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Sloppy Joe Casserole with cheddar biscuit top, ready to serve from a pale green braising pan surrounded by a white and red hand towel. A green salad, a wooden serving spoon, plates and red & white checkered napkins beside the dish.

Sloppy Joe Casserole with Easy Cheddar Biscuit Top

Layla @ Poppy Trail Table
This Sloppy Joe Casserole with Easy Cheddar Biscuit Top is the ultimate comfort food—savory, cheesy, and packed with homemade goodness. 
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 393 kcal

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 25gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 878mgPotassium: 581mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12g
Nutrition Facts
Sloppy Joe Casserole with Easy Cheddar Biscuit Top
Amount per Serving
Calories
393
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
17
g
26
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Cholesterol
 
76
mg
25
%
Sodium
 
878
mg
38
%
Potassium
 
581
mg
17
%
Carbohydrates
 
34
g
11
%
Fiber
 
5
g
21
%
Sugar
 
12
g
13
%
Protein
 
25
g
50
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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