Sloppy Joe Casserole

    Sloppy Joe Casserole

    A skillet of sloppy joe casserole topped with melted cheddar and chopped green onions, with a wooden spoon scooping some out.

    Sloppy Joe Casserole takes everything you love about classic sloppy joes and bakes it into a cozy, family-friendly dinner. Topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and melty cheese, this hearty sloppy joe casserole is perfect for chilly nights.

    A skillet of sloppy joe casserole topped with melted cheddar and chopped green onions, with a wooden spoon scooping some out.

    Sloppy joe casserole is family-friendly cozy comfort food!

    cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

    I always get an instant hit of nostalgia when I bite into Sloppy Joes. It taste like childhood and good memories and those days when you could get saucy fingers from your sandwich falling apart as you hold it and you just didn’t care. 

    This sloppy joe casserole delivers the same flavor, minus the messy sandwich. You get the saucy, sweet-and-tangy beef filling, but instead of a bun, it’s crowned with a topping of mashed potatoes and cheese. (Kind of like a cross between sloppy joes and Shepherd’s Pie!)

    Here’s why you’re going to want to add this recipe to your menu ASAP:

    • A New Comfort Food Classic. Combining sloppy joes with Mashed Potatoes is the cozy mashup we all need in our lives right now.
    • One-Dish Dinner. You don’t need any sides here! You’ve got your carbs, your veggies, and your protein all in one. (Of course, if you DO want to add some sides, I share a few ideas below.)
    • Family-Friendly. No dinnertime battles here! This sloppy joe casserole has mild, familiar flavors that kids and adults both love.
    • Make-Ahead Magic. Assemble the whole casserole in advance and bake it when you’re ready, or make the mashed potatoes or filling a day or two before to get a head start on your cooking.
    Sloppy joe casserole with ground meat, vegetables, and mashed potatoes topped with melted cheese on a plate with a fork.

    Key Ingredients

    You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

    For the Mashed Potatoes:

    • Yukon Gold Potatoes. I love Yukon golds because they’re naturally creamy and buttery.
    • Garlic. Boiled with the potatoes for mellow garlic flavor.
    • Buttermilk. I like using buttermilk for richness and tang, but you can swap in milk if you prefer.

    For the Casserole:

    • Lean Ground Beef. Prefer ground turkey? Go ahead and swap that in!
    • Veggies. Yellow onion, red bell pepper, and carrots add flavor and bulk up the casserole.
    • Chili Powder. Adds warmth without a lot of heat.
    • Tomato Paste. Umami bomb! This adds lots of depth to the sauce.
    • Ketchup. For that sloppy joe sweetness and tang.
    • Worcestershire Sauce. Boom! Another umami bomb that’s full of flavor.
    • Dijon Mustard. Sharp, bright Dijon adds complexity, keeping the sloppy joe casserole filling from being cloying.
    • Brown Sugar. You can use light or dark; either way, it’ll balance the tanginess and add a subtle note of molasses.
    • Red Wine Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar works too.
    • Cheddar Cheese. Shred your own for the smoothest melt. I like using a sassy sharp cheddar with some punch to it.
    • Green Onions. For topping.

    How to Make Sloppy Joe Casserole

    Cubed potatoes in water inside a large gray pot on a light gray countertop.
    Cooked ground beef in a large, round pot on a light gray countertop, viewed from above.
    Chopped onions, red bell peppers, and carrots sautéing in a large pot on a light surface.
    A pot of mashed potatoes being prepared with a metal potato masher on a light gray surface.
    A pot of sloppy joe filling with ground beef, tomatoes, and diced vegetables on a light gray surface.
    Round baking dish with sloppy joe casserole topped with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.

    Boil the Potatoes and Garlic (photo 1). Cook until fork-tender, then drain.

    Brown the Ground Beef (photo 2). Cook the beef in a large oven-safe skillet; remove to a bowl and set aside.

    Cook the Vegetables (photo 3). Sauté until softened, then stir in the garlic, chili powder, and tomato paste.

    Make the Mashed Potato Topping (photo 4). Mash with buttermilk and salt.

    Finish the Filling (photo 5). Add the ground beef back to the pan with the broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and vinegar. Simmer until thickened.

    Assemble (photo 6). Top the casserole with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

    Bake. Bake sloppy joes casserole at 375 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted; broil briefly if desired. Rest for 5 minutes to thicken, then serve the sloppy joe casserole with green onions and ENJOY!

    A plate of sloppy joe casserole with mashed potatoes, ground meat, vegetables, cheese, and a fork on the side.

    What to Serve with Sloppy Joe Casserole

    • Salad. For a light side, pair this casserole with Healthy Coleslaw or a kid-friendly Fruit Salad.
    • Vegetables. Roasted Green Beans would be perfect, or make my Sauteed Zucchini Recipe on the stovetop.
    • Bread. Homemade Dinner Rolls will soak up that yummy sauce, or go with my Jalapeno Cornbread or Cornbread Muffins.
    A skillet of sloppy joe casserole topped with melted cheddar and chopped green onions, with a wooden spoon scooping some out.
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    Sloppy Joe Casserole

    This hearty sloppy joe casserole is topped with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese for a comfort food dinner your whole family will love!
    Course Casserole, Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 6 -8 servings
    Calories 508kcal
    Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

    Ingredients

    For the Mashed Potatoes

    • 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 4 cloves garlic peeled
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus additional to taste
    • ¾ to 1 cup buttermilk or regular milk

    For the Casserole

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef 90/10
    • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
    • 1 large ellow onion finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
    • 1 large red bell pepper ¼-inch diced (about 1 ½ cups)
    • 3 medium carrots ¼-inch diced (about 1 ½ cups)
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth or water
    • ½ cup ketchup
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 2 green onions thinly sliced, for topping

    Instructions

    • For the mashed potatoes, add the potatoes, garlic, and 1½ teaspoons salt to a large pot and cover by two inches with cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them and the garlic cloves to the pot.
      Cubed potatoes in water inside a large gray pot on a light gray countertop.
    • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center.
    • Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat (I used a 12-inch cast iron). Add the ground beef and cook, undisturbed, until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Break the beef into small crumbles and continue to cook until no longer pink, about 3 more minutes. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Transfer to a bowl.
      Cooked ground beef in a large, round pot on a light gray countertop, viewed from above.
    • If the pan is dry, add another drizzle of oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, carrots, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant and slightly darkened.
      Chopped onions, red bell peppers, and carrots sautéing in a large pot on a light surface.
    • When the potatoes are cooked, mash them with a potato masher, then gently stir in the buttermilk starting with ¾ cup and adding more as necessary to reach a fluffy texture, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt until smooth. Add additional salt to taste, if necessary (I added about another ½ teaspoon).
      A pot of mashed potatoes being prepared with a metal potato masher on a light gray surface.
    • Return the beef to the skillet, along with the broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and vinegar. Stir well to combine and cook until the liquid is thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
      Chopped onions, carrots, and red peppers sautéing in a round white pot on a light gray surface.
    • Turn off the heat. Dollop the potatoes on top of the beef mixture in the skillet, then spread them in an even layer to cover the top. Sprinkle with the cheese.
      Sloppy joe casserole in a round casserole dish with a golden, mashed potato topping.
    • Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. For more browning on top, turn on the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully to avoid burning). Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with green onions and serve.
      Round baking dish with sloppy joe casserole topped with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.

    Notes

    • TO STORE: Store leftover sloppy joe casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
    • TO REHEAT: Warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, or microwave individual portions.
    • TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1(of 6) | Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 2072mg | Potassium: 1738mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 6689IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 5mg

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