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.
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Sloppy joe casserole is family-friendly cozy comfort food!
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.
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
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!
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.
Sloppy Joe Casserole
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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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
I usually stick to classic sloppy joes, but this casserole version is a game-changer. My kids loved scooping it onto their plates, and my husband asked me to make it again next week. Easy comfort food at its best. Thank you!
So glad to hear, Amanda! Thank you!
This ended up way better than I expected for a casserole version of sloppy joes. I loved the melted cheese and green onions on top. It’s simple comfort food, nothing over the top, and it fills you up. I might add a bit more seasoning next time for my taste, but overall a keeper.
So glad to hear, Wendy! Thank you!
My kids were a little hesitant when they saw mashed potatoes on top of sloppy joe meat, but the moment the cheese melted and it came out of the oven, they couldn’t wait to dig in. I liked that it’s a one-pan dinner with veggies, protein, and carbs all together. Really happy with this one. Thank you!
Yay! So glad to hear, Leighton! Thank you!
Erin, my family thinks you missed an opportunity to name it “Sloppy Sheppard’s Pie”. To be honest, when all the kids came into the kitchen to eat, everyone was raising an eyebrow thinking I’d just slopped something together. ” Bruh! What is THIS) But, my kids ate it up, saying it was yummy. A wonderful spin on a familiar favorite for a cold January day!
Hahah! Love that it was a family favorite! Thank you Jess!