Sloppy Joe Casserole

This easy Sloppy Joe Casserole recipe features the delicious flavor of sloppy joes topped with a simple buttery crust. It’s a mouthwatering way to enjoy downhome flavors in a family-style meal any night of the week.

Ingredients to Make Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe

Warm hamburger rolls with filled with sloppy joe meat is one of those nostalgic, childhood meals that always makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. This casserole recipe takes the same familiar flavors we all love, and serves it up family style. The homemade ground beef filling is topped with cheddar cheese and sealed with refrigerated pizza dough brushed with melted butter. I like to sprinkle the top with sesame seeds for the full hamburger bun experience. It’s such a fun dish to make.

Ingredients you’ll need to make this Sloppy Joes Casserole Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Beef – Two pounds ground beef form the base of the sloppy joe mixture.
• Vegetables – Sweet onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper for texture.
• Oil – Olive oil or vegetable oil to saute the ground beef and veggies.
• Tomatoes – Crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and ketchup give the ground beef mixture a robust flavor.
• Liquid – Two tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and yellow mustard amp up the flavor.
• Spices – Seasoned salt, black pepper, granulated sugar, light brown sugar.
• Cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese for a cheesy flavor.
• Crust – One tube of refrigerated pizza dough forms the simple crust.
• Butter – Melted butter for brushing the dough.
• Garnish – Sesame seeds for garnishing the top.

How to Make the Best Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe

• Saute the Veggies – Cook the onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper in a couple of drizzles of olive oil until softened.
• Brown Ground Beef – Add ground beef, cooking until no pink remains.
• Add Seasonings and Filling Ingredients – To the pan add crushed tomatoes, ketchup, tomato paste, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, seasoned salt, granulated garlic and pepper. Mix well, simmer just until sugar has melted. Allow the sloppy joe mixture to simmer on medium and reduce slightly and thicken after adding the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings.
• Transfer to the Dish – Remove skillet from heat and pour into baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
• Prep the Crust – Unroll pizza dough and roll or press into roughly a 10×14-inch rectangle. Transfer to dish forming an edge of dough around the dish.
• Brush the Crust with Butter – Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Oven – Bake per the recipe until puffed and golden then cut into squares and serve.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Easy Sloppy Joe Casserole

• One 13×9-inch baking dish.
• One large 12-inch skillet for making the filling.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Sharp knife and chopping board to prep the vegetables.
• Large spoon or wooden spoon for stirring everything together.
• Cheese grater for freshly grated cheese.
• Small bowl to melt the butter and a pastry brush for brushing the top.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Crust Options – You could use one tube of canned biscuits, crescent rolls or one tube of refrigerated French bread to top this casserole. Should you choose to use the biscuits, add them in the last 15 minutes of baking. If they’re jumbo flaky biscuits, consider tearing them though the middle and overlapping them slightly to cover the top. The French bread would be rolled, shaped and added the same as the pizza dough.
• Protein – You can swap out ground turkey or ground chicken in place of ground beef for this recipe.
• Onion – You can use Vidalia onion or yellow onion for a stronger onion flavor.
• Sliced Cheese – You could also use sliced cheese in place of shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the top completely with cheese breaking to fit. You’ll need 8-10 slices total. Although, in my kitchen there’s no wrong amount of cheese!
• Shredded Cheese Variations – You could use colby jack cheese, mild cheddar cheese or spicy pepper jack cheese.
• Butter – You could brush the top with an egg wash in place of melted butter.
• How to Serve Sloppy Joe Casserole – Serve this casserole with a side or oven roasted corn, cole slaw, french fries or even cornbread.

Storage and Leftovers

• Make-Ahead Tip – You can make the ground beef mixture up to one day in advance and place it in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the casserole for baking. If you make this casserole with sloppy joe filling that’s been chilled you can warm it gently in the microwave prior to assembling or extend the bake time to be certain it heats all the way through.
• Leftovers – Store baked Sloppy Joe Casserole covered with plastic wrap or foil, chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in single servings in the microwave.
• Freezer – You can also freeze the ground beef filling for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then it’s a ready-made shortcut for a busy day meal.

More Easy Ground Beef Recipes to Make

• Hamburger Steak with gravy and mashed potatoes is sheer comfort food.
• Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole is a one dish meal.
• Nacho Beef and Macaroni is a fusion dish that’s delicious served with a side salad and hot rolls to round out the meal.
• This Ragu Bolognese Sauce can be served over your favorite kind of pasta.
• Cozy up to a bowl of Chili with Beans for supper or game day snacking.
• These Root Beer Baked Beans are the perfect grilling side dish.
• Mexi Meatball Kabobs from Very Best Baking.

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Helpful Kitchen Items: 

• 13×9-inch Baking Dish
• 12-inch Skillet
• Spatula
• Chopping Board and Knives