Sloppy joe casserole has all the tastes of the meaty classic sandwich, made with a flavorful sauce, pasta, and cheese - baked into a one pan casserole. It's meaty and oh-so cheesy!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I grew up on one of the Midwest's favorites, old fashioned sloppy joes. If you were a kid of the 80's or beyond, I'm guessing you did, too. This take on the classic sandwich is a kid-approved meal in our house.
Making your own sloppy joe sauce means a healthier version that's family friendly. I'm also willing to bet a homemade sloppy joe sauce is lower in sodium and sugar than the store bought version, Manwich sauce. It's tastier, too!
And ground beef is one of my go-to's when I'm stumped with what to make for supper. We always have a pound or two of hamburger in the fridge or the freezer because it's so darn versatile.
For another ground beef casserole, check out my walking taco casserole.
If you love cozy weeknight casseroles, you’ll also enjoy my Creamy Chicken Pot Pie or Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole.
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🛒 INGREDIENTS
Here's what you need to grab from your pantry and grocery store to make a cheesy sloppy joe casserole. Be sure to check for what you already have before you make a run to the market to make this comfort food dish.
- ground beef - If you forgot to thaw your meat, here's how you can quickly cook frozen ground beef in your Instant Pot. Have an extra pound of ground beef? Here are a bunch of recipes using ground beef for you. Instead of ground beef, you can use ground pork or ground turkey.
- brown sugar and ketchup - Both of these ingredients are pantry staples that contribute to that signature sweetness that is sloppy joe sauce.
- tomato sauce - This is where savory flavor comes into play. I try to find lower sodium versions of tomato sauce or no salt added varities. Check your ingredient labels to be certain.
- pasta - penne pasta it what I'm using in this recipe. It makes it easy to grab a fork full of this tasty, quick casserole recipe! Elbow macaroni, ziti, and orecchiette all work well when making baked pasta dishes.
- cheese - I use cheddar cheese and if I can swing it, I shred my own. It really does make a difference because it melts like a dream without anything added to it. But, we all know life isn't perfect so you can use pre-shredded cheddar cheese, too.
See recipe card for quantities.
More more sloppy joe love check out my sloppy joe sliders!
🥣 How to make sloppy joe casserole
Before you get started, you'll need a 2 quart casserole dish. Also, preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Step 1: Brown the ground beef and cook the pasta. You know the drill - break it into pieces, cook until no longer pink and drain any fat.
While the meat is cooking, you can cook your pasta to al dente according to the package. directions.
Tip: Don't overcook the pasta.
- Step 2: Combine the casserole ingredients. Add the usual suspects - brown sugar, ketchup and tomato sauce. Simmer for a few minutes.
Add the cooked pasta to the meat mixture and combine.
- Step 3: Assemble the casserole. Pour half the sloppy joe mixture into your casserole dish and top with half the cheese.
Repeat the drill with the rest of the meat mixture and top with more cheddar cheese.
- Bake until warmed through. When the cheese is melted and the center of the casserole is hot, dinner is ready!
Digging more carbs? This pairs well with air fryer sweet potato wedges.
Top tip
Freeze leftovers in individual portions for quick field meals or busy-night dinners.
Variations
- For an extra-rich flavor, try using my Homemade Italian Seasoning Substitute — it’s a pantry staple around here.
- Spicy Version: Add a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
- Cheesy Upgrade: Mix half cheddar and half mozzarella for an extra-melty topping.
- Lighter Swap: Use ground turkey or chicken and reduced-fat cheese.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute gluten-free pasta and ensure sauces are GF-friendly.
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🍽 Serving Suggestions
Serve your Sloppy Joe Casserole with a side of Instant Pot green beans or my simple Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes.
Also see this funeral sandwiches recipe - it's a Midwest classic and one of my go-to comfort foods for feeding a group.
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezer Tips
- Make Ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, add 5–10 minutes to the bake time.
- To Freeze: Prepare the casserole up to the baking step. Cool, wrap tightly in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- To Reheat: Warm leftovers in the microwave or cover with foil and bake at 325°F for 20 minutes. Add a splash of broth or tomato sauce if it looks dry.
If you’re stocking your freezer, check out my guide on How to Freeze Sandwiches or these Freezer Friendly Recipes.
Storage
Store, refrigerated in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, for 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in the oven at 325°F, covered with foil.
By the way, these bowl cozys are perfect for removing hot food from the microwave. My mom makes them for me but she can't make them for everyone!
FAQ
Want it sweeter? Try adding a little more brown sugar. If you're craving heat, a little cayenne pepper will go a long way.
I'm not gonna dis the canned stuff; I'm just explaining the difference here. Homemade sloppy joes are made from scratch, or as I like to say, "made with love". This also means you can customize it to your family's liking adjusting flavors, sweetness, spice or add-ins.
Manwich is a store-bought, canned sloppy joe sauce. You simply add it to cooked ground beef. It's convenient, but you'll have less control over the flavors since the sauce is pre-mixed.
Looking for more recipes that use ground beef? Try my Dirty Rice with Sausage, Crockpot Hamburger Helper, or Easy Homemade Beefaroni.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with sloppy joe casserole:
If you tried this easy sloppy joe casserole recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments.
Recipe
Sloppy Joe Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 cup ketchup
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 16 ounces penne pasta cooked and drained
- 8 ounces block cheddar cheese shredded (about 2 ½ cups)
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook 16 ounces penne pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, cook the 2 pounds ground beef in a large skillet, breaking into pieces, until no longer pink. Drain well.
- Add the ½ cup brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons chili powder, 1 cup ketchup and 15 ounces tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and allow to simmer on low for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooked and drained penne pasta to the sloppy joe mixture. Stir to combine.
- Pour half the sloppy joe mixture into your prepared casserole dish. Top with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Pour the rest of the sloppy joe mixture into the casserole dish then sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheese to the top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Protein - instead of ground beef, you can use ground pork or ground turkey. Pasta - use any pasta you want. Elbow macaroni, ziti, and orecchiette all work well when making baked pasta dishes. To make ahead of time: Assemble casserole as instructed. Cover with plastic wrap and then foil before baking and refrigerate up to three days. When you're ready to bake, allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. To make as a freezer meal: Make as instructed in the note above. Ccover with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. I like to use plastic wrap in addition to the foil in case the casserole gets poked. If frozen, thaw or if refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking at 375°F for 25 minutes or until heated through. Leftovers: Store, refrigerated in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, for 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in the oven at 325°F, covered with foil.
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. Calories and other nutritional values vary depending on which brands were used.
Kathy says
I halved it for the two of us and the proportions worked out nicely and the prep was easy. The sodium count was good and I think we have a winner in the comfort food taste category!
Deanne Frieders says
So glad you liked it for the two of you!