Looking for a hearty, family-friendly dinner that comes together with simple, scratch-made ingredients? This Sloppy Joe Casserole with Easy Cheddar Biscuit Top is a fun twist on the classic Sloppy Joe sandwich, transforming it into a delicious casserole with a buttery, cheesy biscuit topping.
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Sloppy Joes have a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor with a savory, umami depth. And you don't need the canned stuff to get there! Delicious homemade sloppy joes are easy with some pretty simple ingredients. The combination of tomato sauce and paste provides a deep, robust base, ketchup adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the acidity. Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard bring a hint of tang, and smoked paprika and garlic creates a warm, aromatic undertone. The result is a comforting, slightly smoky, and irresistibly saucy dish!
When my kids were little, they loved Sloppy Joes but hated messy hands and refused to eat a sandwich that fell apart. To solve this, I started stuffing the filling into biscuits and called them Sloppy Joe Pockets. They loved them! But making the pockets was a bit of a hassle, and I didn’t love the extra work. That said, moms will do a lot of things they don’t love to get finicky kids to eat, so I made them for years. Eventually, it occurred to me to turn the pockets into a casserole and simply put the biscuits on top—way less hassle! My kids still love this easy casserole. And messy hands? No longer an issue. In fact, teenagers have no problem with messes at all—whether it's their hands, backpacks, bathroom countertops, or their mysteriously unfindable bedroom floors!
Need another easy dinner recipe for busy weeknights the whole family will enjoy? Here are a few options for easy meals – Salmon Patties with Remoulade, Southwest Ground Beef & Sweet Potato Hash, and One Pot Creamy Boursin Tomato Pasta with Chicken.
Why You'll Love This Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe
- Made from Scratch – No canned sauces here! This recipe features a homemade sloppy joe filling with fresh ingredients.
- Comforting and Satisfying – The rich, tangy beef filling pairs perfectly with fluffy cheddar biscuits.
- Family Favorite – Even picky eaters will love this dish.
- Easy to Prepare – Simple steps and common pantry staples make this a go-to meal.
Jump to:
Key Ingredients for Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Meat: Adding baking soda to the ground beef before browning helps! (Thanks America's Test Kitchen for this tip) Adding ¼ teaspoon of baking soda per 1 pound of ground beef before browning helps retain moisture and improves texture. The baking soda raises the pH level of the meat, preventing the proteins from bonding too tightly and squeezing out moisture. This results in more tender, juicy beef with a pleasantly soft texture instead of becoming dry or tough. Additionally, it helps the meat brown more efficiently by reducing excess liquid release, leading to better caramelization and a richer flavor in the sloppy joe filling.
- Vegetables: Yellow, orange, red or green bell pepper, onion, and celery. Celery is not in traditional sloppy joes but it adds both fiber and flavor.
- Tomatoes: To achieve the Sloppy Joe sauce flavor we all love, I use canned crushed tomatoes or canned tomato sauce to create enough body in the sauce, tomato paste to add depth of flavor, and ketchup to add sweetness to the meat mixture.
- Biscuit Dough: This homemade drop biscuit dough couldn't be easier to create the top of the casserole. But, if you need a faster method, see the other options listed below in the variations section.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef: Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the ground beef with baking soda. In a large skillet or braising pan, over medium-high heat, cook ground beef with a pinch of salt until browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Step 2: Cook Aromatics: Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
- Step 3: Make the sauce: Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Finish the Sauce: In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch into the beef broth until dissolved. Pour in beef broth and let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened. If you are using an oven-safe skillet, continue with the recipe. If your skillet is not oven-safe, spray the casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer the sloppy joe mix to the prepared casserole dish.
- Step 5: Make the Biscuit Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder.
- Step 6: Butter: Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Step 7: Add Cheese: Stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
- Step 8: Stir in Milk: Gradually add milk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Step 9: Assemble: Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the sloppy joe filling.
- Step 10: Bake & Enjoy: Bake for 25-30 in a preheated oven or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use Cold Butter – Keeping the butter cold ensures a tender biscuit topping.
- Make it Spicy – Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the sloppy joe mixture for a kick.
- Make-Ahead – The sloppy joe filling can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Let it Rest – Be sure to allow the casserole to resist for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors meld and makes it easier to scoop without everything falling apart.
Variations for Sloppy Joe Biscuit Casserole Recipe
- Biscuit Topping: If you don't want to make the biscuit top, use a canned biscuit like Pillsbury biscuits. Cut the biscuits into smaller pieces before placing them on top of the ground beef mixture. You can also make a very fast drop biscuit dough with Biquick mix, simply follow the recipe on the box.
- Protein Options: Swap out ground beef for ground chicken, pork, lamb or turkey.
- Vegetarian Option: Swap the ground beef for plant-based crumbles or cooked lentils. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Southwest Style: Add a can of drained black beans, a handful of corn, and some chili powder to the sloppy joe mixture.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the biscuit topping and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free.
- Cheesy Upgrade: Sprinkle additional shredded cheddar over the biscuit topping before baking.
Equipment Needed
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- Large oven-safe skillet or braising pan.
- Or use a combination of a skillet and a casserole dish.
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Mixing bowl (large or medium)
- Pastry cutter (or your fingers)
- Whisk
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze the unbaked casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers in the oven at 350°F until heated through, or microwave individual portions.
Top Tip
Keep the Butter Cold for Fluffy Biscuits – When making the biscuit topping, use very cold butter and work it in quickly to keep the dough light and fluffy. This ensures tender, flaky biscuits instead of dense or tough ones.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joe Casserole
This casserole pairs well with a crisp green side salad, roasted vegetables, green beans, or classic coleslaw. For a heartier meal, serve it with a side of mashed potatoes or baked beans.
FAQ
Yes! You can prepare the sloppy joe filling and biscuit topping separately. Store the filling in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and assemble the casserole just before baking.
Absolutely. Assemble the casserole but do not bake it. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
The biscuits should be golden brown on top and firm to the touch. If you’re unsure, you can insert a toothpick into the center of one—it should come out clean.
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Recipe
Sloppy Joe Casserole with Easy Cheddar Biscuit Top
Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet or braising pan.
- Or use a combination of a skillet and a casserole dish.
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Mixing bowl (large or medium)
- Pastry cutter (or your fingers)
- Whisk
Ingredients
Sloppy Joe Mixture
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 14 ounces tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Cheddar Biscuit Top
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ¾ cup whole milk
Instructions
- Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef: Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the ground beef with baking soda. In a large skillet or braising pan, over medium-high heat, cook ground beef with a pinch of salt until browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Step 2: Cook Aromatics: Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
- Step 3: Make the sauce: Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Finish the Sauce: Stir the cornstarch into the beef broth until dissolved. Pour in beef broth and let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened. If you are using an oven-safe skillet, continue with the recipe. If your skillet is not oven-safe, spray the casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer the sloppy joe mix to the prepared casserole dish.
- Step 5: Make the Biscuit Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder.
- Step 6: Butter: Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Step 7: Add Cheese: Stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
- Step 8: Stir in Milk: Gradually add milk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Step 9: Assemble: Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the sloppy joe filling.
- Step 10: Bake & Enjoy: Bake for 25-30 in a preheated oven or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Success
- Use Cold Butter – Keeping the butter cold ensures a tender biscuit topping.
- Make it Spicy – Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the sloppy joe mixture for a kick.
- Make-Ahead – The sloppy joe filling can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Let it Rest – Be sure to allow the casserole to resist for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors meld and makes it easier to scoop without everything falling apart.
Variations for Sloppy Joe Biscuit Casserole Recipe
- Biscuit Topping: If you don't want to make the biscuit top, use a canned biscuit like Pillsbury biscuits. Cut the biscuits into smaller pieces before placing them on top of the ground beef mixture. You can also make a very fast drop biscuit dough with Biquick mix, simply follow the recipe on the box.
- Protein Options: Swap out ground beef for ground chicken, pork, lamb or turkey.
- Vegetarian Option: Swap the ground beef for plant-based crumbles or cooked lentils. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Southwest Style: Add a can of drained black beans, a handful of corn, and some chili powder to the sloppy joe mixture.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the biscuit topping and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free.
- Cheesy Upgrade: Sprinkle additional shredded cheddar over the biscuit topping before baking.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze the unbaked casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers in the oven at 350°F until heated through, or microwave individual portions.
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