Sloppy Joe casserole is what happens when you take everything you love about a classic sloppy Joe and make it even easier to eat. Seasoned ground beef simmers in tangy-sweet sloppy joe sauce, then gets mixed with canned biscuits and cheese and baked until golden. So there are no sloppy hands and no buns that are falling apart mid-bite. You get just all that familiar flavor in a fork-friendly casserole.
Sloppy joes are a classic, but they got their name for a reason! You know the drill – meat sliding out the back of the bun, sauce dripping down your arm, and the kids needing three napkins each. This casserole gives you the same taste with way less cleanup.
What makes this recipe different is how the biscuits bake right with the meat mixture. They soak up just enough sauce to get soft and flavorful while staying fluffy and golden on top. It’s the bread-and-meat combo you’re craving, but in a form that actually stays on the fork.
If you’ve never thought of sloppy joes as a casserole, I get it. It is unconventional. But this is the kind of weeknight shortcut that actually delivers. There are just five ingredients and about 40 minutes from fridge to table.
Coming up, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to pull this together, plus a few easy swaps if you want to change things up. It is all the tangy, sweet-savory goodness you love, baked into a hearty casserole.
Looking for more easy casseroles? Try cauliflower chicken casserole, taco bubble-up casserole, or stuffed cabbage casserole.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Ground beef: I usually reach for 85/15 ground beef for this recipe. It has enough fat to keep everything moist and flavorful without leaving you with a greasy pool at the bottom of your pan.
- Onion
- Sloppy Joe sauce: The 15-ounce can is the standard size you’ll find at most grocery stores. I typically use Manwich because it’s reliable and my family likes the flavor, but any brand works.
- Refrigerated biscuits
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
- Cut your half onion into small, even pieces.
- Add the ground beef and diced onion to a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. You want it crumbly, not in big chunks. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions have softened, about 8-10 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
- While the meat is cooking, open your can of biscuits and cut each one into quarters. I use kitchen scissors for this because it’s way faster than a knife. Toss the biscuit pieces in a bowl with half of the shredded cheddar.
- Once your meat is cooked and drained, stir in the entire 15-ounce can of sloppy joe sauce. Then fold in your cheesy biscuit pieces. Use a gentle hand here so you don’t squish the biscuits. You want them to stay in nice chunks that will puff up in the oven.
- Spread the meat and biscuit mixture into your greased 9×13-inch dish in an even layer. Top it with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Let the casserole cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serving Ideas
Sloppy Joe casserole is already a complete meal. I usually pair this with a quick green salad tossed with ranch dressing. A side of steamed or roasted vegetables works wonderfully too.
Corn, green beans, or broccoli all go well with the savory beef and biscuit casserole. Or serve it with a side of baby carrots for a truly low-effort side.
How to Store
Leftovers from this casserole keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or reheat a larger serving in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Cut your biscuits into quarters, not halves, not eighths. Quarters are the sweet spot. They’re small enough to cook through in the oven but large enough to maintain that fluffy, pillowy texture.
- I know we’re all busy, and it’s tempting to keep moving, but drain that grease. Ground beef can release a surprising amount of fat, and if you skip this step, you’ll end up with a greasy casserole.
- Cheddar is classic for a reason, but any cheese works in this dish. Use whatever you have.
- This casserole works great for meal prep. You can assemble the whole thing, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add about 5-10 minutes to the baking time since you’re starting with a cold dish.
- After 30 minutes, your casserole should be bubbly around the edges with golden, melted cheese on top. If your biscuits still look pale or the cheese isn’t quite melted, give it another 5 minutes.
- Letting the casserole sit for about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven makes serving so much easier. It gives everything time to set up slightly so you’re not scooping out a saucy mess. Your casserole will actually hold its shape on the plate.
Reader Questions
Absolutely. If you’ve got a homemade sloppy joe sauce recipe you love, use it. You’ll need about 15 ounces worth, which is roughly 1¾ cups. Homemade sauce often has a fresher flavor.
The regular-sized refrigerated biscuits work perfectly. I’ve used both the flaky layers kind and the regular buttermilk style, and both work fine. The flaky ones give you a slightly different texture, but it’s good either way.
Yes, that’s a great way to lighten things up a bit. Ground turkey works just fine, though it can be a little drier than beef. I sometimes add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan when cooking the turkey to compensate.
Sure. Diced bell peppers are a perfect addition; sauté them with the onion and beef. I’ve also added frozen corn (about a cup) mixed right into the meat mixture. Some people like to add diced pickles for extra tang, though that’s not my thing. Just don’t go overboard, or you’ll throw off the meat-to-biscuit ratio.
Did You Make This? Leave a Star Rating!
Sloppy Joe Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium onion diced
- Salt
- Pepper
- 15 ounces sloppy joe sauce
- 1 can refrigerated biscuits
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish, and set it aside.
- Dice the onion.½ medium onion
- In a large skillet, add the ground beef and diced onion, and sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Cook the meat over medium heat, breaking it apart as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any grease.1 pound ground beef, Salt, Pepper
- While the meat is cooking, cut the biscuits into quarters and toss them in a bowl with 1 cup of the cheese.1 can refrigerated biscuits, 2 cups cheddar cheese
- Once the meat is done, stir in the sloppy joe sauce. Then fold in the cheesy biscuits.15 ounces sloppy joe sauce
- Add the mixture into the greased casserole dish in an even layer, then top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Make sure you drain that grease. Ground beef can release a surprising amount of fat, and if you skip this step, you’ll end up with a greasy casserole.
- Cheddar is classic for a reason, but any cheese works in this dish. Use whatever you have.
- This casserole works great for meal prep. You can assemble the whole thing, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add about 5-10 minutes to the baking time since you’re starting with a cold dish.
- After 30 minutes, your casserole should be bubbly around the edges with golden, melted cheese on top. If your biscuits still look pale or the cheese isn’t quite melted, give it another 5 minutes.
- Letting the casserole sit for about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven makes serving so much easier.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
