Description
Sloppy joe tot cups bring hearty Midwestern comfort to your plate with crispy potato base and savory ground beef. Packed with bold flavors and easy assembly, you’ll love this crowd-pleasing appetizer that satisfies classic comfort food cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound (1 lb) ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Main Ingredients for Sauce and Base:
- 48 frozen tater tots
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Seasonings and Thickeners:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 425°F and thoroughly coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
- Nestle two frozen tater tots into each muffin cavity and bake for 15 minutes until partially crisp.
- While tots are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high and cook ground beef until completely browned and no pink remains.
- Drain excess fat from the meat and incorporate tomato sauce, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and spice blend.
- Allow the mixture to reach a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, concentrating the flavors and reducing liquid.
- Create a cornstarch slurry by whisking water and cornstarch together, then stir into the meat mixture to thicken the sauce.
- Remove tots from oven and use a tart tamper or spoon to compress them into cup-like formations.
- Generously fill each tater tot cup with the sloppy joe mixture and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
- Return to oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until cheese melts completely and edges become golden brown.
Notes
- Adjust tot baking time if using fresh instead of frozen tots for optimal crispiness.
- Replace ground beef with plant-based crumbles for a vegetarian version that maintains rich flavor profile.
- Use gluten-free cornstarch and verify sauce ingredients are gluten-free to accommodate celiac dietary needs.
- Create mini tot cups ahead of time and reheat for quick entertaining or meal prep convenience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg