Sloppy Joe Casserole

My sloppy joe casserole recipe gives you all the yummy taste of a Sloppy Joe in a hearty, comforting casserole topped with gooey cheese!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword casseroles, ground beef casseroles, pasta casseroles, Sloppy Joes!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 680kcal

Author Kathleen

Prep. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Beef. In a large pot, cook the ground beef (2 pounds), sprinkle with salt (1 3/4 teaspoons) and pepper (3/4 teaspoons), and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon until no pink remains in the beef. Remove cooked beef to a paper towel-lined plate.
Veggies. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil). Add onions (1 1/2 cups), green pepper (1 medium), and garlic (1 tablespoon) to the skillet. Saute over medium heat until veggies are soft. Add cooked beef back to the skillet.
Sauce. Stir in dark brown sugar (3 tablespoons), apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons), Worcestershire sauce (3 tablespoons), dry mustard (1/2 teaspoon), both cans of tomato sauce (1 (15-ounce) can + 1 (8-ounce) can), ketchup (3/4 cup), and beef broth (1 cup), and mix until well combined. Simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Pasta. Meanwhile, cook the pasta (12 ounces) in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, just until al dente. Drain and add to the meat sauce. Stir until evenly combined.
Assemble + bake. Transfer pasta and meat mixture to prepared baking dish. Top evenly with cheese (2 cups). Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley (2 tablespoons) and serve.

Skillet/Pot Size - This recipe works if you make it in a 14-inch skillet. A 12-inch skillet isn't quite large enough to accommodate the sauce ingredients. You can also use a large Dutch oven or pot.
Baking Dish - All 9X13 inch baking dishes are NOT created equally. Their dimensions actually vary slightly. This recipe requires a depth of at least 2 1/2 inches. A standard Pyrex baking dish is just under that. There is a Pyrex 9X13 deep baking dish that is 3 inches deep and claims to hold 50% more. The only place I've found it available is at Target.