahead, simply pre-bake the meatballs, then prepare the sauce and refrigerate it and the meatballs. Then, when you’re about ready to eat, layer everything together and bake for around 25-30 minutes, or just until everything is heated completely through. The sauce will be bubbling and the tater tots should be plenty warm when you poke to the center.
I have a feeling this dinner’s going to become a favorite at your house! I know it is at mine! I love all the layers after they’ve baked and the flavors have combined. The texture and taste factor is spot on, with all the different elements from the Italian meatballs to the tomato-base sauce and the seasoned tater tots.
I can’t wait for you to bake this up in your kitchen! This one is for sure going in the regular meal rotation around here! Whenever you’re craving sloppy joes and want to mix things up a bit, whip up this yummy casserole! You’ll be glad you did!
Sloppy Joe Meatball Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 c. ketchup
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
- 1/2 c. beef broth
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 2 lbs. frozen Italian meatballs regular meatballs work too
- 32 oz. frozen seasoned tater tots (make sure they're seasoned)
- 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spray a 9"x13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour meatballs into the bottom of the prepared dish (in a single layer) and bake for 20 minutes.
- While the meatballs are baking, in a large sauce pan on the stove top, whisk together ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, prepared mustard, beef broth, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
- Bring the sauce mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent burning. After it comes to a boil, immediately remove it from the heat and stir.
- After the meatballs have baked for 20 minutes, pour the hot sauce mixture evenly over them.
- Pour and spread tater tots evenly over the meatballs and sauce.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes (still at 400 degrees Fahrenheit), or until everything is heated completely through. The sauce will be bubbling and the tater tots should be nice and warm when poked to the center.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar over and return it to the oven for 3 to 5 more minutes, just until the cheese melts.
- Enjoy!
‘Tis the season for comfort food! This meal will really make you smile!
Enjoy!
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