We’re taking the iconic loose meat sandwich and turning it into a casserole. Oh, yes we did!
If you love sloppy Joe sandwiches as much as we do, you are going to fall in love with this instant family-favorite casserole. The filling has the classic sloppy Joe flavor, and that’s topped with a layer of gooey cheddar cheese, topped with buttery puff pastry, and baked to perfection. Weeknight dinner never tasted so good!
How To Make Sloppy Joe Casserole
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The Ingredients You Will Need
The ingredients you will need for this casserole are straightforward, and chances are, you may already have many of them on hand. Here’s what you’ll need:
Oil – Olive oil or extra virgin. Vegetable oil can be used, too.
Bell pepper – Green, red, or yellow are all great choices.
Ground beef – 85% or 90% lean. You’ll still want to spoon off most of the rendered excess grease. Ground turkey or chicken are great substitutions.
Stock – Beef broth or beef stock is perfect. You could also use chicken broth. Water will even work, if desired.
Sauces – Tomato sauce, chili sauce*, and Worcestershire sauce. *can be found in the condiments section of most markets, near the ketchup.
Mustard – Dijon is recommended, but ballpark yellow will work, too.
Vinegar – Apple cider is recommended, but red wine vinegar, or even distilled white vinegar will work just fine.
Brown sugar – Dark or light.
Seasonings – Salt and pepper.
Cheddar cheese – Preferably fresh shredded. Colby Jack, Monterrey Jack, or any other melting cheese are perfectly fine substitutions.
Puff pastry – Found in either the frozen section or refrigerated section of most supermarkets.
Egg – Combined with a splash of milk or water. This will make an egg wash that will give the pastry a golden brown color after baking.
Sesame seeds – Preferably toasted.
Scallions – Chopped, for garnish. Optional.
EXPERT TIP: You’ll want to simmer the mixture until it thickens and most of the liquid has evaporated out. However, you don’t want to cook it until all the liquid is gone. The consistency should be very juicy and should spread somewhat if spooned onto a plate. The melty cheese and puff pastry will hold it all together after it bakes.
Tips for Making a Perfect Sloppy Joe Casserole
Layer for Texture – When assembling your casserole, layer the Sloppy Joe mixture evenly in the baking dish, then sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese on top. This will create a gooey, cheesy layer that complements the savory filling. Make sure to cover the entire surface for even melting. If you like it extra cheesy, go with 2 cups of cheese.
Puff Pastry Preparation – For the puff pastry topping, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to ensure it fits your baking dish. Cut it into strips or shapes to create an attractive design on top of the casserole. Brush the pastry with an egg wash (beaten egg with a splash of milk or water) for a golden, flaky finish when baked.
Bake to Perfection – Bake the casserole in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) until the puff pastry is golden brown and flaky, and the cheese is bubbly. This usually takes about 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it towards the end to prevent over-browning. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving to allow the layers to set.
EXPERT TIP: For the best cheesy taste and texture, grate the cheese by hand with a box grater or with a grating attachment in your food processor. We love our casserole extra cheesy, so we go with 2 cups of shredded cheese, but, 1½ cups is still cheesy, and a nice ratio to the filling and pastry topping.
How To Serve
This dish is served best right out of the dish. Let it rest for about 5 minutes after baking. Then garnish with chopped scallions or chives, if desired.
One serving is filling and satisfying. However, to round out the meal, we like to serve it with simmered green beans or sweet corn.
Leftovers reheat perfectly in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 325°F. Cover the top with foil since the top has already been browned.
EXPERT TIP: For an attractive topping, cut the puff pastries into squares, and then overlap them when placing them over the meat and cheese. Or, simply place the entire sheet over the top of the dish and trim away the edges. Both will yield a delicious topping. Don’t forget to brush the top with an egg and water (or milk) bath.
Other Delicious Weeknight Dinner Recipes to Try
We love a dish that is a little involved and requires some tender love and care when preparing. But, there’s not always time for that. Here is a collection of family-friendly dishes that are easy to prepare but are still extremely delicious.
- Salisbury Steaks with Mushrooms
- Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Cheesy Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Easy Ravioli with Creamy Tomato-Basil Sauce
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Stuffed Bell Peppers with Turkey and Rice
- Slow-Cooker Mississippi Roast
- Best-Ever Beef Tostadas
- Chicken and Rice Casserole with Cheddar and Broccoli
- Baked Hot Honey Chicken
- Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
These are all amazing in their own right. But, in the meantime, isn’t this dish calling your name?
If you’re looking for a new casserole that everyone in the family will love, then look no further.
It’s simple to prepare and the flavor combination is spot-on delicious.
It’s truly like eating a yummy sloppy Joe, but as a casserole. And leftovers are even better.
Weeknight dinner perfection!
Ready to make the best casserole in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Sloppy Joe Casserole
Equipment
- 1 10"x10" baking dish 9x13" will also work
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 lbs ground beef 90% lean
- ¼ cup beef broth or stock
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- ½ cup chili sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar light or dark
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups for extra cheesy
- 1 sheet puff pastry cut into squares (if desired)
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp milk or water
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds for topping, optional
- 2 scallions chopped, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1 green bell pepper
- Add the ground beef and break up with a wooden spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Tilt the skillet and use a large spoon to remove most of the rendered grease (it's okay to leave some in the skillet). Discard safely.2 lbs ground beef
- Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring often.¼ cup beef broth, 1 15 oz can tomato sauce, ½ cup chili sauce, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Continue simmering over medium heat until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquid has cooked down, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Top with the cheese, and then arrange the puff pastry squares over the cheese.1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 sheet puff pastry
- In a small bowl, mix together the beaten egg and milk (or water). Brush the egg wash over the tops of the puff pastry. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.1 large egg, 1 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Bake until the puff pastry is browned (but not burned) and the sides are bubbly, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve at once, garnished with chopped scallions (if desired).2 scallions
