Saucy ground beef, tender penne, sweet peppers, corn, and plenty of melted Colby-Jack make this Sloppy Joe Casserole the kind of dinner you want to dig into while it’s still bubbling from the oven. It’s hearty, cheesy, a little sweet and tangy, and wonderfully comforting.

There are nights when a regular sloppy joe sounds good, but I’m craving something a little more substantial. That’s when this casserole hits the spot. It takes those familiar sloppy joe flavors—tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar—and folds them into pasta with seasoned beef and vegetables.

And then, of course, there’s the cheese. Some gets stirred right into the pasta, and the rest goes over the top before the whole thing heads into the oven. Twenty minutes later, the cheese is melted, the sauce is hot, and dinner is ready to scoop straight from the baking dish.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe is comfort food through and through. The beefy tomato sauce is sweet, savory, and tangy, the penne makes every serving satisfying, and the melted Colby-Jack brings everything together.

I especially like that there’s more going on here than just beef and pasta. Red and green bell peppers add color and flavor, while the corn brings little pops of sweetness throughout the casserole.

It’s also a great recipe when you’re feeding more than a couple of people. One 9×13-inch casserole serves six, making it just as useful for a family dinner as it is for a casual potluck.

And don’t worry if you have leftovers—they keep well, which means tomorrow’s dinner might already be taken care of.

Sloppy Joe Casserole Ingredients

Here’s a quick breakdown of the ingredients and what each one brings to the casserole:

• Penne pasta – The hearty base of the casserole. Its tube shape holds onto the sloppy joe sauce and gives every serving plenty of texture.
• Olive oil – Used to cook the ground beef and get the filling started.
• Ground beef – The main protein and the heart of the sloppy joe filling. It makes this casserole rich, savory, and satisfying.
• Yellow onion – Adds a little sweetness and savory depth as it cooks with the beef.
• Red and green bell peppers – These add color, freshness, and a mild sweetness that works really well with the tomato-based sauce.
• Paprika – Gives the beef mixture an extra layer of warm, savory flavor.
• Garlic powder – An easy way to add plenty of garlicky flavor throughout the filling.
• Kosher salt – Brings out the flavors of the beef, vegetables, and sauce.

For the Sloppy Joe Sauce

• Tomato sauce – This makes up the saucy tomato base and helps coat all that beef and pasta.
• Ketchup – Adds the familiar sweet and tangy flavor you expect in a classic sloppy joe.
• Yellow mustard – A little mustard gives the sauce some tang and balances its sweetness.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds a deeper savory flavor that pairs especially well with the ground beef.
• Light brown sugar – This is where a touch of extra sweetness comes in, balancing the tangy tomato, ketchup, and mustard.

For Finishing the Casserole

• Frozen yellow corn kernels – Add little bites of sweetness and extra texture throughout the casserole.
• Colby-Jack cheese – Half is mixed into the pasta and beef, and the rest goes on top for that irresistible layer of melted cheese.
• Cooking spray – Keeps the casserole from sticking to the baking dish.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, get everything ready and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

While the oven heats, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook it according to the package directions for al dente. Drain it and set it aside.

Next, start the beef mixture. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often and breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains.

Now add the vegetables and seasonings. Stir in the yellow onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Let everything cook together for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Then comes the part that gives this casserole its sloppy joe character. Stir in the tomato sauce, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and light brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.

Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, frozen corn, and 3/4 cup of the Colby-Jack cheese. At this point, you want the pasta, beef, vegetables, sauce, corn, and cheese evenly mixed together.

Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and transfer the mixture to the dish. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup Colby-Jack cheese evenly over the top.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until everything is heated through and that final layer of cheese has melted.

Serve it warm!

Expert Tips

Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook the penne according to the package directions for al dente. Remember, it still has another 20 minutes in the oven once the casserole is assembled.

Give the sauce a few minutes to thicken. After adding the tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar, let the mixture cook for the full 5 minutes. This gives the sauce time to thicken slightly before the pasta goes in.

Save half the cheese for the top. The 1 ½ cups Colby-Jack is divided for a reason. Stir 3/4 cup into the pasta mixture, then sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup over the casserole before baking. You’ll get cheesy flavor throughout and a melted layer on top.

Use a rimmed baking sheet for extra insurance. If your baking dish is especially full, setting it on a rimmed sheet pan before it goes into the oven can help catch any accidental overflow.

Do some of the work ahead. You can cook the pasta and refrigerate it with a splash of oil for up to 3 days. The filling can also be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Recipe Variations

Want to change things up a little? There are a few easy swaps that work with this casserole.

For a different meat option, use ground sirloin or ground turkey instead of the ground beef. You’ll still have all those sweet and tangy sloppy joe flavors from the sauce.

You can also adjust the peppers. If you’d rather skip the green bell pepper, red bell pepper can be used in its place.

Whichever variation you choose, keep the rest of the recipe and cooking method the same.

Storage & Reheating

This casserole is a good one to have waiting in the refrigerator. Once the leftovers have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.

For longer storage, freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready for another serving, reheat it until it’s hot all the way through. If the casserole has been frozen, thawing it in the refrigerator first makes reheating easier.

You can also get a head start before baking. The pasta can be cooked and refrigerated with a splash of oil for up to 3 days.

The filling can be prepared up to 4 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before continuing with the casserole, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, transfer it to a greased baking dish, and finish the recipe as directed.

Serving Suggestions

This Sloppy Joe Casserole is hearty enough to be dinner all on its own. With beef, pasta, peppers, corn, tomato sauce, and cheese packed into every serving, you really don’t need much else.

Still, I love pairing a rich casserole like this with something fresh and simple. A crisp green salad makes a nice contrast, especially with a bright vinaigrette. Roasted broccoli, green beans, or Brussels sprouts would be great alongside it too.

And if you’re fully embracing the comfort-food mood, add some warm crusty bread, garlic bread, or soft dinner rolls. They’re perfect for catching any extra sauce left on the plate.

For a potluck, I’d keep things equally easy: put the warm casserole in the center of the table, add a big salad and some bread on the side, and let everyone help themselves.

Recipe FAQs

1. Can I make Sloppy Joe Casserole ahead of time?
Yes, this is an easy casserole to prep ahead. You can make the filling up to 4 days in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. The pasta can also be cooked up to 3 days ahead with a splash of oil. When you’re ready to bake, let the filling sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, assemble the casserole, and bake as directed.

2. How do I keep the pasta from getting too soft?
Make sure to cook the penne just until al dente according to the package directions. The pasta will continue to cook while the casserole bakes for 20 minutes, so you don’t want it too soft before it goes into the oven.

3. Can I use a different meat instead of ground beef?
Yes! You can use ground turkey or ground sirloin instead of the ground beef. Both are easy swaps and work well with the sweet and tangy sloppy joe sauce.

4. Why should I simmer the sloppy joe sauce first?
Don’t skip this step. Simmering the tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar for about 5 minutes helps the sauce thicken slightly. This gives you a nice saucy filling that coats the beef and pasta without being too thin.

5. Can I freeze Sloppy Joe Casserole?
Yes, you can definitely freeze the leftovers. Store them in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat until warmed all the way through.

Sloppy Joe Pasta Casserole

A hearty baked pasta dish that combines seasoned ground beef, peppers, corn, a tangy-sweet tomato sauce, and plenty of melted Colby-Jack cheese. It brings the familiar flavors of sloppy joes into an easy, filling casserole.

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Sloppy Joe Casserole, Sloppy Joe Casserole recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 cup frozen yellow corn kernels
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese, divided
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Get all of the ingredients ready, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and prepare it according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
• As the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking the meat into crumbles, until no pink remains.
• Add the chopped yellow onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Continue cooking for approximately 4 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables have softened.
• Mix in the tomato sauce, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and light brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Take the Dutch oven off the heat. Fold in the cooked penne, frozen corn, and 3/4 cup of the Colby-Jack cheese until everything is evenly combined.
• Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the beef and pasta mixture into the prepared dish and spread it evenly. Scatter the remaining 3/4 cup cheese over the top.
• Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the casserole is hot throughout and the cheese on top has melted.
• Serve the casserole warm.

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Recipe Notes

• For the best texture, cook the penne according to the package directions for al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven.
• The pasta can be cooked up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated with a splash of oil.
• The beef and vegetable filling can be prepared up to 4 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• If making the filling ahead, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before transferring it to the greased baking dish and continuing with the recipe.
• A rimmed baking sheet can be placed underneath the casserole dish during baking to catch any bubbling or overflow.
• For a variation, ground turkey or ground sirloin can be used instead of ground beef.
• Red bell pepper can be used in place of green bell pepper.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 711kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 33g

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