Sloppy Joe Casserole

This Sloppy Joe Casserole turns the classic sandwich into a cheesy, crowd-pleasing pasta bake packed with ground beef, peppers, and bold flavor in every bite. It is easy enough for busy weeknights and the perfect remedy for comfort food cravings.

Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Sloppy Joe Casserole

Flavor: Rich, savory, and slightly sweet with a zesty sloppy joe flavor. It has tender pasta, hearty beef, sweet peppers, and gooey melted cheddar cheese in every bite.
Recommended Tools: A large 12-inch skillet and a 3-quart casserole dish make this recipe easy to prepare.
Serving Suggestions: I like to serve this casserole with a fresh summer salad or homemade coleslaw, and garlic bread to soak up all the sauce.

Total Time: 51 Minutes Servings: 6 Cooking Method: Baked

Ingredients for Sloppy Joe Casserole

Make sloppy Joe casserole when you want a hearty weeknight dinner with simple ingredients and big comfort food flavor. Tender pasta is tossed with seasoned ground beef, diced peppers, petite tomatoes, and a thick sloppy joe sauce, then topped with cheddar and baked until bubbly. Make this filling, budget-friendly, and easy to reheat meal for lunch the next day. #spendwithpennies

Pasta: Medium pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or shells are ideal for holding onto the hearty sloppy joe sauce. Cooking the pasta just to al dente keeps it perfectly tender after baking.
Ground Beef: Lean ground beef makes this casserole hearty and flavorful without becoming greasy. It can be replaced with ground turkey.
Peppers: Green bell pepper adds classic sloppy joe flavor with a little crunch, while red bell pepper brings extra sweetness and color to the casserole.
Sloppy Joe Sauce: Sloppy Joe sauce gives this casserole its signature sweet-and-savory flavor. Canned sauce keeps it quick and easy, while homemade sloppy joe sauce adds a more from-scratch taste.
Petite Diced Tomatoes: Petite diced tomatoes add extra flavor and texture without making the casserole watery. Their smaller size blends smoothly into the sloppy joe sauce.
Tomato Paste: Thickens the sauce and deepens the tomato flavor. Skip it if using homemade sauce!
Cheddar: Cheddar cheese creates a melty, bubbly topping with plenty of sharp flavor. Colby Jack, mozzarella, or a cheddar blend make great options for a milder, creamier finish.

Variations You’ll Love

If you like a little heat, stir in chili powder, red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce.
Take this veggie shortcut and swap the onion and bell peppers for about 3 cups of frozen pepper and onion blend, and cook until tender and the excess moisture has evaporated.
For extra veggies, corn, zucchini, or mushrooms all work well as long as any extra moisture is cooked off before baking.

How to Make a Sloppy Joe Casserole

adding peppers to ground beef to make Sloppy Joe Casserole

Brown the ground beef with the onion, then add the bell peppers and cook.

adding tomato paste , sloppy Joe sauce, tomatoes and seasonings to beef and peppers to make Sloppy Joe Casserole

Stir in the sloppy joe sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic powder. Simmer.

adding pepper and beef sauce to noodles to make Sloppy Joe Casserole

Add the cooked pasta to a casserole dish and pour the beefy sauce over top.

Top with cheddar cheese and bake until hot and bubbly (full recipe below).

Al Dente Pasta: Boil the pasta just until al dente to keep it from getting mushy. It will continue to soften as it absorbs the sauce and bakes.
Let it Simmer: Let the beef mixture simmer for 4 to 5 minutes before combining with the pasta. This gives the sauce time to thicken so the casserole does not turn watery in the oven.
Drain the Beef: After browning the ground beef, make sure to drain off any excess fat. This keeps the casserole flavorful without becoming greasy.
Let It Rest: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after baking so the sauce settles into the pasta.

taking a spoonful of Sloppy Joe Casserole out of the dish

Save It For Later

Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Add a small splash of water or sauce, then reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, stirring halfway through.
- For larger portions, cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.

More Cozy Ground Beef Dinners

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 46 minutes

Total Time 51 minutes

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 3-quart casserole dish.
Cook the pasta in salted water until just al dente (firm). Drain well and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
While the pasta is cooking, in a large 12-inch skillet, brown the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat. Add bell peppers and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the sloppy joe sauce, drained tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic powder. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to thicken slightly and blend the flavors. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and gently stir until combined. Top with the cheese.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

If preferred, you can make my Homemade Sloppy Joe Sauce to replace canned. Cook the onion with the meat, increase the bell pepper to 2 peppers, and skip the additional tomato paste. Add the drained diced tomatoes directly into the homemade sauce.
Shortcut Veggies: To skip the chopping, replace the fresh onion and bell peppers with 3 cups of frozen pepper and onion blend. Add them to the skillet once the meat is browned and cook until the vegetables are tender and the moisture has evaporated.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

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