Sloppy Joes have been my go-to quick and easy dinner for years, but when I want to change up the flavors and opt for a heartier meal, I pick this Sloppy Joes Pasta. It’s meaty and delicious, and this quick-and-easy casserole is the perfect family-friendly dinner.
What are Sloppy Joes?
Sloppy Joes are an American classic that was likely inspired by other loose meat sandwiches and gained popularity for being both delicious and economical. It usually consists of ground beef, onions, and a tangy tomato sauce, all piled high on a hamburger bun. My Sloppy Joe Casserole takes those comforting flavors and turns them into a family-friendly, baked pasta casserole that you’ll want to make again and again.
I love this recipe. This Sloppy Joes Casserole is everything a good ground beef casserole should be: it’s meaty, saucy, cheesy, and easy to make!
My kids gobble this up and it’s one of the dishes they ask for me to make again and again. It’s just that good!
Sometimes I’ll even make enough for 2 casseroles and freeze one. That way I have a quick and easy dinner ready for a night I don’t have much time.
What You’ll Love About sloppy joes Pasta
- Family-Friendly: Even the pickiest of eaters will gobble this up!
- Simple Ingredients: Basic pantry staples are all you need.
- Quick to Make: Dinner is ready in under an hour!
- Versatile: It’s a ground beef casserole recipe that you can easily adjust to your own tastes.
INGREDIENTS
- Penne pasta – Cooked to al dente.
- Olive oil
- Onion – Chopped.
- Ground beef – Use 90/10 lean ground beef.
- Green bell pepper – Diced.
- Garlic
- Tomato sauce
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar
- Ground mustard
- Chili powder
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Monterrey Jack cheese – Shredded.
- Hamburger buns
- Butter
How to make Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 2 to 3 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the penne pasta as per directions on the package to al dente. Drain well and cool it under cold running water.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onions until translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up as you go, until no longer pink.
- Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute, then add in the diced bell pepper.
- Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, ground mustard, chili powder, oregano, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the skillet with the beef. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with the shredded cheese, then crumble the hamburger buns over the top of the casserole, then drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Undercook the noodles for a minute so they’re very al dente; this way, they’ll be perfectly cooked when your casserole is done. This is important to make sure your pasta isn’t overcooked.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and store it in the fridge until it’s ready to bake. Just add a few extra minutes of baking time if the dish is fridge-cold.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground pork, chicken or turkey, or even bulk sausage for a different flavor.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Make It A Meal
This noodle casserole pairs perfectly with a simple green salad with a terrific dressing and garlic bread or cornbread for a complete, satisfying meal. If you’re in a rush, even some store-bought coleslaw and crusty bread can turn this into a feast. Don’t forget about dessert! This Blueberry Dump Cake is all kinds of delish and pairs nicely with this meal!
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze it, do so before the final bake. Just be sure to thaw it in the fridge overnight before popping it into the oven, and you’ll need some extra heating time. This pasta bake is fully cooked – you just need to heat it until it is bubbly hot.
Sloppy Joe Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta cooked 1 minute less than package directions; drained, rinsed and cooled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 pound ground beef use lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounce canned tomato sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 2 hamburger buns coarsely crumbled
- ¼ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 2-3 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the penne pasta as per directions on the package to 1 minute less than al dente. Drain well and cool under cold running water.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onions until translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up as you go, until no longer pink.
- Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, ground mustard, chili powder, oregano, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet. Season with salt, and pepper, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the diced bell pepper and mix to combine.
- Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
- Crumble hamburger buns over the top of the casserole, then drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Undercook the noodles for a minute so they’re very al dente, this way they’ll be perfectly cooked when your casserole is done.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and store it in the fridge until it’s ready to bake. Just add a few extra minutes of baking time if the dish is fridge cold.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground pork, chicken or turkey, or even bulk sausage for a different flavor.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
