By Becky Hardin
Published Feb 1, 2023
This Sloppy Joe Casserole recipe has everything you love about the classic sauce sandwiches, but in the form of a pasta casserole instead! Simple to make, hearty, and filling, this is a warm and cozy meal that everyone will love.
What’s in Sloppy Joes Casserole?
This sloppy joe casserole brings together tons of pantry staples into an easy weeknight dinner. Here’s a rundown of the ingredients:
- Oil: Olive oil helps keep the onions from burning in the pan. You could use vegetable, canola, or avocado oil if you prefer.
- Onion : I like to use white onion in this dish because they’re mild and sweet, but a yellow onion would also work.
- Garlic: Adds a rich depth of flavor to the dish. Feel free to increase or reduce the amount according to your tastes.
- Ground Beef : I used 80% lean ground beef, but you could use leaner ground beef if you prefer. For sloppy janes, swap the beef for ground turkey!
- Ketchup: Ketchup adds the classic tomato flavor to these sloppy joes. I like the balance of sweetness and acidity in this premade ingredient, but you could swap in tomato paste for more control.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar sweetens the sloppy joe sauce the perfect amount. For a richer, more molasses-y taste, you could use dark brown sugar.
- Mustard: Yellow mustard adds tanginess to the sauce. For more texture, you could use a stone ground Dijon or whole-grain mustard.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a holy grail ingredient for adding umami flavor.
- Broth: You can use chicken, vegetable, or beef broth in this recipe, or you can simply use water. I like chicken broth for a lighter flavor.
- Pasta : Bowtie pasta is the classic choice for this casserole, but any short-shaped pasta (like penne, rigatoni, or macaroni) will work.
- Cheese: Colby jack is a mild-flavored cheese that helps boost the cheesiness of this dish, while Velveeta helps to keep the sauce smooth and creamy. If you’re not a fan, easily swap the Velveeta for American, Swiss, cheddar, or more Colby jack!
Pro Tip: Cooking the pasta in chicken broth adds so much flavor! I don’t recommend skipping it!
Spicy Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe (Variation)
To make this cheesy sloppy joe casserole spicier, opt for a spicy brown mustard instead of yellow, add some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the ketchup sauce mixture, and swap some of the Colby jack for pepper jack!
The best beef for sloppy joe casserole is lean ground beef. I used 80% lean, but you could go up to 90% lean if you prefer. Depending on how much fat renders out of the beef when cooking, you can drain the beef before adding it to the casserole.
Nope! Velveeta is a great inexpensive time-saving product, but you can also use American cheese, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, or more Colby jack cheese if you prefer.
This sloppy joe casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the leftovers are delicious! Reheat in the oven at 300°F, covered with foil, until warmed through. You can also microwave it for around 4 minutes on high heat.
Yes, this makes for a great freezer meal and will keep for around 3 months. You can freeze it baked or unbaked. Make sure it is cooled fully before placing in a freezer bag. If unbaked, thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking as per instructions. If already baked, thaw and reheat in the oven.
Yes! Assemble the casserole through step 11, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Once ready to bake, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and bake according to the recipe.
How to Store and Reheat Easy Sloppy Joe Casserole
Store leftover sloppy joe casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven covered with foil until warmed through or microwave it for around 4 minutes on high heat.
How to Freeze Sloppy Joe Pasta Casserole
Freeze sloppy joe casserole baked or unbaked in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If unbaked, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking according to the recipe. If baked, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta and beef casserole is perfect to serve by itself or with a side of veggies. It also works great with some garlic bread . Try it with sauteed green beans , glazed carrots , roasted broccoli , or baked tomatoes .
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ ½ cup diced white onion
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- ▢ 1 pound ground beef
- ▢ ½ cup ketchup
- ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ 3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ▢ 8 ounces dry bowtie pasta (½ box)
- ▢ 16 ounces Velveeta cheese cut into small pieces and divided (1 block)
- ▢ 8 ounces Colby jack cheese freshly grated and divided
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and set aside a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat then add the onion and cook until it becomes translucent. 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup diced white onion
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute or until it becomes fragrant. 3 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef and crumble it as you cook it until it turns a dark brown color and has cooked all the way through. 1 pound ground beef
- While it’s cooking, stir the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl, then add it to the cooked beef and stir to combine. ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Let it simmer for a few minutes before spooning it into a bowl and setting aside for later.
- Wipe out the pan and pour in the chicken broth. 3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the pasta and cook it according to the instructions on the package. 8 ounces dry bowtie pasta
- Add the beef back to the pan along with 12 ounces of the Velveeta cheese and half of the Colby jack cheese and stir as it melts to combine. 16 ounces Velveeta cheese, 8 ounces Colby jack cheese
- Once it has melted fully, spread it out evenly in the casserole dish.
- Cut the remaining Velveeta cheese into tiny pieces then sprinkle it around the top of the casserole along with the remaining Colby jack cheese.
- Cover with non-stick foil and bake for 20 minutes, then again for 10 more minutes uncovered or until the edges start to crisp up and turn a dark brown color.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving with freshly chopped green onions or chives.
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Becky’s Tips
- Cook the pasta just less than al dente as it will continue to cook in the oven.
- Feel free to add in extra veggies, mushrooms and bell peppers are great additions!
- To make ahead, assemble the casserole through step 11, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Once ready to bake, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and bake according to the recipe.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Sloppy Joe Recipes We Love
- Sloppy Joes from Scratch
- Crockpot Sloppy Joes
- Turkey Sloppy Joes
- Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes
- Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup diced white onion
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces dry bowtie pasta (½ box)
- 16 ounces Velveeta cheese cut into small pieces and divided (1 block)
- 8 ounces Colby jack cheese freshly grated and divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and set aside a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat then add the onion and cook until it becomes translucent. 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup diced white onion
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute or until it becomes fragrant. 3 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef and crumble it as you cook it until it turns a dark brown color and has cooked all the way through. 1 pound ground beef
- While it’s cooking, stir the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl, then add it to the cooked beef and stir to combine. ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Let it simmer for a few minutes before spooning it into a bowl and setting aside for later.
- Wipe out the pan and pour in the chicken broth. 3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the pasta and cook it according to the instructions on the package. 8 ounces dry bowtie pasta
- Add the beef back to the pan along with 12 ounces of the Velveeta cheese and half of the Colby jack cheese and stir as it melts to combine. 16 ounces Velveeta cheese, 8 ounces Colby jack cheese
- Once it has melted fully, spread it out evenly in the casserole dish.
- Cut the remaining Velveeta cheese into tiny pieces then sprinkle it around the top of the casserole along with the remaining Colby jack cheese.
- Cover with non-stick foil and bake for 20 minutes, then again for 10 more minutes uncovered or until the edges start to crisp up and turn a dark brown color.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving with freshly chopped green onions or chives.
Video
Notes
- Cook the pasta just less than al dente as it will continue to cook in the oven.
- Feel free to add in extra veggies, mushrooms and bell peppers are great additions!
- To make ahead, assemble the casserole through step 11, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Once ready to bake, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and bake according to the recipe.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
