I grew up on my Grandma Verna’s sloppy joes, so I have a soft spot in my heart for those comfort food flavors. I was playing around with nutritious ways to recreate the classic flavors, incorporating them into healthful family meals. While experimenting, I started making this Sloppy Joe casserole recipe, which has all the sweet, tangy, savory flavors of classic sloppy joes but no brown sugar or ketchup in sight. Then, instead of piling the meat onto buns, I top it with fluffy mashed potatoes, kind of like shepherd’s pie.
Recipe Highlights
Great for meal prep: This recipe is a great one for a few different types of meal prep. It can be made up to the point of cooking, meaning that I prep many of the ingredients and assemble them in a skillet ahead of time, then wrap it to store for later. This makes it super quick to get everything cooking. The casserole also can be made start-to-finish, and then simply reheated when it’s time for dinner.
Balanced and nourishing: With lean ground beef, veggies, and mashed potatoes, this casserole provides many food groups and results in a complete, satisfying meal. It makes it easy to reach my daily fiber and protein goals without sacrificing any flavor.
Versatile: While I usually use ground beef, this recipe also works with ground turkey or chicken. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover veggies or mashed potatoes or even mashed sweet potatoes for a slightly different taste.
Feeds a family: One batch makes 8 servings, which is plenty to feed my entire family with leftovers for lunch the next few days. It’s filling, budget-friendly, and a great way to stretch a pound (or two) of ground meat into a complete meal.
Great for sharing: This is one ultra comforting and nourishing recipe I like to make for others, especially friends who just had a baby or may be going through a tough time. There’s something about the warm, savory flavors that makes even the hardest days a little better.
Main Ingredients to Gather
Here are a few notes about the primary ingredients needed for this homemade Sloppy Joe casserole.
- Potatoes – I use Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes for fluffy mashed potatoes. If I’m short on time, I skip making the mashed potatoes and use a frozen store-bought option instead.
- Veggies – Yellow onion and bell pepper (I typically use a red or green bell pepper) add texture, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber to the meat mixture. I like green pepper, but red has a slightly sweeter taste that my kids prefer.
- Garlic – I call for garlic in both the mashed potatoes and the meat mixture, and I think fresh mashed cloves give the best flavor. But garlic powder can be used in a pinch. Sub ½ teaspoon garlic powder for every clove.
- Lean ground beef – I use two pounds ground beef (90% or 93% lean ground beef). I’ve also used ground turkey, which tastes great, too, and cuts out a few grams of saturated fat.
- Tomato sauce – I use low-sodium tomato sauce
- Coconut aminos – This condiment (similar ot soy sauce) adds a salty, umami flavor and depth to the beef mixture while keeping it gluten-free and lower in sodium. May sub 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or tamari, if that’s what’s on hand.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Add Cheese
My kids like it when I add some cheddar cheese to this dish. Sometimes I incorporate some shredded cheese by folding it into the mashed potatoes until melted or sprinkled on top before baking. It provides a boost of calcium and is an easy way to elevate the casserole without much extra effort.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Casserole
Don’t be intimidated by the thought of making mashed potatoes from scratch. The process is simple, and the different components come together at the same time, making the prep time just 25 minutes. Here’s an overview of how to assemble the dish:
- Boil the potatoes: Submerge the potatoes in a pot of water, garlic cloves, and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Brown the beef: While the potatoes boil, brown the beef in a skillet with garlic, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Create the Sloppy Joe sauce: Add tomato paste, water, yellow mustard (or Dijon), coconut aminos, vinegar, paprika, salt, and pepper to the skillet, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook until the beef is cooked through and the veggies are tender.
- Mash the potatoes: Drain the potatoes, reserving part of the water. Then, mash them until light and fluffy, and season with salt and pepper. I sometimes fold in a bit of melted butter for a little extra richness, too.
- Layer: Spoon the mashed potatoes over the Sloppy Joe mixture, spreading them out in an even layer.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to a preheated oven, and bake just until the casserole is hot, bubbling around the edges, and lightly golden brown.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Use A Casserole Dish
For those who don’t have a large oven-safe skillet, I recommend preparing the casserole components on the stovetop as directed. Then, layer them into a 9×13 baking dish. This is also a great option when hosting a dinner party or planning on storing the dish to finish baking later.
My Favorite Pairings
I almost always top this Sloppy Joe casserole with a dash of hot sauce. Then, I pair it with a side of vegetables for a well-rounded meal. Some veggie sides my whole family enjoys are roasted green beans, sautéed broccolini, and air fryer Brussels sprouts.
Make Ahead Option
To make this recipe come together even faster on weeknights, I’ll meal prep all of the components ahead of time. Then, I assemble them in a skillet or casserole dish, cover the mixture with aluminum foil, and store it in the fridge until I’m ready to bake it.
Then, when I’m ready to enjoy it for dinner, I add 5 to 7 minutes to the cooking time, since the meat mixture needs a few minutes more to heat through.
How to Store and Reheat
Store the cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm the casserole in the oven at 350°F, or heat individual portions in the microwave.
The pre-baked dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, thaw the casserole overnight in the refrigerator, then heat in the oven or a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through.
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Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe
A fun take on a classic recipe, this Sloppy Joe casserole layers a sweet, savory beef mixture underneath fluffy mashed potatoes for a hearty comfort food dinner. It’s a satisfying, warm, and complete meal that’s perfect for weeknights and meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Potatoes:
- 2 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 4 smashed garlic cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine salt, divided
For the Sloppy Joe Mixture:
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
- ½ medium bell pepper, any color, diced (1 cup)
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (we use 93/7)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons yellow or Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional garnish: ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, thyme, or a mix
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- To a large pot add the potatoes, garlic cloves, and salt. Add enough water to cover the potatoes by 1-2 inches. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat just enough to prevent the water from boiling over. Cook until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a sharp knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are boiling, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. (If you don’t have a large oven-safe skillet, see Tips below*.) When the skillet is hot, add the oil, onion, and bell pepper. Saute until the onion starts to soften, 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the beef and 3 cloves garlic to the veggies in the skillet, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and almost cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
- To the skillet, add the tomato paste, water, mustard, coconut aminos, vinegar, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and reserve ⅓ cup of the cooking water in the pot with the potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or handheld mixer until the potatoes are mashed, light, and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes over the sloppy joe mixture in the skillet, dolloping the mashed potatoes in evenly-spaced mounds. Use a spatula to spread the potatoes to cover all but the very edge of the meat mixture. Bake in the oven until hot and the edges are bubbling, 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Notes
*If you don’t have a large oven-safe skillet, make the sloppy joe filling in a large skillet of any kind. Then, transfer the filling to a 9×13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, then proceed with Step 6.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe, about 1 1/4 cups
- Calories: 285
- Fat: 10 g
- (Sat Fat: 5 g)
- Sodium: 628 mg
- Carbohydrate: 22 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 74 mg
Dietary
The photos in this blog post were taken by Casey Colodny of The Mindful Hapa.
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