You might think that a Sloppy Joe is meant to be a sandwich and a sandwich only, but we’re of the opinion that most things can be made into a mighty fine casserole. The Sloppy Joe is no exception. Paired with a cornbread base, a little bit of cheese, and a few extras, it makes a deliciously comforting casserole that’ll make you wonder why you haven’t been eating Sloppy Joes like this all along.
Our base relies on Jiffy cornbread mix, because it always produces an easy but tasty cornbread that pairs so well with different mix-ins and such. If you have a favorite cornbread recipe, then by all means, feel free to use it here! You’ll just want enough to fill a 9×13-inch pan.
The cornbread (and some of the cheese) go into the oven to bake, just until it’s set but not totally done. You just want it to set enough so that the Sloppy Joe layer doesn’t sink into it entirely. While that bakes, you make up the Sloppy Joe mixture, which is just a quick matter of browning some ground beef in a pan and adding some onions, peppers, garlic, and then the Sloppy Joe seasoning and tomato sauce. (Canned Sloppy Joe sauce would work fine too.)
You poke some holes into the cornbread, so the Sloppy Joe mixture can permeate it a bit but not take it over completely. The Sloppy Joe mixture gets poured over the top, followed by some cheddar cheese, and the whole dish goes back in the oven to bake until it’s nice and hot and bubbly.
Every bite has that signature Sloppy Joe flavor, but every bite also has the carbalicious comfort of sweet cornbread. They’re a fine pair. Brought together with some melted cheese, there’s not a whole lot more you could want from a meal. It’s a casserole that’s totally crave-worthy and totally easy to make, which is right up our alley.
Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole
45 minutes to prepare serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 boxes jiffy cornbread mix
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cups milk
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated and divided
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 package sloppy joe seasoning
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 green onions, sliced
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease an 8x10-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cornbread mix, eggs, milk, and 1 cup Cheddar cheese until well combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake until just set, 10-15 minutes.
- While the cornbread layer bakes, cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Once browned, add in the onions and peppers and saute until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.
- Stir in sloppy joe seasoning and tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper.
- With the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over baked cornbread. Pour sloppy joe mix evenly over the top, and sprinkle with remaining Cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake until mixture is bubbly and cheese has melted, 15-20 minutes.
- Top with green onions and serve. Enjoy!
Adapted from Frugal Hausfrau.