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Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Skillet

A delicious and easy skillet meal combining the comfort of sloppy joes with the crispy goodness of tater tots, topped with melty cheddar cheese.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • oven-safe skillet cast iron is recommended
  • Spoon
  • lid
  • Broiler
  • Oven-safe baking dish if not using an oven-safe skillet

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef can also use ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen tater tots
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil optional, if ground beef is lean
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce start with 1, add more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions
 

  • Warm olive oil (if using) in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Add ground beef to the skillet. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned. Drain off excess grease.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Stir in minced garlic, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and paprika. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Pour in tomato sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
  • Evenly arrange the frozen tater tots over the sloppy joe mixture in a single layer.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Cover the skillet and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, until tater tots are heated through and tender.
  • Remove the lid and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the tater tots.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Place the skillet under the broiler for 1-3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

While this recipe is best served fresh, you can prepare the sloppy joe mixture (up to step 4) a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat the mixture in the skillet, add the tater tots, cook as directed, and then broil. Tater tots may lose some crispness upon reheating but will still be tasty.