Ditch the hamburger bun and make Sloppy Joe Bowls with tater tots instead! Oh yes, I just said tater tots! To a pile of crispy tater tots, add a scoop of homemade sloppy joes, corn, sharp cheddar cheese, and dill pickle relish. Drizzle ketchup and mustard, and done!
The best part about these tater tot bowls is that everyone can customize their bowl with their favorite toppings. Add more of what you love and leave off what you don’t. It is a great way to use up leftovers, too.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- So Easy!!!
- New and fun way to eat Sloppy Joe’s
- Gluten Free, Low FODMAP, and Dairy Free (without cheese)
Featured Ingredients
- Sloppy Joe’s - I highly recommend using this low FODMAP sloppy joe recipe. It uses ground beef or ground turkey, red pepper, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Tater Tots - Grab a bag of frozen tater tots, whichever brand you love.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Using a sharp cheddar adds more cheese flavor.
- Corn - A bag of frozen corn will work great. If you have freezer sweet corn from sweet corn season, use that instead.
- Dill Pickle Relish - All the flavors of dill pickles are already chopped and ready to use.
- Ketchup and Yellow Mustard - Drizzle over the completed bowl.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on guidance on current serving sizes measured by the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Bake the tater tots according to the package directions. Nobody wants soggy tots.
- While the tater tots are baking, make the sloppy joe meat mixture.
- Cube the sharp cheddar cheese and set aside.
- Heat the corn according to the package instructions when there are only ten minutes left of baking time for the tater tots.
- Assemble the bowls, starting with a layer of tater tots, then a scoop of sloppy joe mixture, a scoop of corn, a handful of cubed cheese, and a spoonful of dill pickle relish. Drizzle with ketchup and mustard. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
As a great shortcut, make the sloppy joes in advance. Then, all that needs to be done to make tater tot bowls is warm the sloppy joe meat.
Bowl Base Options
While I have a special place in my heart for tater tots—blame it on my Minnesota roots—I love a good tater tot hotdish or tater tot egg bake. However, there are other delicious options for these bowls, too!
- Mashed Potatoes - For a more shepherd's pie-like bowl, use low FODMAP mashed potatoes instead of tater tots as a base.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes - For a colorful option, use sweet potato mash.
- Veggie - Use roasted oven veggies as a veggie-heavy base option.
- Whole Potatoes - Tiny roasted potatoes in garlic oil are also a great dairy-free base option.
- Mac and Cheese - Use either Instant Pot mac and cheese or gluten free crock pot mac and cheese.
- Rice - Use Instant Pot rice pilaf, or for a brown rice option, use Instant Pot cilantro lime brown rice.
Topping Options
I love the toppings with this sloppy joe combination. However, I am always game to try different options.
- Coleslaw - Crunchy red cabbage coleslaw with homemade dressing.
- Cheese - For a spicy option, use pepperjack cheese!
- Veggies - Instead of corn, use broccoli, mixed veggies, or whatever you love.
- Ranch Dressing - Use dairy-free ranch dressing for a drizzle instead of ketchup or mustard.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep leftovers in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheat: To reheat the tater tots, place them in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F and heat until crispy. An air fryer would work, too. Microwave the sloppy joe meat until warm.
Freeze: Leftover, chilled sloppy joe meat can be put in a freezer-friendly container and kept in the freezer for four months.
Low FODMAP Notes
Low FODMAP information is based on the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App testing results. I highly recommend using these apps for guidance on ingredients and serving sizes and working with a Low FODMAP dietician. As always, modify and adjust based on your own tolerance and individual needs on a modified low FODMAP diet.
- Tater Tots - Use a brand that doesn’t have onion or garlic listed in the ingredients.
- Sloppy Joe’s - Make a low FODMAP recipe.
- Corn - Safe at ½ cup or 75 grams per meal.
- Cheddar Cheese - Safe at two slices or 40 grams per meal.
- Dill Relish - It is like dill pickles, safe at 3 pickles per meal. Double check the ingredients to be sure there isn’t any high fructose corn syrup, garlic, or onion listed.
- Ketchup - Use a low FODMAP option. I have had good luck with Heinz Simply ketchup without high fructose corn syrup.
- Mustard - Find an option without garlic or onion listed.
For additional information on a low FODMAP diet, please visit Monash University or FODMAP Friendly. Both have websites and apps for additional guidance and testing results.
FAQs
Try pulled pork with a homemade BBQ sauce as an alternative to sloppy joes. It will resemble the BBQ pork rice bowl with cilantro lime rice.
Additional Bowl Recipes
Recipe
Sloppy Joe Bowls With Tater Tots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Sloppy Joe's
- 32 ounces bag frozen tater tots
- 10.8 ounces frozen sweet corn
- 8 ounces block sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup dill pickle relish
- ketchup
- mustard
Instructions
- Bake the tater tots according to the package directions.
- While tater tots are baking, make the sloppy joe’s.
- Cube the sharp cheddar cheese and set aside.
- Heat the frozen corn according to the package directions.
- Once tater tots are crispy and gold brown, assemble the bowls.
- Add a layer of tater tots, a scoop of sloppy joe meat, a handful of cubed cheese, a spoonful of warmed corn, and a tablespoon of dill relish.
- Drizzle it with ketchup and mustard. Garnish with green onions if wanted. Enjoy.
Venessa Mandelkow says
Love this idea so much!