When I was young, my mother didn’t make Sloppy Joe’s very often, but I do remember loving them. They were tasty, sloppy and although I had no idea who Joe was and what he had to do with it, I remember trying to eat them very quickly before the bottom bun got soggy. I appreciated that the bun soaked up all the goodness, but I didn’t relish the soggy bun – who does? This recipe for sloppy Joe casserole solves the problem by baking the buns on top. They toast with cheese melting on top and the edges of the buns get crispy. They are just as delightful as the sloppy part.
Most folks make sloppy Joe’s with a spice packet they pick up from the grocery store, but they are really so easy to make from scratch and I bet you’ll find the homemade version a lot tastier too. You probably have most of the ingredients already in your kitchen. Of course, you could use any type of hamburger bun you like for the top, but I really like the size of slider buns. They give you a perfect template for a portion scoop and they have more edges to get crispy, so they are well worth the search.
Serve these hot out of the oven with a side salad or side vegetable to round out the meal. Of course, if memory of my childhood Sloppy Joe meals serves me correctly, it might be a challenge to get that side dish to disappear, but I doubt you’ll need to look for a storage container for the main meal. ?
If you’re in the mood for regular sloppy Joe’s, I’ve got you covered. You’ll find a pressure cooker version of the recipe right here.
Very good. Tastes like a sloppy joe without all of the mess and losing half the filling when you try to pick up a sloppy joe sandwich. Buns on top – great idea!
Family loves this casserole. Have made it several times and there is always an empty iron skillet.
Promotes empty plate syndrome. Easy, ingredients easily in most homes. Had slider buns leftover, from previous meal as well as 2 sliders. Added sliders to ground beef. So easy and tasty, will be a new go to. You are a treasure to Coke’s who want to succeed, have yet to try recipe without success. Thank you
I made this, and we loved it. Will make again. Thank You Blue Jean Chef, You are my favorite. I miss you on QVC. Thank You for all you do for us.
Meredith,
As always, this was excellent. My husband said it shouldn’t even be calked sloppy joe, it’s too good to be compared to that. Thanks fir the weekly menus. They are a constant source of inspiration. Thanks fir taking care of us with these great ideas at this strange time.
I made this yesterday for the first time, but it won’t be the last time. I wasn’t sure about the flavor since I normally took the easy way out and used the “canned” product when making sloppy joes. Never again! I will only make it using this recipe as it was delicious and everyone in the family really enjoyed it. I used Havarti cheese and it was luscious, beautifully melted and really made the dish perfect. Thank you Meredith for another fantastic recipe.
YUMMY! Will make again. Keep the YUMMYLICIOUS recipes coming, PLEASE. Thank you. 💟
I’ve made this multiple times in the past year and am making it again tonight. It’s soooo good!!! I didn’t have monteray jack today, so using sharp cheddar. Hopefully, it will taste just as good!
Amazing recipe, my picky eaters love this recipe I just omit green bell peppers and follow the recipe as is.
#1 Fav recipe in our household with picky eaters!! I omit the salt for low sodium option for hubs and it still tastes great!
Could you please include nutrition guides with your recipes?
Hi Gale. You can see the nutrition info by clicking on “Nutrition Info” next to “Print Recipe”. This is right after the recipe title.
Best sloppy joes I’ve ever had.
Absolutely fabulous! I, too, love Sloppy Joe’s but hate the mess. They take me back to my childhood. This recipe is awesome and one of our new favorites. My husband raved about them! Thank you Meredith. I have several of your cookbooks, and every recipe of yours that I have made is delicious!
I substituted the green pepper with jalapeños and switched up the cheese using Mexican blend cheese— delish! I like your rolls on top idea so much that I’ve converted all of my rolls-on-bottom recipes to the topside. Have to say that you are our favorite chef, and that at least one of you entrees is on our dinner table every week.
Received this recipe in email a few days ago. I made it for dinner tonight. It was so good! Loved the toasted buns on top. Much better than the soaked buns. Thanks!
Perfect timing since I was making sloppy joes for dinner! It came out great and I really like the non-soggy buns on top.
Love this – I use ground turkey to make it lighter. Also use original Hawaiian rolls instead of slider rolls- fantastic!