Name: Turkey Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 0.5 yellow onion; 1 jalapeño; 3 clove garlic; 1 lb ground turkey meat; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce; 2 teaspoons yellow mustard; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 0.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 can tomato sauce; 0.667 cup half & half; 0.25 tsp dried red pepper flakes; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt; 1.5 cups cheddar cheese; 16 ounces frozen tater tots; green onions and hot sauce

Sloppy joes meets crispy tots for this Turkey Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole everyone will love! This cheesy one-pan meal uses a homemade ground turkey sloppy joe base, then it’s baked with cheddar cheese and tater tots!

Dinner

1 h 5 m

American

Project Meal Plan

April 25, 2026

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Turkey Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole cover

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Turkey Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Turkey Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

1 tbsp unsalted butter

½ yellow onion

1 jalapeño

3 clove garlic

1 lb ground turkey meat

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 tbsp cornstarch

½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 can tomato sauce

⅔ cup half & half

¼ tsp dried red pepper flakes

¼ tsp fine sea salt

1 ½ cups cheddar cheese

16 ounces frozen tater tots

green onions and hot saucefor garnish

Instructions

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet or cast iron pan, heat butter over medium heat. Once melted, add onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn translucent, about 4 minutes.

Add the ground turkey and garlic to the pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat you go, until the meat is completely cooked through and no pink remains. If there’s a lot of grease pooled in the bottom, tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to remove some into a disposable container, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons of grease behind.

Reduce heat to low. Add tomato paste, barbecue sauce, yellow mustard, cornstarch, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Stir well until completely mixed. Next, add tomato sauce, half and half, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir well and bring the sauce to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened up well and reduced slightly.

Remove the pan from heat. Add shredded cheese on top of the sloppy joe mixture and spread into an even layer. Next, arrange the frozen tater tots on top of the cheese in circles around the pan, beginning with the outer edge and working inward until you have one flat layer of tater tots completely covering the cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-27 minutes, plus an optional 3-4 minutes of broiling for an extra crispy top. The casserole is done when the tater tots are browned and crispy, with the sauce bubbling up between. Let the casserole cool for a few minutes, then serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 4 days.

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Brown Turkey Properly for Depth 🍖
Break the ground turkey into small, distinct pieces and let them brown undisturbed for 2-3 minutes before stirring—this creates fond and caramelization that builds rich, complex flavor in your sloppy joe base.
Balance Acidity with Sweetness ⚖️
Taste the sloppy joe mixture before baking and adjust the ratio of tomato sauce to barbecue sauce; add a pinch of sugar if too acidic, or more tomato paste if too sweet for perfectly balanced flavor.
Prep Tater Tots Strategically 🥔
Don't thaw frozen tater tots—arrange them directly from the freezer over the warm meat mixture so they stay crispy on top while the heat gently thaws them without making them soggy.
Cornstarch Prevents Watery Casserole 💧
Mix cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water to create a slurry and stir it into the sloppy joe sauce; this thickens the filling so it doesn't pool liquid and make the tater tots soft during baking.
Cheese Distribution Matters 🧀
Sprinkle half the cheddar between the meat layer and tater tots, and the remaining half on top just 5 minutes before the casserole finishes baking for melted interior cheese and crispy, golden top cheese.